Our Programs

1) Girls’ Holistic Development Program

GMP’s Girls’ Holistic Development (GHD) Program with communities and  schools in both rural and urban areas promotes all aspects of girls’ education and development. Increasing girls’ success at school while promoting change in harmful traditions such as child marriage, teen pregnancy, and female genital mutilation, GMP’s grandmother-inclusive and intergenerational approach can bring about lasting positive change. Evaluations of the GHD program have clearly shown that a grandmother-inclusive strategy contributes to building community-wide consensus for adoption of more girl-friendly norms and practices.

It is important to strengthen communication between generations so that girls have the support they need to develop and succeed in life.

 

2) Education

Families throughout Senegal are  profoundly concerned about the loss of cultural identity and values in their children. Teaching African and positive African and Senegalese values is a priority of the Ministry of Education.

Since 2005, in collaboration with the Velingara District Education Office (DEO), Grandmother Project has been addressing this need through its program entitled “Integrating positive cultural values into schools”. In this program, grandmothers are involved in classrooms to teach their indigenous knowledge to children. The DEO-GMP work in Velingara has been recognized by the Ministry of Education as innovative, culturally-relevant, and student performance has increased in areas where the program has implemented. GMP’s work with schools aims to improve learning and achievement by all children, but especially that of girls. Our grandmother-inclusive strategy to prevent child marriage and teen pregnancy provides girls with the support the need to stay in school and succeed.

3) Capacity Building of Other NGOs

A key component of GMP’s strategy is partnership building and training of other NGOs. GMP trains other NGOs to adapt and use its innovative approach to empower both rural and urban communities, and to promote positive change related to women and children’s health, education and child protection. Between 2014 and 2020, GMP trained 172 staff of international and local NGOs from 10 different countries in West Africa on GMP’s Change through Culture approach.

4) Maternal and child health and nutrition

Across Africa, Asia and Latin America, different family members are involved promoting the health, nutrition and well-being of women and children.  Senior women, or grandmothers,  play a central role in all aspects of family health given their experience and their culturally-designated role as family health advisors and caregivers.

Grandmother Project – Change through Culture has developed and tested a methodology to build on and strengthen grandmothers’ role in all aspects of maternal and child health/nutrition (MCHN), and early childhood development.  This approach, which acknowledges grandmothers’ role and strengthens their knowledge on various health-related topics has contributed to very positive results related to: maternal health (increased pre-natal visits, improved diet and decreased workloads for pregnant women), newborn health (increased exclusive breastfeeding from birth and improved hygienic practices), and improvements in the health and nutrition of young children ( timely and improved complementary feeding).

GMP has supported MCHN programs of other NGOs in Senegal, Mali, Mauritiania, Djibouti, Sierra Leone, Uzbekistan, Laos and Albania.

To support programs addressing various facets of MCHN, GMP  has developed several tools: Focus on Families and Culture, for assessing family roles and influence in communities; and a guide for program planners and managers, Involving Grandmothers to Promote Child Nutrition, Health and Development.

Change through Culture