Leadership Training for Girls in Rural Kenya

Our Health and Leadership Training Program teaches boys and girls about reproductive health, GBV prevention, and self-advocacy skills through after-school workshops. In 2022, these trainings reached a total of 4,786 students. Now, only halfway through 2023, we have already reached more than 5,600, which represents an increase of 17%. To support this growth, we trained 114 young men and women to teach the program, who also gain valuable professional development experience amidst high youth unemployment in Kenya.

On May 28, as part of our Health and Leadership programming, we hosted a community-wide event in celebration of Menstrual Hygiene Day. The event was attended by more than 300 girls from four local schools, who received free sanitary pads and hygiene products as well as key information about their menstrual health. In total, we distributed 1,200 packages of menstrual hygiene products. In Kenya, rates of period poverty — defined as the lack of access to adequate menstrual products, facilities, and education — are high. An estimated 65% of Kenyan women and girls are unable to afford sanitary pads, and when they are forced to use unsanitary alternatives, they become vulnerable to infection and disease. This, paired with stigmas surrounding menstruation, can also impact their education: across sub-Saharan Africa, an estimated 1 in 10 girls misses school during her menstrual cycle, which equates to roughly 20% of the school year.

Late last year, we finished construction of the community’s first youth-friendly health clinic. This month, we hired a Clinical Officer to oversee operations, and we are working to fully outfit the clinic with the proper equipment and additional staff. The clinic has an anticipated soft opening later this year with an official launch planned for 2024; we are expecting 3,000-5,000 people to be served in its first year. While it will focus on youth-friendly healthcare, including sexual and reproductive health services and counseling, the clinic will also provide primary health services like dental and eye healthcare to support the whole community.

As we continue to expand our commitment to health services and education, we remain deeply grateful to supporters like you who make it all possible. Your generosity supports thousands of girls and their communities, providing them with life-changing access to health care, hygiene products, and reproductive education. Thank you for your continued partnership; we can’t wait to share more updates with you in the next report!