Stepping Stones and Creating Futures

About the programme

Stepping Stones and Creating Futures is a joint initiative of three partners: the Health Economics and HIV and AIDS Research Division (HEARD) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), the Gender and Health Unit of the South African Medical Research Council (MRC) and Project Empower. Stepping Stones and Creating Futures was designed as a collaborative Stepping Stones and Livelihoods intervention to work in urban informal settlements in South Africa.

The programme is designed for use as a supplement to the Stepping Stones programme, not as a standalone training.

Preliminary Findings

2012-2013: 232 women and men followed up over 12 months found that:

• Women and men’s mean earnings in past month increased
• Men and women reported more equitable gender attitudes
• Men less controlling behaviours
• Women a 34% reduction in past 3 month sexual and/or physical IPV
• Reduced men’s depressive symptoms

To read the project brief, click here.

The programme is currently undergoing a large RCT (34 clusters, 1,360 participants, 24 months follow-up). It includes a qualitative process evaluation and a cost-benefit analysis. The final results are due in 2018.
Andy Gibbs, a co-principal investigator, is a member of this Stepping Stones Community of Practice. He is keen to hear feedback and to answer any questions you have about this project and the initial outcome results.