Speaking at the 2015 CCIH Annual Conference, Allison Flynn, MPH, Health Advisor, World Relief shares a World Relief program to mentor girls aged 10 to 14 in Rwanda to facilitate a healthy transition to adulthood.

1. STARTING YOUNG: POVERTY REDUCTION THROUGH
MENTORING OF VERY YOUNG ADOLESCENT GIRLS
IN RWANDA 28 JUNE 2015
ALLISON FLYNN, MPH

2. Early Adolescence: A Key Time For Intervention
• Growing international focus on adolescence, but often aimed at
older adolescents (15-19)
• Very Young Adolescents (VYAs): 10-14 years
• Window of opportunity to facilitate a healthy transition into youth and
adulthood
• Impact on long term health, social and economic outcomes
• The Rwandan Girl

3. The 12+ Program
• Ni Nyampinga,
• “A beautiful girl inside and out, who
makes good decisions.”
• 10 Districts of Rwanda
• Total population: 3,372,637
• Funded by DFID and Nike
Foundation
• Through Rwanda MOH and GirlHub
• Began in 2014
• Will reach at least 20,000 girls
over 2 year period

4. The 12+ Program
 Aims to impact a number of short and long-
term outcomes for girls including:
 Improved self-esteem
 Increasing girls’ knowledge of and access to vital
services
 Increased capacity of local communities and service
sectors to ‘see,’ support and reach this population
 Increasing enrollment and completion rates for
primary and lower secondary school
 Reducing the proportion of girls and young women
who have experienced sexual or physical violence
 Delaying first birth
 Lowering Rwanda’s MMR and HIV infection rates
 Enhancing the political profile of girls in Rwanda,
leveraging the government to coordinate and fund
future direct asset programs for girls.

5. The 12+ Program
• 25 girls age 10-12 in a community are chosen to
participate in each cycle
• Girls meet weekly for ten months, led by ‘big sister’
mentors
• Mentorship as discipleship
• Safe Spaces:
• Often schools or churches
• Lessons fall into four broad categories:
• Social Skills
• Health and Nutrition
• Economics
• Accessing services in the community
• Graduation after completion of ten month
curriculum

6. The 12+ Program
• Church Engagement
• Church leaders can engage communities to
change cultural norms around the role and
value of women and girls.
• Mentor Support Groups
• Borrows from Care Group model
• Mentors learn from each other’s experiences,
discuss challenges and seek solutions together
• Many do income generating activities together

7. The 12+ Program
• Follow-Up Committees
• Support mentors and girls through
advocacy and logistical support in the
community for their activities
• Economic Strengthening
• Complements lessons on finances and
budgeting
• Groups receive rabbits or chickens to
raise for income

8. Reflections From Cycle One
• Girls built strong relationships
• Girls have knowledge and confidence to access
services in their communities
• Parents noted changes in daughters’ behavior
• Mentors gaining confidence, strengthened
ability to connect with girls, parents and
community leaders
• Church leaders are reaching out to girls and
families to change community norms about
girls

9. Allison Flynn
Health Advisor, World Relief
aflynn@wr.org