She Steps Forward International is providing basic essentials (e.g., food, clothing, medicine) as well as an education to 9 teenage Kenyan girls who were rescued out of child-bride marriages. These young girls and their children reside at Serita's Safe House, located for their safety in an undisclosed location in Kenya. By investing in them today, we are breaking a cycle of violence and poverty as well as ensuring that they and their children have a brighter future ahead.
In Kenya, over 4.2 million females (22.9%) have been affected by the practice of child-bride marriages. 18.5% were first married between 15-18 years old and 4.4% before the age of 15. Sertia's Safe House, run by the Moses Basket Initiative, is the first rescue facility of its kind in its current location. This project will provide a lifeline of stable humanitarian relief and education to this initial group of 9 teenage Kenyan girls while also caring for their children in a secure environment.
SSFI is providing these teenage mothers and their children 3 nutritious meals a day along with clothing, toiletries, medications, nutritional supplements, and baby supplies (e.g., diapers). We are looking to purchase livestock for the safe house as a way to decrease food insecurity and provide self-sustaining food sources. In addition, SSFI provides direct access to qualified teachers to ensure these girls will have the necessary skills they need to break the poverty cycle and succeed as adults.
Investing in the physical and intellectual growth of these girls and their children today provides the best chance that they will succeed in their future goals and become productive citizens of Kenya in the near future.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
