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ZENZ supports young women in Uganda

In Kampala, thousands of young women are forced into prostitution in order to support themselves and their children. Several of them come from rural areas to Uganda's capital with promises of good job opportunities. 

ZENZ supports Plan International Denmark's efforts to get these young women out of their unhappy situation. They get the opportunity to make money by giving them a free hairdressing education and through a local partner Uganda Youth Development Link (UYDEL), Plan International Denmark supports girls and young women in taking control of their own lives, finding a way out of prostitution and gaining a belief that their voices are important to society. 

Our collaboration with Plan International Denmark makes it possible to provide hope and new opportunities for many vulnerable young women.

"At ZENZ, we are constantly working to make the world an even better place to live in for everyone. Not only do we want a healthier and cleaner environment and climate, our goal is also to promote equality between men and women. Among other things, we can help when we support Plan International Denmark's entrepreneurial project for young girls in Uganda, where the girls are helped out of prostitution and instead receive education and jobs so that they can have a more secure future,” explains Anne Sophie Skjødt Willumsen and Jørgen Skjødt, who passionately tell about their work.

TOGETHER WE CAN CREATE CHANGE 

At ZENZ we work with a promise to always do better with respect for people and the planet these includes supporting partner's promote and work for good health, gender equality and quality education.

With support from Plan International Denmark, the girls in Kampala get the opportunity to learn a craft, while their children are in a kindergarten Plan International Denmark has established. The mothers are trained as tailors or hairdressers. In addition, mothers are also taught children's well-being, nutrition and health.

"We are convinced that when we help and support others, we can spread our vision of creating a better world for all of us. ZENZ believes that if you can make a difference, then you should make a difference, ” explains Jørgen Skjødt.

Our partners are carefully selected. They must be able to document that they are behaving responsibly locally as well as globally. ZENZ is constantly working to be a forerunner for our colleagues in the industry by leading the way, and we believe that together we can make a difference. It is our hope that through a collaboration with Plan International Denmark, it is possible to make a difference for those who really need it.

"It is absolutely crucial that companies like ZENZ show social responsibility and join us in the fight to promote World Goal 5: gender equality," says Dorthe Petersen, director of Plan International Denmark.

FACTS :

Girls and young women girls are taught a subject that guarantees them an income.

Three out of four girls who have already received an education through the project have subsequently gotten jobs.

One in four girls has opened their own salon or business.

400 young women are taught a subject that provides them with an income.

200-300 children from 0-8 years get a safe place to be while their mothers work.

A PROJECT FOR A BETTER LIFE 

Once the young women have completed their internship period, they are helped to get an apprenticeship with a hairdresser or tailor. The Plan International Denmark follows the women throughout the process and also advises them on how to start a store together. Among other things, they also contribute with sewing machines, start-up capital and guidance.

“Girls' rights and opportunities are secured by giving them new skills and employment that can help them move on from an otherwise impossible situation. Companies like ZENZ and their customers help to make this possible, ” explains Dorthe Petersen.

The women who take part in the project not only receive money to feed themselves and their families, they also receive help to process their harsh past.

“Women are helped to process trauma and to rebuild self-confidence and the belief that they have value as human beings. We support them with psychosocial treatment and contact with role models who are former sex workers, ” concludes Dorthe Petersen.

With the project in Kampala, ZENZ is supporting the UN's world goals #3,#4 and #5. Read more here. 

 

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ZENZ støtter unge kvinder i Uganda

I Kampala bliver tusindvis af unge kvinder tvunget til prostitution for at forsørge sig selv og deres børn. Flere af dem kommer fra landdistrikterne til Ugandas hovedstad med løfter om gode jobmuligheder.

ZENZ støtter PlanBørnefondens indsats for at få disse unge kvinder ud af deres ulykkelige situation. De får mulighed for at tjene penge ved at give dem en gratis frisøruddannelse og gennem en lokal partner Uganda Youth Development Link (UYDEL) støtter PlanBørnefonden unge kvinder i at tage kontrol over deres eget liv, finde en vej ud af prostitution og få en tro på, at deres stemmer er vigtige for samfundet.

