Solar radio Information Clubs

Children in remote areas of Chiredzi face a myriad of hurdles including long distances, to school as well as limiting learning to theoretical learning methods as opposed to practicals to subjects such as Chemistry, Physics, Food and Nutrition and Carpentry to mention a few. The Junior Council members have made numerous appeals to Government and well wishers for electricity lines, textbooks, computers and laboratory apparatus to ensure that children are exposed to the many opportunities available to them. Further some areas such as Sengwe and Malipati have limited or no communication network lines, so information is scarce on basic modern systems and even on the prevention of Covid-19 . This is a gap the can be filled if we make use of natural resources through Solar powered radios through strategic partnerships with local and private actors. This initiative will contribute to sustainable development through empowering children using modern technologies. 

There is little to no access to basic information for women and girls to make informed decisions. This is exacerbated in the rural areas where there is no communication network or power lines in most parts to share or access information. This is coupled with the cultural practice, particularly the komba practice that targets  pre-adolescent girls to be initiated into womanhood where they are exposed to sexual practices and fall prey to early, child and forced marriage as well as aspiring for gendered roles as opposed to productive roles.Information sourced from one child parliamentarian shows that only one girl in her steam is studying a  STEM subject but that there isn't equipment at her school for the subject and she will go to another school for the practical exam she never practised for. The high migration rate of young people into South Africa and Mozambique leaves child headed families who are further left vulnerable to seek marriage or cheap labour than education. Statistics form 2017 show that 25% of girls and 15 % boys drop out of primary school while 41% of girls and 38% of boys drop out of high school due to the aforementioned challenges. 

Information hubs a powered by solar radios will remedy the challenge of lack of information. Chiredzi is already known for high temperatures throughout the year and the schools have a major deficit because of lack of power and communication networks. The radios will create clubs for information and  will be spaces for girl to learn and update themselves on information about Covid19, assertiveness, child rights and career opportunities. They will be  supported as well  from the service providers for network for communication to make the sharing of information easier. Well wishers and private Foundations can then also support with computers and books to fully realise and equip the information club that provides the necessary entrance int the real world for marginalised young women and girls. Girls will be trained on their legal rights and how to use and preserve the technologies and will also be mentored by other girls and women who have faced and overcome the same challenges they have to inspire them to keep in school. Ultimately a Girls Movement can be created that pushed as the agenda or rural and marginalised girls to achieve their dreams through access to basic information. 

The solution serves the Shangani girl child and young woman as she navigates her way through primary and secondary school education with aspirations. It also targets boys who will also support girls in achieving their full potential. Their needs comprise of the bare necessities such as basic information and education of their rights and sustainable development. The engagement with the target constituents will be done through local leadership as well as community based organisations such as Gaza Trust who work with communities on positive cultural development and child programming. The main objective is to influence the current and next generation that rural and marginalised communities an birth talented and motivated leaders and entrepreneurs. This can only be done if afforded the chance to be on an equal playing filed with their counterparts in the urban and electrified communities. it is an opportunity to educate initiation and traditional leaders on the advantages of technologies to the development of their communities. 

The solution resonates with the Challenge in as much as it ensures that girls are award an opportunity to access the information that motivates them to pursue educational opportunities. Rural development which involves girls and women is often left behind because of the distances to basic commodities and the view tat they remain backwards. Therefore bringing solar technologies and information access to the marginalised  will ensure that they are literate and competent enough to achieve their career objectives. This is also a way of challenging gender norms from the private sphere to the public and productive space. 

I am not aware of any competition as this is something that can be deemed by your team as ordinary and not as exciting. It may not warrant so much technology and innovation but it is a primary need for the constituents i represent. Having worked in the area for almost three years and finding out that some children have never left the bound of their villages is enough to make me understand that they need these information clubs more than anything. The passion behind this solution is to merely be awarded an opportunity to create an information club or hub in one ward or school that gives girls an opportunity to see what the world has to offer. It can start with just a desk and a chair and a small computer to learn the basics of typing and creating a spreadsheet. the solar radio will then be part of the hub that will fuel out the information that they need for inspiration. Or it can have a book on how to build confidence and motivational books like "Becoming" by Michelle Obama. It truly can be anythings as long as it builds a passion for becoming and empowered and informed young women or girl.

This solution is based on the fact that the region in question is known for hot temperatures throughout the year. It is known for little entertainment and lack or no access to information as there could be one radio for every fifty or so household. More homes are moving into solar as a an efficient and cheaper source of renewable energy in the urban. So the solution is driven by creating information hubs that are powered by solar energy to provide entertainment and information that is needed and shared. it will have a USB port to ensure that information can be accessed and even produced by the girls themselves as they study for school or gather to listen to motivational speakers or shows

 It also looks towards collaborating with communication network service providers who would erect boosters in areas where there is no network coverage as well as offer reasonable data packages for the info clubs to be connected to the internet. the theoretical aspect of learning would be turned into a practical session as the radio is being used in studies during lock down and now hosts details on the new curriculum as well as quizzes and information on examinations. Therefore the need would be the solar radios and all hard ware to make the clubub functional for girls to access information and learn. 

