Samburu Girls Foundation Education Program

Kenya

The Samburu Girls Foundation rescues girls in North Eastern Kenya from forced early marriages, early pregnancy and female genital mutilation. These cultural practices impede the girls from attending and completing school in a community characterized by 90% illiteracy levels. The program offers counseling and sponsorship to pursue an education.

Project Stage

Scaling

Implementation time

5+ years

Last update: October 05, 2023

Overview Contributors

Challenge

Cultural practices such as forced early marriages, early pregnancy, and female genital mutilation impede girls from attending and completing school in a community characterized by 90% illiteracy levels in North Eastern Kenya.

Description

The program rescues girls from these harmful practices and offers counseling and sponsorship for education. It monitors student performance by liaising with school officials during parent-teacher days and through meetings with the girls during school holidays. Additionally, SGF engages in community outreach to gauge the initiative's impact on local communities.

SDGs

Outcomes

SGF has expanded its geographic reach from initially rescuing girls only from Isiolo to now including surrounding towns such as Marsabit, Laikipia, and Samburu. Additionally, the program has scaled its operations from merely rescuing at-risk girls to also include community outreach and advocacy.