Introduction
Once a centre for the East African slave trade, Bagamoyo literally means, “lay your heart” (Bwaga = lay and Moyo = heart in Swahili). The name came from the despair felt by those who had been captured inland and transported to Bagamoyo where they waited to be shipped to Zanzibar and the Far East. Knowing that they would never see their homeland again, the saying goes that they left their hearts in the port-town, which therefore became known as Bagamoyo. Literacy rate is low and poverty levels are high. The biggest casualties include Women and children. HIV/AIDS, teen pregnancy, drug abuse, early marriage, violence against women are some of the major challenges impacting heavily of women especially young women of Bagamoyo.
In 2009 YADEN East Africa in partnership with BMC and other organisations assisted in setting up an all young women initiative in Bagamoyo. YWI-Bagamyo has a members ship of 25 girls and works towards equipping its members with technical vocational skills such as ICT and Entrepreneurship and life/development awareness skills such as HIV/AIDS, Gender equality, and Leadership/governance skills among others. With these skills the girls are able to find alternative and descent income generating activities as individuals or as a group. Currently YWI-Bagamoyo is exploring ways of setting up a chicken farm and vegetable garden venture besides beauty salon and events materials chairs, PA etc for hire. The highly motivated group hopes to set up a Young Women Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Centre (YWEEC) in Bagamoyo in 2011.
Mission
Equipping and Empowering the Young women in Bagamoyo with technical and development awareness skills that will enable them address their developmental challenges, become economically independent and use their capacity and experience to educate their communities especially fellow young women.
Vision
An empowered & independent young woman living free from discrimination & violence & with an opportunity to exploit her full potential.
Income generating activity
- Chicken farming
- Edutainment
- Vegetable Farming