Empower Kenyan Girls with Education

Empowering Girls in Kenya continues to be one of our main goals. Makindu Children's Program sends girls to college if they score high enough marks on the entrance exams. For those girls who don't make the cut, we offer them valuable skills training in local vocational schools.

Two girls have thrived with their vocational education and are well on their way to becoming successful business women. 

The first girl, let's call her Anna, showed great promise with hair styling as a young girl. She often did the hair of our guardians, the staff and some of the children, and impressed everyone around her - and this was BEFORE her hair dressing education. We sent her to vocational training and upon graduation purchased the supplies needed to open her own shop, along with two months rent. This was 3 years ago, and today she is one of the most popular hair stylists in Makindu, making quite a name for herself as the best in hair extensions. Anna also visits the Center occasionally to offer support to the children, encouraging them to do well in school and find an enjoyable skill.

The second girl, let's call her Wamua, showed great promise with dress making and tailoring, again BEFORE any formal vocational education. We sent her to tailoring school and upon graduation purchased the supplies needed to open her own shop, along with two months rent. This was just 3 months ago, and she is already successful, with her popularity rising in town. Wamua's skills are so extraordinary, and her business sense quite keen, we are hiring her to sew some of the new 500+ school uniforms we need annually for the kids. Wamua is the now the breadwinner for her household, providing for her grandmother, 8 siblings and cousins. 

Please help us continue to empower young orphaned women!

As the Global Giving Girl Fund campaign wraps up this week, we want to thank all our donors and continue our ongoing efforts to empower Kenyan girls through education. Your support allows us to meet the specific needs that individual girls have and break down the different types of barriers they face. Please take a minute to meet one of the girls we serve.

Neema, 18 , the oldest of 9 orphaned grandchildren, is living in an HIV infected household, though she herself is not infected. The mothers and fathers have died of AIDS, four of the grandchildren have HIV, and the grandmother caring for the kids and running the household is quite elderly. Being the oldest, Neema will soon inherit responsibility for the entire household and is up for the challenge. She has been an exceptional student earning a full ride to high school in Mombasa where she excelled.

This allowed her to be accepted into an engineering program at a reputable university in Nairobi. She is currently doing very well in her first year. She is also extremely responsible with her siblings and cousins and already helps supervise the meds and nutritional intake of the ones with HIV. Keeping Neema in university will cost between $150-$200 a month and is crucial for this family.

Makindu Children’s Program is succeeding in providing young girls the tools and educational access they need to break the cycle of poverty, and empower themselves to become independent, contributing members of the community. The need continues, however, and we urge you to continue helping us empowering the young women of Makindu. Please share their stories with your social networks!

Diana Richardson

Executive Director