Building leadership opportunities and options for marginalized women and girls

This project aims to improve the economic empowerment of 25 200 marginalized youth including 15 120 adolescent girls and young women in Rwanda Somalia and Tanzania by providing skills development and Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) through the Building leadership Opportunities and options for marginalized women and girls (BLOOM) Africa initiative. BLOOM Africa is implemented through a multifaceted approach to address issues across individual community and systemic levels. At the individual level the project supports empowering marginalized adolescent girls and young women to develop skills advocate for their rights to skills development and access economic opportunities overcome barriers and promote safe work environments. At the community level the project promotes social and behavior change to support equitable community structures challenge traditional gender norms and address discriminatory practices and power imbalances. At the systemic level it aims to create comprehensive support systems within TVET institutions their governing boards and potential employers to address gender equality barriers human rights issues and promote inclusive economic development.

The expected outcomes of this project includes: (1) enhanced enabling environment for marginalized young women and girls’ participation in and benefit from skills learning and employment opportunities; (2) enhanced use of financial and non-financial services and products by marginalized young women and girls in a gender-transformative and inclusive manner; and (3) increased equitable use of gender-inclusive and transformative-driven TVET institutions and employment enablers by marginalized young women and girls.