Get Ready for Girls

$95.00
For the most vulnerable to trafficking, six months to give them hope again

The Get Ready for Girls Programme prepares teenage girls between 11 and 21 years old who are highly at risk for trafficking and exploitation through intensive training to return to school, start vocational training or apprentice in safe work.

Our first priority is to reintegrate them back into school, but where that is not possible due to family pressure or too much time out of school (e.g. an 18 year old who is illiterate), we enroll them in our Get Ready Programme. Most have Grade 1 to Grade 4 education, and have been working either on the streets collecting garbage, at home in housework and the family small businesses, or in high-risk jobs such as waitressing at beer gardens.

A typical day is breakfast, Khmer language lessons and basic math lessons, a Lifeskills class, lunch and then two skill classes. The Life Skills curriculum is delivered in Khmer and English with intensive counselling and vocational training in embroidery, sewing and crochet that develop work skills such as projects, discipline and quality.

The Girls are evaluated and upon graduation, either repeat the course, go for further specific vocational training or begin apprenticeships. These transitions are sponsored by Riverkids. During this transition time, they attend weekly gatherings for peer support. To cut down on exploitative child labour, Riverkids provides a US$10/week of nutritious foods and toiletries to replace the lost income from forgoing child labour, so parents don’t force them to work at nights or pull them out of the program.

Several of the Get Ready Girls graduates have been hired as part-time assistants at Riverkids in our kindergarten and social activities, to contribute their experience and encourage their leadership skills. We also have integrated feedback from the Get Ready students to improve the curriculum and activities in subsequent programs.

Without this program, many girls would have been sold to brothels and sexually abused. With your support, many of our Get Ready Girls have graduated and found jobs at restaurants, salons and other safe jobs. They are now financially independent and can support their family, keeping themselves and their younger siblings safe from trafficking.

Get Ready for Girls