The Binti Pamoja Center:Developing Girls into Leaders

Karen Austrian

Monrovia, Liberia – Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

A Case Study of the Cascading Leadership Model

In the beginning…

• Binti Pamoja was made up of 12 girls

• Then the core group grew to 25

• Two staff members (women in their late 20’s)

• Then created the level of alumni leaders

Who Are the Alumni of Binti?• By the end of 2 years in core

program they have had

extensive training in RH/HIV

issues, financial literacy, peer

education, and life skills

• Prior to ‘graduation’ they go

through an intense training of

trainers program

• Probation period of 3-6 months

during which attached to an

existing safe spaces group

• After attachment period, if

alumni and Binti staff see the

girl as ready, she forms her own

girls group

The Binti Pamoja Center:

Safe Spaces Program• Grown to 20 new girls groups –

run by alumni of Binti Pamoja

• Reaching 500 girls

• Meet in different parts of Kibera

•Ethnically diverse areas

•Schools, churches, community halls

• Alumni received monthly stipends and money for group supplies/rent

• Alumni meet as a group once a month for supervision and to submit reports

Field Officers

• In 2006, two alumni were hired to be field

officers

• Supervise the alumni leaders

• Run monthly alumni meetings

• Coordinate events, identifying spaces

Village Coordinators

• Safe spaces program grew

too big for two field officers

• Hired 5 village coordinators

• Alumni leaders from some of

the farther villages in Kibera

• Coordinate spaces and larger

activities for those areas

• Oversee recruitment

• Plan to open satellite offices

in future

Cascading Leadership Model in Binti Pamoja

Binti Pamoja Staff:

Program Director and Program Officer

Field Officer

Village Coordinator

Village Coordinator

Village Coordinator

50 Alumni

20 Safe Spaces Groups (500 Girls)

Village Coordinator

Village Coordinator

Field OfficerCore Program

(60 Girls)

Affect of Being Safe Spaces Leaders

on Alumni“The kids are relying on me – I have to show a good

example. I am proud that I have courage and morale to be

with them – I am proud to see their good behavior and that

they know their rights.” -Alumni member

“I enjoy it – they come and tell you, they’re very young but,

some boy come and told me this and this, is he trying to do

that and that? They are coming for advice to you, you feel

very important, you feel that you are somebody in the

community.” -Alumni member

Lessons from Binti Pamoja Safe

Spaces/Cascading Leadership Program

• Using cascading leadership model has allowed Binti Pamoja to increase its reach both geographically and numerically – while reducing the cost per girl of the program

• Has raised the profile of adolescent girls in the community and provided them with leadership opportunities that didn’t exist before

• Provides local role models for younger adolescent girls in Kibera

• Alumni leaders still need ongoing support and supervision from program staff

• Local talent is there right in the community – needs to be developed

ASANTENI – THANK YOU

For More Information – contact Karen Austrian at kaustrian@popcouncil.org or

Caroline Sakwa at bintipamojany@yahoo.com