Vores samarbejde med PlanBørnefonden gør det muligt at give håb og nye muligheder til mange udsatte unge kvinder.

"Hos ZENZ arbejder vi konstant på at gøre verden til et endnu bedre sted at leve i for alle. Ikke alene ønsker vi et sundere og renere miljø og klima, vores mål er også at fremme ligestilling mellem mænd og kvinder. Bl.a. kan vi hjælpe, når vi støtter PlanBørnefondens iværksætterprojekt for unge piger i Uganda, hvor pigerne bliver hjulpet ud af prostitution og i stedet får uddannelse og job, så de kan få en mere sikker fremtid,” forklarer Anne Sophie Skjødt Willumsen og Jørgen Skjødt, der passioneret fortæller om deres arbejde.

SAMMEN KAN VI GØRE EN FORSKEL

Hos ZENZ arbejder vi med et løfte om altid at gøre det bedre med respekt for mennesker og planeten. Dette ansvar inkluderer at støtte partneres kamp for at fremme sundhed, ligestilling og uddannelse i verden.

Ved støtte fra PlanBørnefonden får pigerne i Kampala mulighed for at lære et håndværk, mens deres børn går i en børnehave, som PlanBørnefonden har etableret. Mødrene uddannes til skræddere eller frisører. Derudover bliver mødrene også undervist i børns trivsel, ernæring og sundhed.

"Vi er overbeviste om, at når vi hjælper og støtter andre, kan vi udbrede vores vision om at skabe en bedre verden for os alle. ZENZ mener, at hvis du kan gøre en forskel, så skal du gøre en forskel," forklarer Jørgen Skjødt.

Vores samarbejdspartnere er nøje udvalgt. De skal kunne dokumentere, at de optræder ansvarligt lokalt såvel som globalt. ZENZ arbejder konstant på at være en rollemodel for vores kolleger i branchen ved at gå forrest, og vi tror på, at vi sammen kan gøre en forskel. Det er vores håb, at det gennem samarbejdet med PlanBørnefonden er muligt at gøre en forskel for dem, der virkelig har brug for det.

”Det er helt afgørende, at virksomheder som ZENZ udviser social ansvarlighed og slutter sig til os i kampen for at fremme Verdensmål 5: Ligestilling,” siger Dorthe Petersen, direktør i PlanBørnefonden. 

FAKTA : 

Piger og unge piger bliver undervist i et fag, der sikrer dem en indkomst.

Tre ud af fire piger, der allerede har fået en uddannelse gennem projektet, har efterfølgende fået job.

Hver fjerde pige har åbnet deres egen salon eller virksomhed.

400 unge kvinder undervises i et fag, der giver dem en indtægt.

200-300 børn fra 0-8 år får et trygt sted at være, mens deres mødre arbejder.

ET PROJEKT FOR ET BEDRE LIV

Når de unge kvinder har afsluttet deres praktikperiode, får de hjælp til at komme i lære hos en frisør eller skrædder. PlanBørnefonden følger kvinderne gennem hele forløbet og rådgiver dem også om, hvordan de sammen starter en butik. De bidrager blandt andet også med symaskiner, startkapital og vejledning.

”Pigers rettigheder og muligheder sikres ved at give dem nye kompetencer og beskæftigelse, der kan hjælpe dem videre fra en ellers umulig situation. Virksomheder som ZENZ og deres kunder er med til at gøre dette muligt,” forklarer Dorthe Petersen.

De kvinder, der deltager i projektet, får ikke kun penge til at brødføde sig selv og deres familier, de får også hjælp til at bearbejde deres barske fortid.

”Kvinder får hjælp til at bearbejde traumer og til at genopbygge selvtilliden og troen på, at de har værdi som mennesker. Vi støtter dem med psykosocial behandling og kontakt til rollemodeller, der er tidligere sexarbejdere,” slutter Dorthe Petersen.

Med projektet i Kampala støtter ZENZ FN's Verdensmål #3, #4 og #5. Læs mere her.