Solar as a renewable energy is widely used and as aforementioned the region is known for tits high temperatures so the solution will be powered by solar energy and used at strategic points and strategics times. one of the network service providers already has a prototype of a solar radio which is attached to a solar light and provides light and a information. the solution would use this prototype and expand it to have a USB port where information can be update and shared with little difficulty. Girls and women would act out informative audios that can be shared to even those without internet connection or network services and mitigate the void of lack of information. This would be a platform for them to learn more on renewable energy as well as be innovative in the creation of content for the clubs that are powered by the radio.

Objective:  The solution would contribute to the Constitutional right to access to basic information to marginalised women and girls. 

IMPACT WILL BE SEEN HOW?

• Empowered girls who remain in school, speak out on discrimination and abuse and would build an assertive and confident future leader/influencer. 
• reduction of cases of child marriage. 
• revision of the cultural practices in line with Constitution.
• High enrolment of girls in school and taking on STEM subjects.
• Boys and men would support the women and challenge cultural norms and practices that leave the girl child out of school and out of the productive sphere.
• Traditional and  community leaders would have spaces to share information in their communities swiftly and obliged to involve women and girls issues while at it.

HOW?

Stories by Girls, Girls Sessions, Song, Legal training, News bulletin, Junior Assembly platform for influence, Capacity building sessions, Mentoring ,, Digital Exam questions and lessons, Community dialogues,Working with CBOs would give impact to the communities as they relate in terms of access to the target groups and can communicate in their native language thereby creating trust and buy in of the target.

Currently I work with 45 members of the Junior assembly who are comprised of child led groups, child parliamentarians and child councillors who have influence in their respective areas of origin. I also work with 60 children in 6 rural schools and i anticipate that the number will double as some children finish school and other enter into school. Further the Junior assembly is re selected every year and there will be 45 more child leaders to influence. 

With this solution girls clubs will be created and sponsored in the 6 wards that re hard to reach and have little access to network and information. They will rally up other girls and even boys in their schools as radio attracts a lot of attention and that influences the parents and care givers and traditional leaders to hear and respect girls voices.

The passion about girls and women's empowerment fuels a fire in aspiring to contribute to that cause in any way  possible. Advocacy is for grants that are centred on influencing change as well as that vocalise gender mainstreaming. There is also aspiration in grant management as well as penetrating the regional and global playing field. 

There is a passionate about the well being of an individual in terms of psycho social support. We have had sisters and clients and friends go through tough patches without the requisite support they need so in five years the aspiration is to create a wellness centre that caters to the needs of individuals who are over worked, grieving, lonely, overwhelmed, stressed an depressed to mention an few.  This would fill the void of how people can feel that something is missing in their lives.

The current economic environment in the country makes it difficult to plan and even save for the future as the current is insufficient. There is also political tension stemming from disgruntlement over the current economic situation that poses a threat to current and future programming. Opportunities for funding are also getting limited as the worked evolves into different concerns as well as the stiff competition in civil society. 

The other challenges are also on the Covid19 pandemic  that has stalled the works d from the 'business as usual stance'. it has paced a burden on programmers to adjust and cut out and neglect certain actions in order to comply with government regulations to monitor and mitigate the spread of the virus.

There are also challenges in terms of the target groups and their strong cultural beliefs that have been entrenched from birth and resistance to change. the law also moves at a slow pace and all noble ideas may be overtaken by events. 

The barriers can be overcome by planning in advance as well as work with government actors to get their buy in. This ensures that the work will not be stalled by suspicion that activities have a bearing on political interests. All activities should also incorporate skills training so that issues of poverty alleviation can also be tackled as we move in programming.

Programming can also use technology in implementation of activities even during the lock down stemming form the Covid19 pandemic. Following WHO regulations is also the key to continuing work in the era of the corona virus.

Working with CBOs who have links and access to the target groups is what can mitigate the resistance and adherence to culture. More advocacy and campaigning can impact the mind set and beliefs of the leaders and the target groups.

A programme assistant in the project area who supports with programming and legal aid on a case by case basis. 

There are also have CSOs including CBOs that work with the target groups and give access and mobilisation and enrichment to the solution.

Staff is also available to support in administration, finance as well as monitoring and evaluation.

The work being done is led by three main pillars. The first is on Gender justice and equality which encompasses activities such as submission of position papers, petitions, court monitoring and shadow reports. The main objective for this is to monitor accountability and support the implementation of existing gender equality laws. 

