FGM

Female Genital Mutilation is a traditional ritual practiced by various tribes in Kenya. It is globally recognized as a human rights violation and in Kenya is illegal. Yet in rural areas of Kenya, it is still very prevalent. FGM is defined as removal or cutting of external female genitalia for customary reasons. Not only is it physically altering the way that God created the female body to be, the results can be very severe. They include infection, spread of disease, extreme blood loss and even death. It can cause physical damage for the rest of their lives, as it even can result in difficulties during childbirth. Not only the physical trauma, but the emotional and psychological trauma often requires counseling for years after.

Child Marriage

Every day, 39,000 children fall victim to child marriage around the world. Every year, 15 million children. Child marriage is classified as anyone under the age of 18 being married. In Kenya, the legal age required for marriage is 18 and yet non official “marriages” of minors happen frequently in rural areas.

After having undergone FGM, girls are then considered women and are prepared for marriage. Girls sometimes as young as 8 years old are readied as brides. Typically, their grooms are significantly older men that can afford the dowry payment to the family. With their new marriage, they are robbed of the right to continue receiving education and will likely become pregnant young, continuing the cycle of poverty.

Education

Education is the key to breaking these outdated cycles. We work with local chiefs and government officials to educate not only the girls at our center, but the communities they come from.

Our school is a co-educational establishment, as we truly believe that if we can work to educate the boys of the community alongside the girls, teaching them about the negative effects of FGM and child marriage, they will be less likely to allow those practices to happen in their future. Not only that, but our prayer is that through the friendships created at the school, the boys will become defenders of the girls and advocate for their rights.