Empower Kids in Kenya One Conversation At A Time

When I think about this year, I see faces.
The quiet girl who finally raised her hand in class.
The teacher who learned how to listen differently.
The parent who showed up to talk about their child for the first time.

These are the moments that remind me why this work matters so much.

This is what your support makes possible.

Since January, our counselling team, comprised of Milkah, Connie and Joan, has been showing up in classrooms, staff rooms, and community spaces across all our schools. We’ve listened, encouraged, and reminded students that their story matters. Every conversation, every moment of courage, every breakthrough is a reflection of your generosity at work.

Sometimes the change happens quietly. A student starts showing up to class on time. A teacher pauses before reacting. A parent smiles when they see their child doing better. It’s in these small, consistent steps that big transformation begins.

One of my favourite moments this year came from a student who said softly, “I finally feel like I can breathe.” That simple sentence says everything. It captures what happens when a child feels safe enough to open up. It’s the result of a team that believes in showing up and staying present, even when life feels heavy.

How You’re Helping Students Grow and Thrive

This year, our counselling outreach grew wider and deeper. We reached more students through group sessions, awareness talks, and follow-up support as our counselling team worked together to make sure no student felt unseen. We’ve watched confidence return to classrooms, witnessed teachers embrace new approaches, and felt the atmosphere shift toward hope.

Empowering Girls Through Menstrual Health
Every high school girl in our Village Impact schools now has reusable menstrual products that will last up to five years. Along with training and open conversations about women’s health, these sessions are breaking silence and stigma. Girls are showing up to school consistently and proudly, no longer missing class because of shame or lack of access. They’re learning to care for themselves and for each other — and it’s changing what’s possible for their future.

Partnerships Creating Real Change
We’ve seen the power of partnership firsthand this year. With MYDAWA, students learned essential health and hygiene practices. Dandelion Africa inspired both girls and boys through leadership and empowerment programs that help them speak up against harmful cultural practices. The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) led awareness sessions on substance abuse prevention, giving students expert guidance and hope. And The Grace Cup helped us provide affordable, sustainable menstrual solutions that promote dignity and long-term health. Together, these collaborations are creating stronger, healthier, and more confident school communities.

Supporting Parents and Teachers
Our counsellors also spent time with parents and teachers, because student well-being doesn’t end in the classroom. We’ve hosted conversations about discipline, communication, and emotional awareness. Teachers are reporting calmer classrooms. Parents are learning new ways to connect with their children. The shift is tangible: there’s more empathy, more understanding, and more belief in what’s possible when everyone works together.

Protecting and Resolving
Beyond counselling sessions, our team continues to protect and advocate for students’ safety. We work closely with local leaders to address issues of child protection and welfare, ensuring that schools remain safe spaces for growth. Our counsellors often step in to mediate conflicts between students, parents, and teachers, helping rebuild trust and unity where it’s needed most.

When the Hardest Moments Come
There are times when the work turns heavy. When a child has faced abuse, an early pregnancy, or trauma that no young person should ever have to experience — our counsellors are there. They step in with understanding and expertise, helping school administrators, families, and the children themselves navigate the most difficult moments with care and dignity. These are quiet acts of courage and compassion that rarely make headlines, but they change lives in ways that can’t be measured.

Check out a quick reel of our counsellors in action here! 

Looking Ahead: Building a Stronger Culture of Care

As we look toward 2026, we’re filled with hope and determination. We’ll be expanding parent workshops to help families strengthen their connection at home. We’re developing mentorship programs to inspire students to dream bigger. We’ll also be training more teachers in basic counselling skills so that emotional support becomes a natural part of every school day.

We’re continuing to grow our menstrual health initiative for younger girls in junior secondary school, ensuring they receive the same education, confidence, and resources as their older peers. And we’ll keep deepening our partnerships with organizations and local leaders who share our vision for safer, more supportive schools.

Because when a student feels supported, they don’t just learn, they thrive.

And that’s what your generosity makes possible every single day.

Thank you for being part of this story. Your kindness fuels every breakthrough, every smile, and every step forward. Together, we’re building a future where every child feels safe, confident, and ready to reach their full potential.

With gratitude from all of us at Village Impact,

and from every student whose story you’ve helped change.

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Not all impact makes headlines.

Sometimes it sounds like a young girl quietly saying the government-issued sanitary pad she’s using keeps falling out during class—but she’s too embarrassed to ask for help.

Sometimes it looks like a Grade 3 student discovering for the first time that her body is her own—and that it’s okay to say no.

And sometimes, it looks like someone lacing up their shoes to run—for girls they’ve never met, but believe in with all their heart.

Thanks to your generosity—and the incredible efforts of our cousnelling team and supporters—here’s what’s been unfolding over the past few months.

