TANARI TRUST

This week, the girls of Mathare Cohort 1 received their Employability Training Manuals. This is the last workbook of the three-part YE curriculum. They began right away on Lesson 1: Understanding Employment & Employability. Their first assignment of the morning was to define employment—both formal and informal. The girls then discussed the advantages and disadvantages of each type. The "essentials" of employability were taught at the end of the lesson. These include, but are not limited to, core academics, communication—both verbal & writing, listening, presentation, suitability, flexibility, persuasion, teamwork, leadership, planning & organizing, investigating & problem solving and numeracy. Lesson 2 was also completed. While working through this lesson, the girls identified their career interests. In addition, they had the opportunity to assess their own level of employability through making use of the "Employability Skills Chart" found in t

One of Tanari Trust's newest programs is Young Entrepreneurs (YE). Tanari was contracted by Technoserve (www.technoserve.org) to facilitate the once a week business club. Since Tanari specializes in youth empowerment through experiential learning, initiation into the club took place during a weekend of fun at a  residential lifeskills camp.  The club meets in the Kawangware and Mathare slums. There are two cohorts—of approximately 45 girls each—in both slums. The girls range in age from 14-18 years old. The YE program uses a three-part workbook curriculum to teach the basics of business. The main areas of study include entrepreneurship, basic financial education and employability. Throughout the six month program, the girls are divided into entrepreneurial groups and are given a small loan to start their own community businesses. They must create and present a business plan as well as maintain financial records. Common businesses include the sale of snacks and drinks as well as