Good Shepherd Centre for Teenage Mothers

Core Activities:

The purpose of the Good Shepherd Centre for Teenage Mothers is to provide single mothers in need of help with a safe, supportive place to live while they learn how to look after themselves and their children. Although the program is residential, single mothers are welcome to participate in a day program as well.

The program offers a holistic educational approach covering parenting, vocational and life skills, which enables the women to generate their own income and become self reliant. Specific life skills taught include counseling support, distance education through high school level, promotion of links to families, and follow up support for community reintegration. Vocational activities include sewing, knitting, cooking, gardening, and animal husbandry (chicken and pigs).

• Teenage mother exercise their right to education through Lesotho Distance Teacher Centre (LDTC) and Vocational school.
• Teen mothers empowered with life skills needed for self-reliance, income generation and marketing of their goods.
• To instill in every woman with self discipline and regard for others.
• To protect children from any form of discrimination and to take positive action to promote their rights.

Activities in Lesotho:

Sewing (Hand and machine)
Knitting by hand
Cooking
Gardening
Animal Husbandry (poultry, layers, pigs, cows and sheep)
Life skills and HIV/AIDS awareness
Counseling

Average Roll:
Teenage mothers: 28
Pre-School: 80
Academic classes through LDTC

Future Plans:

Good Shepherd plans to build a double-story dormitory in order to be able to take in more mothers. They would also like to provide follow-up service for others that have moved back into their communities.
• Buildings
• Library and study hall
• Classroom for computer lessons
• Outdoor kitchen
• Tuck-shop for income generation products
• Pre-school playground equipment
• Photocopier and printer
• Help ex-teen mother with capital to start their businesses
• Farm equipment

Needs of Organisation:

• Buildings (study hall, recreational hall, classroom for computer lessons)
• Computers
• Funding for helping teen mothers with capital to start their businesses or help those who want to go back to formal schools to further their education, renovations, food, and diesel to pump water.
• Office furniture
• Pre-school toys
• Staff
• Sewing materials and equipment
• Electricity
• Vehicle
• Kitchen equipment

Funding:

• UNICEF – Donated dormitory, toilet block, fence, distance education materials, and ad hoc donations.
• Department Social Welfare – Public assistance benefits to mothers.
• British Red Cross, 2005 – Completion of pre-school including fencing, kitchen refurbishment, water tanks, and greenhouse.
• US Embassy – Ad hoc donations.
• NGOC- Ad hoc donations.
• British High Commission – Ad hoc donations.
• Office of the First Lady – Ad hoc donations.
• Dorcas Aid
• Roman Catholic Church
• Good Shepherd Sisters

This organisation’s info updated on: Wed, Nov 18, 2009. Please disregard the date below.