Cycles of Dignity: Period Products + Power

In March, 38 girls at Safina Hadji High School received reusable menstrual pad kits as part of our Cycles of Dignity pilot.

But this wasn’t just a product handout—it was a turning point.

In rural Kenya, many girls miss school during their periods. Others face harmful myths, silence, and even exploitation just to manage a basic biological need. These reusable kits, containing reusable pads, which last an amazing 3–5 years, a carrying pouch and soap, offers freedom. Dignity. And a real shot at staying in school.

Our counselors didn’t just hand out supplies. They led full training sessions, answered deeply personal questions with empathy, and made sure every girl left informed, supported, and seen.

While the girls were in session, the boys had their own honest conversations about respect and emotional intelligence—led by our male team members. This full-circle approach will now guide how we scale across all our schools this year.

Art as a Language of Healing

Our counseling team is now using art therapy techniques to support students—especially when talking is too difficult.

In workshops led by volunteer trainer and Marriage, Family and Art Therapist, Sasha Georgeson, our team learned to use art for emotional regulation, trauma processing, and safe self-expression. They’ve even started using these techniques themselves, to stay grounded and centered in the emotionally demanding work they do each day.

Because when we care for our caregivers, we care better for everyone.

Real Support for Real Life

From helping girls who’ve experienced pregnancy stay connected to school, to teaching young children about personal safety and boundaries, our counselors are doing transformative work—one session at a time.

We’ve led:

• Goal-setting and hygiene education for younger students

• Emotional regulation and study strategies for those facing exam pressure

• Family counseling for households struggling with unemployment, loss, and stress

• One-on-one support for vulnerable students referred by teachers

In our lower primary group sessions, the team introduced foundational lessons around personal agency, body safety, and consent.

Children were gently guided to name their feelings, set boundaries, and practice phrases like:

“This is my body.”
“I can say no.”
“I will tell someone I trust.”

For many—like the Grade 3 student we mentioned earlier—it was the first time anyone had told them that their body belongs to them. That they have a right to speak up. That it's not just okay to say no—it’s powerful.

These lessons might sound simple. But for a child growing up in an environment where voices often go unheard, they can be life-changing.

When students are seen, heard, and supported—they rise. And thanks to you, we're there to help them every step of the way.

Safe Conversations, Safer Schools

Last summer, we piloted a new initiative called Safe Conversations at San Marco Primary and High Schools—designed to help students share openly about what’s going on in their lives.

The next step? Ensuring the entire school environment is ready to support that vulnerability.

We’re currently working on plans to provide foundational training for school administrators, teachers and the Board of Management (the parent and community representatives who oversee the day-to-day operation of the schools). Their support is essential to building schools where every student feels safe, respected, and cared for. 

‍ Jessica’s Journey: From One Mile to 100

Strength doesn’t always roar.

Sometimes, it runs 31 miles (50km). Then another 31. Then another.

And then trains to run 100 miles (161 km)—all at once.

That’s exactly what clinical social worker and therapist Jessica Myers-Adams did this month—completing three 31-mile races in three days.

And she’s not done yet.

In August, she’ll push even further—running 100 miles (161 km) in a single, continuous race to raise funds and awareness for Village Impact’s counseling and support programs for girls in rural Kenya.

Why?
Because she believes no girl should have to fight alone for her future.

In the communities where we work, girls face overwhelming odds—early marriage, poverty, and pressure to drop out before high school even begins. But with support, everything changes. Jessica is running for the girls at Ngeya Girls High School—the first girls’ high school in our region—and for every young student in our communities who just needs someone in their corner.

And thanks to her determination—and the incredible generosity of those who’ve rallied behind her—over $4,000 has already been raised to fuel this mission.

To every single person who donated, cheered her on, or shared her story—thank you.

You are part of this movement.
You’re helping us build schools where girls can feel safe, supported, and seen.
And you're showing these students that they're not alone.

Jessica may be running the miles, but you’re running with her—in impact, in belief, and in solidarity.

Coming Soon: Menstrual Health + Medical Camp

Thanks to the initiative of our team member Connie—who submitted a successful grant application to the Kenyan health app My Dawa—we’ve received a small grant to host our first-ever Menstrual Health Day + Medical Camp at Ngeya Girls High School this May.

This event will include:

• Reproductive health and hygiene education

• Private consultations and screenings

• Product distribution and practical care guidance

• Mental health support and referral pathways

Over 430 students and staff will take part. We hope this becomes a model for student wellness across the region.

Final Word

This season has been full of momentum—quiet but unstoppable.

From a girl finding her voice in a counseling session…
To a school making space for open conversations…
To a runner pushing her limits for a cause bigger than herself…

This is what your support makes possible.

Thank you for standing with us—for believing that change doesn’t always have to be loud to be powerful.

We can’t wait to share what’s next.

With gratitude,
The Village Impact  Team

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