RESCUE 10,000 KENYAN GIRLS AT RISK OF HORRIFIC FGM

We are pleased to announce that, as a result of your support which we very much appreciate, Cherish Others Organization Kenya has built and opened a cottage in Kilgoris in the Transmara region of Kenya.  The cottage is a place where girls who may need shelter for various reasons can stay.  Local elders and members of the community participated in a ceremony to open the cottage.

Donors, volunteers, and mentors may also stay there. The cottage is fully furnished and has electricity. By staying in the midst of the Maasai people, donors and visitors will see first hand the life of the community and the rich culture of the Maasai, as well as the issues, like FGM and access to education, which affect the community. Donors and visitors staying at the cottage will have the ability to learn about all aspects of Maasai life, including cattle herding, fetching water, farming, and traditional celebrations.  They will also have the opportunity to attend FGM seminars. Foreign students who want to take a gap year can also stay there and serve as role models for girls and boys.

The cottage is next to several schools, including one which is for physically challenged students. As a result of our sensitizing of the community on the importance of education and eradicating FGM, many more parents are allowing their girls to go to school.

We sincerely thank all our donors for their support!

On June 16, 2018, the Day of the African Child, the Director of Cherish Others, Ruth Konchellah, spent time celebrating in one of the schools in Transmara, Kenya.  She discussed with the girls the importance of avoiding teenage pregnancy, which has become a major menace among young girls in the area.  She also talked with them about the need to avoid FGM and to pursue their education.  She handed out sanitary pads for the girls to use, since the lack of these often causes girls to miss school for several days at a time. 

This outreach is part of the continuing efforts of Cherish Others to empower girls in the Transmara region, which continues to suffer from lack of attention to educational and health needs.  As it is one of the poorest areas of Kenya, the girls benefit a great deal from the attention which Cherish Others focuses on them.  They have few other sources of support. 

Community leaders and local officials continue to express gratitude for the efforts of Cherish Others to sensitize the girls to these issues, as do their parents.