Gender Equality Kenya Project #8914

Leadership Training for Girls in Rural Kenya

by Kakenya's Dream

Leadership Training for Girls in Rural Kenya

Project Report | Oct 1, 2018
Kakenya's Dream trainings continue to spread across rural Kenya

By Jennica Stephenson | Assistant Director

Self-defense training session

Thank you so much for your support of our Health and Leadership Training program! You are enabling us to change the lives of at-risk youth in rural Kenya, to end harmful practices like female genital mutilation and early marriage, and to empower young girls and boys to live better, healthier lives.

In mid-September, our training team held a two-day training for five schools in our region. This was the first time we had engaged with students from these five rural schools, and we came away from the sessions with a renewed appreciation for the urgency of this work.

From the participating primary schools, 125 girls and 162 boys attended. These young adolescents had never received accurate information about their sexual and reproductive health. Our trainers led them through activities and materials on topics including sexually transmitted infections, misconceptions about FGM, and child rights according to national law. The participants had the opportunity to ask questions in an open, supportive environment, and to get answers to some of their most pressing concerns.

The realities we encountered were both heartbreaking and motivating, demonstrating the deep need for comprehensive sexuality education among adolescents across the community. For each young person we reach with life-changing training, thousands more still make choices based on misinformation, fear of stigma, and gendered social expectations. This pushes us to continually expand our reach to more and more schools each year.

We are so grateful to have you as a partner in this transformational work. Your contributions make a difference, and we couldn't do it without you!

Participants receiving t-shirts

Boys learn under the shade of the trees

Links:

Our website

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Jul 3, 2018
Importance of Youth Engagement in Development

By Kakenya Ntaiya | Founder & President

Student is congratulated after completing Training

Thank you so much for your support of our work in rural Kenya. This summer, we have been reflecting on the reasons we believe our Health and Leadership Trainings are so crucial. Children are directly and indirectly affected by the decisions made on local, national, and global scales. Too often, they are left out of the conversations about their lives and wellbeing, even though they have a right to participate.

In 1989, the UN General Assembly passed the resolution for the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This Convention, as well as the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959, protect a child’s right to grow up in a healthy, safe, and nurturing environment. The Convention also describes children’s right to their own opinions, to be listened to and respected by adults, and to be involved in matters affecting them.

At Kakenya’s Dream, we have seen that training youth on their rights and their health has empowered them to join the conversation in our community and to become their own advocates. We center our programs around the needs of youth, specifically girls who are most marginalized. Prior to attending our trainings, young girls are unaware of issues that violate their rights. In fact, in many cases, they are not fully aware of their rights as a child. This is why we created our trainings - to first educate the girl of her rights, then to empower her to act.

Through our Health and Leadership Training Camps, we invite girls and community members to realize a child’s rights together. At the end of these trainings, the girls are motivated to be advocates for their rights. By inviting family and community members to celebrate at the end of each training, we are demonstrating the importance of combining adult support with the empowerment and engagement of a child.

At Kakenya’s Dream, children are at the center of everything. We listen to them, believe in their potential, and we empower them to achieve their dreams. To learn more about how we are empowering girls in our Health & Leadership Trainings, visit our website.

Again, thank you for supporting this life-changing work. We couldn't do it without you!

Girls learn FGM and other abuses are illegal

Links:

Health & Leadership Trainings

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Apr 9, 2018
"We Say No!": Zero Tolerance of FGM Day 2018

By Kakenya Ntaiya | Founder & President

Students celebrate Zero Tolerance of FGM Day 2018

February 6th marked International Day of Zero Tolerance of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). FGM is a dangerous violation of women and girls’ human rights. It leads to many harmful outcomes for survivors, including child marriage, leaving school, and maternal mortality. We marked this international day with students from our school and young people from the community, as well as community leaders, parents, and health professionals.

In our community, more than 80% of women have undergone FGM, but at Kakenya’s Dream, we stand with the survivors, parents, advocates, and lawmakers next door and around the world saying “no” to FGM.

Ending FGM lies at the heart of our work. When girls enroll at the Kakenya Center for Excellence boarding school, their parents or guardian sign a pledge to never permit their child to undergo FGM. In our Health & Leadership trainings, we teach young people about their rights to be free from FGM and the harmful effects it can have on womens' health. We teach both boys and girls about FGM so that the next generation will be united in ending the practice. While many come into the trainings not sure what FGM is, or wanting to undergo the practice to please their parents and begin 'womanhood', we ensure that they know what exactly FGM is, that is is illegal and they are entitled to protection, and that FGM can have negative effects that last a lifetime. We have conversations about why FGM often leads to girls dropping out of school, how it can cause maternal mortality, and why it is improtant for boys and men to stand up against the practice, too.

Traditionally, talking about FGM is a taboo, but from youth trainings to community dialogues, we are starting the conversation, educating about its risks, and empowering people to say “no” for good.

Nurse Martha on Zero Tolerance of FGM Day

Philip, parent of a program participant, on FGM

Grace has been learning about the effects of FGM

Links:

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