Girls for the future Project

by The Mango Tree Orphan Support Trust - Kenya

Summary

The Mango Tree-Kenya has been implementing a girl for the future intervention in Homabay County, Kenya a view of eradicating the education barriers which prevent girls from regularly attending school and also to empower them to achieve their potentials in school. This has been done through provision of Reusable sanitary towels, school fees, home based care for the most at risk girls, peer- to- peer mentoring and health education/life skills seminars. Over 1500 girls have so far benefited.

$16,100
total goal

$12,475
remaining

8
donors

0
monthly donors

5
years

Challenge

Adolescent pregnancy rates stands at 41% in Homabay County and contributes to more than 60% cases of girl child school dropouts. Poor girls report having sex with men in exchange for money to buy sanitary pads. With the rise of motorbikes as a means of transport in rural and sub-urban area, many girls are falling victims to these riders who offers free rides to school in exchange of sex and money. Girls unable to afford sanitary pads miss school during their monthly periods m.

Solution

This project seeks to address the above challenges by engaging women tailors on producing reusable sanitary towels and distributing them to girls; Conducting health outreaches; paying school levies and distributing school uniforms; conducting reproductive health awareness seminars and supporting very vulnerable girls through the alternative family based care.

Long-Term Impact

With these, the organization seek to improve the transition rate from primary to secondary by 60% and also reduce absenteeism among school going girls as a result of menses by 90%. The project will also strive to raise a generation of hopeful, resilient and self-worth girls who see the world as a place of opportunities not a place of abject poverty and hopelessness.