About Us
We are a team of public health professionals working to forge a brighter future for women and girls. We work in Kenya to eliminate forms of gender-based violence (GBV), including female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C) and early marriage.
We tackle FGM/C, early marriages and GBV through education. We provide full tuition for at risk girls at Cheposekek Girls High School. Our field team mentors the girls and leads gender equity trainings and economic empowerment workshops. This program not only keeps the girls we rescue and mentor in school, but also influences other families in the community to send their girls to school. For the first time this school year, we had the largest 9th grade class enrollment.
Another aspect of our work is community education. We partner with schools, parents and guardians, and other community members to educate against FGM/C, early marriages, and GBV. We also distribute pads and provide education around GBV and menstrual health and hygiene at schools in neighboring communities.
Why Kenya
Our work began in Cheposekek, West Pokot County, Kenya, an area where girls are at risk of early marriages and female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C). In Kenya, 21% of women and girls 15-49 years old have undergone FGM/C and 23% of girls enter marriages as minors under 18 years old. Harmful practices like FGM/C continue to impair the health, wellbeing, and future of girls and women.
One of the biggest barriers to Pokot girls' education is the lack of financing for programs that actively support their education journeys and opportunities for finishing basic education. Parents have to make tough decisions on which child they should send to school. In the Cheposekek community, it's often the boy child that's prioritized. As a result, girls in this community lack education opportunities due to gender inequality.
