FOC Work Plan (February 2020 – October 2020)
BACKGROUND
Feminist on Campus (FOC) is a flagship initiative by Pepeta Malawi (Pepeta Africa) that aims to formalise advocacy for young women and girls. It was designed to appeal to female students in tertiary education institutions as well as young professionals, allowing them to engage in feminist movements that break down barriers and carve out spaces for young women in feminist theory and practice. In the coming months, FOC plans to carry out several activities, including a Menstrual Hygiene Management workshop, SRHR info-sessions, SRHR Service Provision, ARTivism, and a mental health and wellness retreat.
GOALS
By the end of May 2020, Feminist on Campus will have achieved the following:
- Employed different forms of art and film as tools for feminist advocacy and activism,
- Facilitated capacity building for aspiring female student body leaders,
- Held one in-group SRHR workshop and one SRHR info-session for the student body,Members will have undergone training in MHM and the making of reusable sanitary pads,
- Created a routine system for SRHR service provision on campus,
- Members will have taken part in a session on mental health, wellness and well-being.
ACTIVITY OBJECTIVES
- ARTivism and Visibility Online and on Campus
a) The network will use art and film to communicate ideas and help boost its visibility on and off campus throughout the semester through:
- Poetry slams
- Movie nights that include Q&A’s
- Posters around campus
- Social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
b) FOC plans to partner with existing networks that are already on the ground and have a large following such as Young Feminists Network and another group on YouTube.
2. Leadership Capacity Building
a) FOC will facilitate a workshop aimed at building the capacity of female students to hold leadership positions, in line with feminist principles.
b) FOC will provide linkages to whatever further support aspiring female leaders may need.
3. Menstrual Hygiene Management Workshop
a) Members of FOC will undergo a training workshop on Menstrual Hygiene Management, which will culminate in them being equipped with the skills to make reusable sanitary pads.
b) Members of FOC will later identify a school within the immediate community, where they will teach students to make their own reusable sanitary pads.
The Network plans on working alongside an already established group called Ukani Malawi, a local NGO whose focus is on girl empowerment and gender equality in Malawi’s three regions, particularly their Breaking Red Project which trains girls in menstrual health hygiene management and distribution of re-usable pads.
4. SRHR Info-sessions and Service Provision
a) The network will raise awareness about SRHR and ensure that SRHR services are available to students in a familiar and friendly environment. This will be achieved through:
- A training workshop for members of FOC, to position them as contact persons for SRHR information and assistance on campus
- An on-campus info-session with students which will utilise, among other things: first-hand contact with SRHR service providers; posters and stickers; a panel discussion on SRHR; a documentary screening.
- Identification of SRHR Service providers to come on campus and breakdown concepts to do with SRHR and establish a periodic out-day where services are accessed within the college campus. Prospective partners are FPAM, Yoneco, and Chancellor College’s Clinic staff.
5. Mental Health Wellness Retreat and Scoreboard Session
a) Members of the network, in the first week of May 2020, will take part in a wellness retreat to recuperate and to evaluate activities that would have taken place by then.
All members of the network will be required to take part in the various activities planned.
