2022 Mothers’ Day Movement
Rising Up Together: Breaking the Cycle of Teen Pregnancy and Empowering a Rural Kenyan Community
The Problem
Teen pregnancy has skyrocketed during the pandemic in rural Kenya. Girls as young as 14 have become pregnant which typically results in the girls not returning to school and the cycle of extreme maternal poverty continuing. School closures, loss of jobs for parents, and the lack of rain has exacerbated the situation. With the lack of food and basic supplies like menstrual products, some girls exchange sex for basic necessities while others are forced against their will. The lack of sex education, measures to hold perpetrators accountable, parents overwhelmed by gathering water and providing food for the family, and a sense of hopelessness are all contributing factors. Boys are at a loss as they witness confusing and violent behaviors that devalue their mothers, aunts, and sisters. They are being sent mixed messages about sex and relationships. Kenya Connect wants to provide teens, girls and boys, in their community an opportunity to create healthy families rather than perpetuate mother and infant poverty.
The Solution
Kenya Connect is spearheading an effort to break the cycle of teen pregnancy through a comprehensive approach. Working closely with stakeholders including child protection officers, public health officials, pastors, parents, teachers, police, media representatives and village leaders, a multi pronged plan has been developed and deployed. At the heart of the plan is an empowerment program for girls and boys through a weekly after-school enrichment program which includes accurate sexual reproduction information, confidence building, anti-bullying, violence prevention, healthy relationships, life and career planning, and mentorship. Simultaneously, a program is being conducted for parents on how to talk to children about sexual health and relationships and providing support for income generation projects. Working with the stakeholders, Kenya Connect is also developing a media campaign on reducing teen pregnancy via the local radio station and through WhatsApp. Girls will be issued locally made Wings Poa Reusable Sanitary Pad kits so they can stay in school.
Our goal is to have the village of Wamunyu and our 62 partner public schools as advocates for reducing teen pregnancy and sexual violence while empowering the next generation for a brighter and healthier future.
What We Can Do
We can honor our mothers and girls around the world by making a Mothers’ Day donation to help empower girls in rural Kenya through decreasing teen pregnancy and violence.
- $2,000 donation provides the Girl Power Enrichment Program for 20 students for a year.
- $500 donation provides support for income generation projects for mothers in the community
- $100 donation provides parent workshops on sexual education for 10 parents
- $50 donation provides 8 Wings Poa Reusable Sanitary Pad Kits (each kit contains enough product for a year)
We invite you to make a gift to honor your mother, sister, friend, aunt or grandmother. A personalized card will be sent to each recipient informing them of your life-changing gift.
Make a gift honoring a woman in your life, and make a difference in other women’s lives…
Asante-sana! Thank you very much!
Mothers’ Day Movement (MDM) was founded by a small group of women who believe in making a difference for women around the globe. We were inspired by Half the Sky, a book by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, which chronicles the oppression of women and girls in the developing world. We know that, with support, women become empowered and their lives, the lives of their children and of their communities are forever changed.