Empowering girls through skills: beadwork and crocheting workshop

On August 22, 2025, Allies in Development (AiD) hosted a one-day skills workshop for members of the AiD school and youth club community, in collaboration with the Africell American Corner. The workshop covered two creative and practical skills: beadwork and crocheting.

This year’s after-school workshop was aimed at introducing girls to lucrative skills and explore new ways to express creativity. Throughout the day, participants enthusiastically learnt the basics of bead design and crocheting techniques. For many participants, this was their first experience creating something through handiwork: colorful bracelets and crochet pieces.

The response from participants was overwhelmingly positive. Many expressed excitement about continuing to develop these skills and even turning them into business opportunities in the future. In light of this strong interest, AiD intends to incorporate the skills workshop into the 2025/26 school and youth club activities plan, thereby ensuring that more girls gain access to practical, income-generating skills alongside the program’s ongoing violence prevention and response initiatives.