A new nonprofit is hoping to help young women and girls rebound into the new year.
Safe Havynn Education Centers mission is to meet people where they are and to find tools and teach them the knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes necessary for them to move forward in a positive direction. Through education, they meet people where they are and teach them tools that will help them to thrive.
Virtual classes will be taught each weekend starting Saturday, January 23, helping the teens learn various life lessons, like how to have healthy relationships, how to overcome peer pressure, and how to overcome issues they may face as adults.
Organizers say their goal is to show girls how to live a healthy and positive lifestyle and to prepare them for adulthood.
"It's about taking our time, cultivating our kids, changing the perception of how relationships are done, how we deal with peer pressure. It's just really giving back to the community," explained Arial Moore, founder of the education center.
The free classes and resources are something organizers say is much needed in today's society, especially during the pandemic.
"Say you're at 13 years old with absolutely nothing to do and you start getting in trouble. Safe Havynn is providing a safe space for our young kids to grow up into," explained Community Outreach Director Swanzette Bonnet.
"We focus on relationship education, sexual health, emotion intelligence, and career development," added Moore. "We currently have a $1.3 million grant that's funding our relationship education and sexual health camp."
The group primarily focuses on Calcasieu, St. Landry and Avoyelles parishes because those three parishes have the highest teen pregnancy in the state; however, they have extended their services for all of Louisiana. The program is free and students who don't have access to a computer will be provided with a tablet so they can attend the classes.
You can sign up at safehavynn.org. The first 250 students to sign up will receive a $25 gift card. You can also follow them on Facebook by clicking here.
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