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TRANSCRIPT
The Binti Pamoja Center:Developing Girls into Leaders
Karen Austrian
Monrovia, Liberia – Tuesday, July 14th, 2009
A Case Study of the Cascading Leadership Model
In the beginning…
• Binti Pamoja was made up of 12 girls
• Then the core group grew to 25
• Two staff members (women in their late 20’s)
• Then created the level of alumni leaders
Who Are the Alumni of Binti?• By the end of 2 years in core
program they have had
extensive training in RH/HIV
issues, financial literacy, peer
education, and life skills
• Prior to ‘graduation’ they go
through an intense training of
trainers program
• Probation period of 3-6 months
during which attached to an
existing safe spaces group
• After attachment period, if
alumni and Binti staff see the
girl as ready, she forms her own
girls group
The Binti Pamoja Center:
Safe Spaces Program• Grown to 20 new girls groups –
run by alumni of Binti Pamoja
• Reaching 500 girls
• Meet in different parts of Kibera
•Ethnically diverse areas
•Schools, churches, community halls
• Alumni received monthly stipends and money for group supplies/rent
• Alumni meet as a group once a month for supervision and to submit reports
Field Officers
• In 2006, two alumni were hired to be field
officers
• Supervise the alumni leaders
• Run monthly alumni meetings
• Coordinate events, identifying spaces
Village Coordinators
• Safe spaces program grew
too big for two field officers
• Hired 5 village coordinators
• Alumni leaders from some of
the farther villages in Kibera
• Coordinate spaces and larger
activities for those areas
• Oversee recruitment
• Plan to open satellite offices
in future
Cascading Leadership Model in Binti Pamoja
Binti Pamoja Staff:
Program Director and Program Officer
Field Officer
Village Coordinator
Village Coordinator
Village Coordinator
50 Alumni
20 Safe Spaces Groups (500 Girls)
Village Coordinator
Village Coordinator
Field OfficerCore Program
(60 Girls)
Affect of Being Safe Spaces Leaders
on Alumni“The kids are relying on me – I have to show a good
example. I am proud that I have courage and morale to be
with them – I am proud to see their good behavior and that
they know their rights.” -Alumni member
“I enjoy it – they come and tell you, they’re very young but,
some boy come and told me this and this, is he trying to do
that and that? They are coming for advice to you, you feel
very important, you feel that you are somebody in the
community.” -Alumni member
Lessons from Binti Pamoja Safe
Spaces/Cascading Leadership Program
• Using cascading leadership model has allowed Binti Pamoja to increase its reach both geographically and numerically – while reducing the cost per girl of the program
• Has raised the profile of adolescent girls in the community and provided them with leadership opportunities that didn’t exist before
• Provides local role models for younger adolescent girls in Kibera
• Alumni leaders still need ongoing support and supervision from program staff
• Local talent is there right in the community – needs to be developed
ASANTENI – THANK YOU
For More Information – contact Karen Austrian at [email protected] or
Caroline Sakwa at [email protected]