Big Sister's Helping Hand
We believe that everyone needs a big sister to guide, mentor, support and to protect. Big sister’s helping hand is an organisation aimed at supporting young girls to stay in school and get proper education. Nelson Mandela once said “education is the only tool that can take one out of poverty.” If that’s the case, why do we still have women and children living below the poverty line. This is due to social ills of our society. Many young girls in our country follows the cycle/the road their mothers followed. For instance, a child born to a teenager are also likely to become teenage mothers themselves…and the cycle continues. This exposes these girls to HIV/AIDS as well Cancer of the cervix.
For us to win this battle, we need to be able to address the ills of our society. Empower our young girls to be able to resist all temptations that may lead to teenage pregnancy and contracting of sexually transmitted diseases, more especially HIV/AIDS and cancer of the cervix.
Big Sister's Helping Hand at a Glance
Big Sister’s Helping Hand (BSHH) is a Non-Profit Organisation that provides motivation, mentoring and support to girls in order to keep them in school so that they can get an education. BSHH also offers career guidance to school children. This will enable them to come out of the cycle of poverty that has crippled our communities. Our aim is to prevent the negative effects of unprotected sex, being HIV / AIDS STI’s and unwanted pregnancies. This is done through encouraging y to abstain and delay early sexual debut. Young people who are already sexually active will be educated on safe sex and use of contraceptives. We currently work in the following Mogale City, Gauteng Province; with intentions to expand to other provinces. We work with schools and churches.
What we do
Mentoring and support services
Motivational talks are given to the girls and they are allocated mentors, who monitor their school progress and assess their social needs and assist where necessary. The mentors will also check if the girls have applied for tertiary education if they are in Matric. The girls are also supported through any social problems they experience. They also get supplies of basic needs like sanitary towels and toiletries so that they don’t end up sleeping with sugar daddies in order to get these supplies. We believe that if they would have the supplies they need they may not be forced to sleep with anyone for money. They are also given financial education.
Health education
Girls are given health talk on reproductive and sexual health issues. They are also encouraged to delay sexual debut so as to prevent teenage pregnancies as well as contracting STIs including HIV/AIDS and Cancer of the Cervix. The girls that had their sexual debut are encouraged to know their HIV status and do pap smears at least once a year.
Academic support
Here the challenging subjects are explained to learners, so that they stand a better chance of becoming whatever it is they would like to become. Matriculants are assisted with applications for tertiary education as well as Bursaries. They also get provided with application fee and registration fee should the need arise. Motivational talks are given in schools at the beginning of each term and on request by schools. Students are also assisted with subjects they struggle in at school, so that they can manage to pass their matric well.
"Education is the only tool that can take one out of poverty.”
Nelson Mandela
Contact us
Get in touch with Big Sister's Helping Hand to learn more about our work and how you can get involved.
