Keep a Girl in School
Keep a Girl in School began back in January 2011, when three orphaned adolescent girls, Herma, Vidalencer and Sheril, invited two visitors into their home and shared their story. They shared how they were missing school because they were too poor to buy sanitary pads. The girls’ story stayed with Rhoda and Peggy after they returned to the UK. Sophie, the Kenyan lady who had taken them to meet the girls, had long had a ‘girl dream’ and Rhoda and Peggy were determined to see it become a reality.
A huge number of girls in the community are in a similar situation, struggling to keep up with school work, and many drop out leaving them isolated and potentially vulnerable to all kinds of exploitation. Girls can become pregnant as young as 14 and are therefore unable to return to education or support themselves. Some contract HIV/Aids or other STIs. They will have to rely on their community for help. Their future choices will be very limited.
Following their visit to Kenya, these two ladies raised funds to enable pads to be purchased for the girls. Kenyan staff then distribute them regularly during term time to secondary schools. From very small beginnings, and with the support of our many wonderful donors, KaGiS now supports 2,600+ girls in 19 schools in rural western Kenya.
These girls now have the means to care for themselves without having to miss school and, along with their teachers, they are telling us…
Although the Keep a Girl in School project began by sourcing sanitary pads to help in a very practical way, we also want to recognise the importance of perspectives and beliefs in the challenges that face these young women.
We are convinced of the value of engaging with both boys and girls in the hope of changing attitudes and developing a better understanding of making relationships, the risk of unwanted pregnancies and the spread of STIs. Being well informed, understanding the risks and their implications, and knowing how to say no will hopefully equip the young people to make the best choices and lessen the devastating consequences of carelessness and lack of responsibility.
So, in addition to supplying sanitary pads to as many girls as possible, KaGiS supports The Healthy Choices Programme which educates both girls and boys via school sessions in Health, Sex and Relationships. The sessions have been well attended by boys and girls, and both have expressed appreciation of their short and long term significance.
2021 saw Keep a Girl in School mark its 10 year milestone. We are so grateful to know many thousands of girls have already been supported through the project, receiving monthly sanitary pads and through the Healthy Choices Education Programme. But life is tough and the impact of the pandemic, as it has been for so many others, has been devastating to girls in rural areas of Kenya.
But there is cause to hope! We currently support over 3,000 girls and with the help of KaGiS, the girls thrive as full-time students and their results speak volumes. Teachers tells us that they work hard to beat the boys!
We can celebrate with gratitude all that has been achieved since 2011. Thanks to you, many girls have been able to receive a full education and improve their life chances. We now look forward to doing even more with your help…