Batonga Foundation

THE BATONGA FOUNDATION (BATONGA) IS HARNESSING THE POTENTIAL OF THE MOST MARGINALIZED FEMALE YOUTH, AND ARMING ADOLESCENT GIRLS WITH THE LIFE AND EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS TO TRANSFORM THEIR ECONOMIC POTENTIAL INTO ECONOMIC POWER.

THE BATONGA FOUNDATION ENVISIONS A SAFER, HEALTHIER, AND MORE EQUITABLE WORLD IN WHICH ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS CAN THRIVE. IN 2022, THE BATONGA FOUNDATION CONTINUED ITS WORK TO EMPOWER THE INCREDIBLE YOUNG WOMEN AND ADOLESCENT GIRL LEADERS OF CENTRAL BENIN, AND BEGAN THE EXPANSION OF ITS REACH BEYOND CENTRAL BENIN TO THE NORTHERN PROVINCE OF ATACORA AS WELL AS THE COUNTRY OF SENEGAL. SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE YEAR INCLUDE:1. EXPANSION WITHIN BENIN AND TO SENEGAL IS NOW EFFECTIVE: BATONGA'S IMPACT IS SEEN AND FELT IN 120 COMMUNITIES SERVED ACROSS BENIN AND SOUTHERN SENEGAL. IN THIS EXPANSION, BATONGA EMPLOYED ITS DATA-DRIVEN METHODOLOGY, IDENTIFYING ADOLESCENT GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN POISED TO BENEFIT MOST. BATONGA'S MODEL CONTINUES TO ADDRESS THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF GIRLS AND WOMEN IN PREVIOUS AND NEW COMMUNITIES, EQUIPING THEM WITH SKILLS THAT ENABLE THEM TO THRIVE AS PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS AND LEADERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.2. STRENGTHENING TEAMS AND PROGRAMS TO INCREASE EXECUTION CAPAPCITY: THE MANAGEMENT AND PROGRAM EXPANDED WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE SENEGEAL OFFICE. A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LEADING STRATEGY AND OVERSEEING OPERATIONS AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION CAME ON BOARD IN JUNE 2023. THE UPDATED ADOLESCENT GIRLS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM CURRICULUM IS BEING ROLLED OUT BY MENTORS IN COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL IMPLEMETATION PATRNER ORGANIZATION ANCHORED I THE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE WORK. THEY ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO AMPLIFYING BATONGA'S ADVOCACY REACH AND IMPACT AT LOCAL LEVEL. THE WOMEN'S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM, THROUGH THE YOUNG WOMEN'S BUSINESS CIRCLES, HAS SEEN INCREASES IN INCOME AND SOCIAL CAPITAL IN THE LIVES OF YOUNG WOMEN PARTICIPANTS, THEIR HOUSHOLDS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES AT LARGE. 3. THE RADIO PROGRAM CONTINUES TO REACH OVER ONE MILLION AND A HALF LISTENERS EVERY MONTH. SELECT MENTORS, BUSINESS COCACHES, MALE CHAMPIONS AND PARTICIPANTS ARE TRAINED TO HOST PROGRAMS DISCUSSING GENDER EQUALITY, FEMALE LEADERSHIP AND FINANCIAL INDEPEDENCE AND A HOST OF OTHER ISSUES AFFECTING ADOLESCENT GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN IN RURAL COMMUNITIES. 4. EMBRACING THE DIGITAL AGE, THE PODCAST PROGRAM'S FIRST SEASON BROADCAST 8 EPISODES. BATONGA ALSO BEGAN THE DIGITIZATION OF ITS TRAINING SESSIONS AND INTRODUCED DIGITAL SAVINGS, PROPELLED BY THE RISING INCOMES OF YOUNG WOMEN PARTICIPANTS. FOLLOWING THE PILOT, A NEW INITIATIVE, SHEDIGITAL, IS ENSURING THAT BATONGA PARTICIPANTS HAVE ACCESS TO DIGITAL TOOLS THAT FACILITATE THEIR FINANCIAL INCULSION, ALPHA-NUEMERICAL AND DIGITAL LITERACY, AND SKILLS ACQUISITION IN AREAS REVELANT TO THE GROWITH OF THEIR BUSINESSES.5. ENGAGING MEN AND BOYS: FINALLY, RECOGNIZING THE ROLE OF MEN IN ACHIEVENING GENDER EQUITY AND EQUALITY, BATONGA IMPLEMENTED ITS MEN AND BOYS ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE THROUGH 2023, INTEGRATING THEM AS CHAMPIONS FOR THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS. THE EVALAUTION OF THIS FIRST YEAR SHOWED ITS POSITIVE IMPACT IN OUR WEE AND AGL PROGRAMS, WHICH PROVIDES JUSTIFICATION FOR EXPANDING THE PROGRAM WITHIN BENIN AND LAUCHING IT IN SENEGAL. 6. THE NOS VOIX COMPTENT INITIATIVE, LED BY BATONGA FOUNDATION, CONTINUES TO PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR THE VOICES OF FRENCH-SPEAKING AFRICAN WOMEN TO PARTICIPATE IN, AND INFLUENCE THE DISCOURSE AND POLICIES AROUNG GENDER EQUALITY AT REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS.