However, the fact remains that poverty
can make the girl deaf to this advice and cause her to satisfy her need sometimes
including the need for food and school fees at the expense of her health.
To help them resist this pressure, the need was found to teach them some economic
skills. Periodically, the girls are assembled for skills training sessions
in each centre where they learn to produce simple things to meet their material
needs either directly or by sale of such items to meet other needs. They are
also taught agro allied and industrial skills and the centres are currently
in the process of marketing such products as body creams, hair shampoos, insect
repellants, shoes, bags that were produced at such sessions.
Added to the economic skills are other basic skills such as sewing,
auto-mechanics and electricity which have been taught so that the girls possess
the basic knowledge of sewing, the parts and functions of cars and basics
of electricity.
GPI girls learn that it is more hygienic
to utilise sanitary towels or menstrual napkins rather than tissue paper during
menstruation. But where do they get the money for these items which are relatively
more expensive? When girls end up receiving constant favours from their friends,
they end up being pressured into sex. GPI girls are advised in the course
of their programme not to accept money and gift in exchange for their right
to bodily integrity.
