Women and girls graduate from our boxing and literacy project
You may remember that we started an exciting new project with Medica Mondiale earlier this year, which sees us providing our popular Boxing Sisters training along with literacy classes and awareness sessions on gender-based violence.
Fast forward a few months and the first group of women and girls have just completed the course – and they celebrated in style this week with a special ceremony, certificates, and a beautiful cake.
The six-month project at Essyan camp is designed to improve women and girls’ mental and physical wellbeing, and help alleviate years of trauma caused by conflict and displacement. It has been incredible to watch the girls grow in confidence while learning key boxing and self-defence skills, as well as finding channels to process hidden grief, anger and confusion.
We’ve also loved seeing women of all ages learn to read and write – some for the very first time in their lives. The literacy and English language classes also aim to boost participants’ educational development and livelihoods prospects, while the awareness sessions are increasing community understanding of women’s rights in relation to violence and abuse. Up to 320 family members are also attending these sessions.
Founded in 1993, Medica Mondiale is a leading women’s rights organisation which supports women and girls who have experienced sexualised wartime violence, working with local, female-led partner organisations to achieve its goals. It also strives to assert women’s rights and raise awareness of the consequences of violence across all of society.
We’re really enjoying working together, and are now continuing to provide boxing, literacy, English and awareness sessions for the second cohort of women, girls and their families. Stay tuned for more updates about their progress soon!
Help us reach more women and girls
Just £5 can help buy the books we need for one woman or girl taking our literacy classes.