Empower Kenyan Girls through Education

It’s impossible to know your rights if no one ever took the time to teach them to you.

For many women in Kenya, it is in school that they learn for the first time about their basic human and legal rights. Many are not taught about these things in their communities or by their families.

Speaking of the education she received while living in America, Kakenya Ntaiya said, “I enjoyed myself, but during that moment while I was here, I discovered a lot of things. I learned that that ceremony that I went through when I was 13 years old, it was called female genital mutilation. I learned that it was against the law in Kenya. I learned that I did not have to trade part of my body to get an education. I had a right. And as we speak right now, three million girls in Africa are at risk of going through this mutilation. I learned that my mom had a right to own property. I learned that she did not have to be abused because she is a woman” (TEDx Talk 2012).

So many harmful traditions, such as FGM and child marriage, are not presented as choices for young girls in Kenya, they are inevitable realities.

This is one of the most important reasons why Action Two Africa has chosen to put such an emphasis on educating girls. We need them to know that they have choices. We need them to know that neglect and abuse are not inevitable. We need them to know their rights!

According to the African Development Bank, more girls in Africa are in school today than ever before. In fact, the number of girls in East Africa that are attending school has almost doubled in the last 10 years. This is promising news, and reason to celebrate!

However, the girls who are not currently in school, are also among the most vulnerable in all of Africa. Arranged marriages, teenage pregnancy, and forced child labor continue to be obstacles that these young women must avoid or escape in order to pursue a meaningful future.

Every girl that is able to avoid these barriers and continue her education defies the odds. Every one is significant to future of Africa. Every single one counts.

Four new girls were recently added to the Child Sponsorship Program at Action Two Africa. That’s four more girls who gets a chance to pursue their dreams and create a meaningful future for themselves. Every girl counts, and we hope that you will join with us to help these young women pursue their goals through education. Your donation makes a real difference to them.

Every girl counts. We need you to step up, and support their education. We need them to step out into the world, and see all that it has to offer.