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Shamwari Yemwanasikana (SYS) (Friend of the girl child) Trust Number MA0000732/ 2014
Why SYS Was Formed The inspirational story of Shamwari Yemwanasikana (SYS) was conceptualised by Ekenia Chifamba Chidodo, who is the founding director of the organization. The background of the community she grew up in which is the high density suburb of Chitungwiza where a marginal increase in cases involving violence against girls and women was what she came across daily, gave her the courage to become the game changer she is today.

The thrust to form an organisation that drove her was the unconditional passion to see the girl child liberated and uplifted. After having been involved in working for the empowerment of the girl child in child centred non profit making organisations for many years, she and some of her like-minded colleagues formed SYS with the aim of emancipating the girl child from all forms of abuse that have and continue to hinder her development.

The heart of the organisation is to address the concerns of the girl child and protect her from all issues that have the potential to destroy her dreams, hopes and full development. Therefore the organisation comprises of committed young men and women who each has a story of their own and having all been in organisations that fight for the rights of children and women, came together, combining intellectual and material resources to take up the fight for girls’ rights to a higher level ensuring these young people become future empowered women, a rare breed of women who are not victims but victors in all spheres of life, despite one’s race or creed.

Motto
SYS Committed to girl child emancipation

Vision
We envision a nation where girls are free and able to stand up for their rights, with full support from the community and policies.

Goals
The holistic and total empowerment of the girl child as well as the eradication of all forms of abuse and practices that in part or in whole, directly or indirectly impede on the growth of the girl child through:

Supporting and providing for her entrepreneurial efforts
Empowerment
Support for sustainable livelihood
Fighting HIV and AIDS
Gender mainstreaming

Mission
We are an organisation that provides for and supports girl child empowerment, moving towards the total emancipation of the girl child.

Objectives
To engage all stakeholders including communities, schools, governments and policymakers in advocacy and lobbying for eradication of practices, which impede the girl child’s full physical, emotional, spiritual growth and development.
To promote positive attitude towards the girl child by society.
To create room for, provide for and support the full empowerment of the girl child in all spheres of her life.
To document and disseminate information on girls’ rights, HIV treatment and education and psychosocial support.
To promote the reproductive health of girls through advocating for the provision and improved access to reproductive health facilities.
Promote girls interaction access to ICTs.
Working with children’s homes and taking girls to safe shelters.
Support girls’ spheres of debate and offer solutions to situations they are faced with.
Principal Thematic Areas

• Poverty Alleviation and sustainable development • HIV and AIDS • Livelihoods • Child protection • Gender mainstreaming • Gender Based Violence • Entrepreneurship for the girl child • Human Rights • Improved Access to ICTs

The organisation works exclusively with girls who are from the ages of 0-18 years. In other words SYS is a developmental space for future women leaders who are a rare species in most communities today because of traditional and religious beliefs, attitudes and practices. It achieves this through the following:
24 hour Victim Support and Protection Unit
Girls Empowerment Clubs
Community Development programmes
Advocating and lobbying for laws and policies
Humanitarian Assistance
Confidence building Workshops for girls aged 5 to 18
Youth interventions
Mentorship programmes

Feel free to call on us for further information on these numbers:
+263 772 616 980
+263 772 607 384
+263 772 656 677