Community programme helps care for girls

HELPING to deter young girls from looking for financial ‘favours’ and support from ‘sugar daddies’, LifeLine Zululand has rolled out the Cash Plus Care Programme supported by Cindi, the Children in Distress Network.

Heading up the programme locally is LifeLine community mobiliser Nellie Sibiya and presentations are held in the areas of eNseleni, Mandlazini, Mzingazi, Ngwelezana, Macekane, eSikhaleni and Empangeni.

The project has reached hundreds of girls and young women and focuses on helping them improve their self esteem and confidence and provides them with an incentive of cash and shopping vouchers, which they can use for their basic needs.

The target is 19 to 24-year-olds and helps them to fight the challenges of the ‘sugar daddy’ trap, HIV/Aids and social ills.

Sibiya said the the programme aims to help young women and girls to empower themselves through behaviour change by participating in the life skills programme, which contains 12 sessions that will restore their worth as women, increase their self-esteem and guide them in decision making.

‘The young women and girls are recruited by facilitators with the help of ward councillors, Sukuma Sakhe and community care givers.

The Cash Plus Care Programme is implemented through the war rooms, schools and churches and sessions are easily accessible.