The Life-Changing Benefits of Mentoring
Our volunteer Emily shares her insights on the benefits of mentoring after working on a global mentoring programme supporting 6,000 women entrepreneurs.
A key part of the AdAmi Project’s holistic program model involves weekly mentoring sessions where the expectant and young mothers (EYMs) have an opportunity to meet one-on-one with a local female mentor. Together, the pair have a unique opportunity to share experiences, tackle key challenges and build a strong relationship that not only empowers EYMs today, but also creates a lifelong ripple effect.
AdAmi Project participant Musu with her mentor Bernadette
Over the past decade, mentoring programmes have become increasingly popular across sectors as corporate schemes match employees, entrepreneurs connect to industry professionals and non-profit organisations facilitate local and global relationships. Whilst the context, scope and goals of these mentoring relationships vary, a few key aspects create the building blocks for success: they’re mutually beneficial for the mentee and mentor, they develop key skills and build confidence, and they can positively influence the mentee’s next steps (link to external report).
For this blog, I want to share the top three reasons why I believe mentoring is beneficial for the EYMs and how it translates into long-term impact.
Creates a role model and safe space. Over 80% of the EYMs we work with were thrown out of their homes when their pregnancy was discovered. The fathers almost always deny responsibility and the pregnant girls are legally banned from attending school. By having a mentor who is respected in the community, who shows up with her undivided attention and listens to their experience, the girls have someone they can not only look up to, but also confide in without fear of being judged. This leads to a whole range of positive impacts, such as increased feelings of self-worth, belief in themselves, improved relationships and hope for their future.
Builds confidence and life skills. Becoming a mother at a young age without any support system or financial stability, has led the EYMs to feeling overwhelmed and unprepared to cope with their situation. By working with a mentor, the EYMs are able to develop key skills, such as perseverance, time management, studying techniques and basic financial literacy. This enables them to balance their needs and responsibilities, whilst also taking care of their child and building confidence in their abilities.
Enables goal setting. Due to the cost and lack of support to be able to return to school, most young mothers are faced with menial work and a lifetime of poverty. In fact, before joining the AdAmi Project, the EYMs had been out of school for an average of almost two years, despite their average age of 17. By working with a mentor, the EYMs have an opportunity to reflect and think about what they want for their future. The mentors support the girls to brainstorm career options, identify key challenges and make an individualised and realistic plan to achieve their goals. Imagine having your own personal cheerleader who is with you every step of the way, encouraging you when it’s tough and celebrating when you succeed. This can be hugely motivating as it increases the EYMs feeling of support, accountability, and ultimately, the likelihood of achieving their goals.
Aminata with her son and mentor Miata. She dreams of becoming a nurse and is already much happier since joining the project. She said, “The first time Miata came I was so happy because when I became pregnant, I thought I would never go to school again. Former school mates and friends would see me with a pregnancy belly and taunt me for being a drop out. Aunty Miata has encouraged my heart. She talks nicely to me and encourages me to go back to school.”
Combined, these benefits have already had a strong impact on the EYMs as we’ve seen regular school attendance, improved family relationships and increased happiness amongst the girls. As they feel motivated, supported and equipped to work towards their ambitious career goals, such as becoming a nurse or a hair dresser, the EYMs are overcoming barriers and setting themselves up for long-term success. As one of our mentors Deborah said, “[Mentoring] is important in some girl’s lives, like Abibatu’s. When we met her she was depressed. She was thinking that all was not well and she would not make it in life. But with our mentoring training, helping and talking to her, I think we have created an impact in her life…My dream for Abibatu is for her to be a role model and example to other girls.”
As we start to expand our programme over the coming months, we look forward to sharing key learnings and outcomes from the pilot mentoring programme, as well as exciting updates on the EYMs.