The impact of life skills to teenagers in the informal settlement

• In Event: Youth and civic development

Proposal

The impact of empowering life skills to teenagers in the informal settlement in viwandani,Nairobi, Kenya.
Prepared by :Muthoni Kamau.
Background.
Education in public schools in Kenya has been overloaded with pupils.The current ratio of teacher to pupils is is estimated to be 56:1 according to unions and educationists in kenya.This sometimes become very hard for the teacher to get the attention of every pupil. Therefore, the efforts of offering help becomes very limited.
In most informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya,majority of the pupils drop out of school due to lack of attention, motivation and skills as to why they need to be in school.The Advancing Learning Outcome for Transformational Change (Alot-Change project) seek to increase the number of pupils who transit from slum to seconday school in Nairobi, Kenya.
Description.
African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC) initiated the Alot-Change project offering after school support for two hours over the weekends in Numeracy,Literacy,mentorship in life skills and leadership. As I quote Nelson Mandela sentiment, Education is the most powerful weapon which can use to change the world,the Advancing Learning Outcome for Transformational Change project (Alot-Change project) seek to empower the teenagers in the informal settlement with the knowledge as the weapon to use to fight challenges from angles of communication skills, peer pressure, drug abuse, relationship and conspire positive behavior on themselves.
The objectives of life skills is to increase adolescents knowledge on reproductive health and sexuality.Reinforce and promote attitude and behavior that will lead to a better quality of life for the adolescents. Instill skills among adolescents to enable them to overcome the challenges of growing up and become responsible adults.Am passionate about life skills and I believe its the backbone of the transformation I see in the mentees that I have mentored for the last three years.
Data source.
Project participants were recruited from. APHRC Nairobi Urban and Health Demographic Surveillance System. Their attendance during the session is tracked using the diaries which indicates the sessions conducted,arrival and departure time,space for signing both for mentor and the parent/guardian.There is also a register which indicate the pupils who attended the session for Alot-Change project and space for indicating their normal school attendance.


Achievement.
There has been much achievement witness over the three years period of mentorship. These include, build of self confidence and creating of self awareness among the mentees.Behavior change as they become for responsible for their actions.life skills has improved the relationship between mentees and their parents,teachers which has led to academic improvement.
Recommendations.
This project Alot-Change seek to demonstrate how research intervention is improving learning outcomes and empowering the teenagers with life skills has led to improvement in academics and general livelihood. By applying the same methodology to the informal settlements across the globe and partnering with community, community organization and international agencies the project can be adjusted and be implemented to a the teenagers under unprivileged environment.

Authors

• Serah Muthoni Kamau, Kenya

• Peter Onchuru Mokaya, U-Tena Youth Organization