There is also the Legal rights education and capacity building with key interventions such as legal rights training, production of training material, advocating for alignment of laws to the constitution, linking with other regional and international bodies for best practices. The work done seeks to contribute to a just society and development of a gender sensitive system. This includes implementing the civil society strengthening project in the district

Finally there is the Legal aid and support services which aim to support access to justice by all through help desk initiatives, strategic litigation, legal empowerment. 

This shows that there is capacity, experience and vision to ensure that the solution comes to life as the vision is a society where justice is equitably accessed, claimed and enjoyed by women and girls in all spheres of life. 

The legal aid is supported by the Judicial Service Commission as well s the Victim Friendly Unit of the police in project implementation. There is recognition as well with independent Commissions such as on Gender and Human Rights who are key partners in advocacy.

There is affiliation with movements such as the Girls Not Brides, Child Rights Coalition, Publish What You Pay as well as Women's Coalition to mention a few.

There have been partnerships with Plan International and the United Nations family in programming the integrated support programme as well as on campaigns on GBV and child marriage. 

We are flexible to engage the network service providers such as Econet and Netone and ZOL in implementing this solution emphatically. Other non-traditional actors can be engaged as we grow and learn to strengthen our work in technology and innovation.

Marginalized women and girls are the direct target group for the solution and the applicant. This group comprises of women and girls who are disadvantaged and vulnerable staying in rural, peri-urban and urban areas. The solution resonates well with this group as they are a significant constituent in ensuring sustainable development.  The secondary beneficiaries include men, boys, Law and Policy makers, Journalists/media, Community leaders/members, civil society and the public in general and communities at large. The project will use the existing platform to influence the achievement of outcomes and taking and inclusive stance by involving the secondary beneficiaries. 

Our services are provided at the Magistrates Courts and Schools and we are a focal actor for the Ministry of Women's Affairs who hod the mandate for empowering women and girls. 

We are visible on social media and on TV and radio in advocacy and campaigning. We are ride velours in ensuring that the law works for women so we target and move in spaces where we can influence the law and policies that work for women and girls. 

We have a vision of having a learning centre for girls and omen to come an enrich themselves with the successes and challenges in programming. We inspire to celebrate the strides we have taken in accomplishing the accomplishments for women and girls. We will use our asset that is our building as the foundation of  sustainability. The space can be sued for arts and galas that ensure that we mentor our target groups through rubbing shoulders with their role models and selected mentors in women and girls rights.

 We are membership based so revenue can be accrued through our members and partners. We also anticipate to interact and lobby non-traditional donors and partners such as in Sports and Theatre to diversify and spread the message strategically while attracting funding attention. 

The passion for girls and young women to enjoy their rights to the fullest fuels the fire to apply for this solution. It is a pain to see children in the rural areas deprived of the knowledge and skill because of a dust road and because of language barrier. Going to school should be an experience to learn and know more and of quality. However most girls are lucky to even have a chance to read and writ let alone pursue their skills. With the Covid 9 it even highlights the gap on quality education for girls and young women who are marginalised and almost hidden/silenced. This is an opportunity to bring the law and the information to these girls and young women who can only dream to be leaders and influencers in their own right and this solution is a mean to that outcome. 

The new models may be alien to an African context and we need to be empowered and strengthened in that respect.

Further funding is needed to give the necessary impact to the solution as Chiredzi is not the only space where women and girls need that innovation. 

Exposure on the regional and international platform is what is sought through support form the solution.

Big actors and organisations such as Apple and Microsoft that already lead in innovation on the communications front. These can also partner with the local network service providers in creating spaces that are friendly and accessible to all women and girls. 

Experts in theatre and arts are also key partners. This allows the women and girls to use various tools to relay their message constructively and strategically.

Former and current Solve members can also use the platform to partner where similarities occur in line with complementing our objectives. 

Universities can also visit the schools and the girls as a way to motivate and encourage that there is more to life if an opportunity and information are offered to them. 

Basically bring the key actors right down to the ground to see and be inspired to fund and support the many girls and game changers who have been deprived of the essential opportunities. 

As evidenced by the solution there is need for support to the lobbying and advocacy for basic yet quality education for girls and women. This is because the selected area of implementing the solution is just a tip of the iceberg. Policy makers need to be engaged and involved actively in viewing the success of the solution and they require strategic engagement that takes resources and planning. 

As the alignment process is ongoing for the Constitution to laws in the country it becomes paramount to have this pilot take off loudly and boldly with support from this prize to accelerate the pace of the agenda.

We also want to then big the girls and women to global and regional platforms to give their testimony of the solution and the complementary support will make the dream of the little girl a reality.