Growing Up Happy,” a project for little girls and adolescents in Azua
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 1/25/2012
The Dominican Republic Plan (Plan República Dominicana) has developed the project “Growing Up Happy” in the communities of Tábara Arriba, Los Toros, Tábara Abajo, Las Guanábanas and Sajanoa de Azua, as part of the activities of the Economic Security program.
“Growing Up Happy” is aimed at children and adolescents aged 10-14 and 15-19 years and its objective is to provide a microfinance program that meets their financial needs, while at the same time providing them with life skills to enable them to tackle the problems of their social environment and to overcome their vulnerability.
“Growing Up Happy” is aimed at children and adolescents aged 10-14 and 15-19 years and its objective is to provide a microfinance program that meets their financial needs, while at the same time providing them with life skills to enable them to tackle the problems of their social environment and to overcome their vulnerability.
“Growing Up Happy” is aimed at children and adolescents aged 10-14 and 15-19 years and its objective is to provide a microfinance program that meets their financial needs, while at the same time providing them with life skills to enable them to tackle the problems of their social environment and to overcome their vulnerability.
Esmirna de León, aged 12, states “I’m very happy here because they teach us how to build a better future, I learned how to save money, how to care for myself, how to feed myself, and I am committed to come here every Saturday, we have outlined goals so that we never forget what we have learned here.”
This project arose from the conclusions that emerged from several studies that were conducted in the area, which found that girls between the ages mentioned above are more vulnerable to all forms of violence, have greater exposure to risks associated with sexuality, pregnancy, early marriage and little power to make decisions, which lead them to social isolation, marginalization, and to drop out from school, without having a safe space where they can meet or any other form of healthy recreational options. The children and adolescents are being encouraged and supported in a way that allows them to increase their commitment to society, and to develop strategies with a view to building an active, critical and responsible citizenship.
Through community management committees, in conjunction with school officials and the project facilitators, recreational activities such as singing and self-motivating activities, take place under the safety and security measures that are specified in the Child Protection Policies Plan. “We are willing to assume this new responsibility and work with this project, in as much as it could help our community to growth and develop in a positive manner,” expressed the members of Las Guanábanas Management Committee.
This pilot Project addresses issues such as performance in financial education – money savings, adolescence and sexuality, negotiation and conflict management, and nutrition. It receives financial support from the Finland Plan and has a duration of 7 months. Depending on the results obtained from the evaluations it will be extended to one year. It is being monitored by Community Management Committees; the Project Coordinator, Ana Carolina Zúñiga; and the Evaluation and Monitoring teams of the Plan República Dominicana.
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