Girl Child Education

Civic Education

Information Comunication Centres

Girl Child Education "Healthy Futures"

Goal: To contribute to the achievement of education for all in Kenya.

Purpose: Reduce dropout rates for girls in primary school from 60 percent to 10 percent in Kenya.
The Girl Child Education Project was launched in April 1998 in five districts with the highest school drop out rates for girls: Kuria, Kilifi, Koibatek, Bungoma and Nairobi slums.The main goal is to reduce Primary School dropouts and promote Healthy Reproductive Health behaviors among Kenyan girls aged 10 years and older. The Project has established girls clubs through which guidance and counseling is done by teachers who have previously been trained by MYWO. Girls are encouraged to run simple income generating activities through their clubs. Role models and Peer Educators are also trained to provide motivation for the Girls.

Main Activities:

1.Advocacy on girls' education and provision of conducive environment for continuation of girls in school.
2.Establish girls's clubs and promoting self esteem through guidance and counseling.
3.Identify role models and peer educators for training.
4.Develop and print IEC materials.
5.Train peer educators.
6.Train teachers.

The project is in 60 schools 12 in each district. The project has also produced both print and electronic materials:

1.The comic book - Key to the future.
2.Video cassette - Healthy futures.
3.Healthy Futures magazine.
4.Passing the message on girl-child education through song and dance.

Civic Education

The civic education project is an initiative that seeks to raise awareness to women about their democratic rights and obligations.
Goal: To increase number of women elected in parliamentary and civic leadership positions.
Purpose: Create a more enabling political environment for women's participation in politics and decision making positions.

Main Activities

1.Strengthening of MYWO capacity to undertake gender responsive civic education.
2.Increase awareness amongst the local communities to identify the need for women to participate in economic and political issues.
3.Establishing information database on the voting process.

Information Communication Centres (ICTs)

MYWO has trained some district women leaders and field officers on intensive computer awareness in each province, through a fund by the Commonwealth Services Abroad Programme (CSAP) and Ministry of Finance. So far 139 women have been trained in the eight provinces. MYWO plans to introduce Information Communication Technologies Centres (ICTs) in the districts. This will stimulate creative thinking, which in turn will spur economic, social and cultural development and make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communication to the communities. This is goal 8 target 18 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).Information centres are intended to address the problem of lack of information and communication technology and capacity building aimed at communication skills in order that women and the community gain the confidence to participate in social life on equal terms with men through legitimate processes, both as leaders and informed citizens. It also aims to encourage women's groups to work together to identify and address the common issues that face them in relation to poverty eradication.