By Carolyne Datche and Martin Okhako

The Imarisha Msichana project has carried out monitoring visits in the month of July and August to assess the project’s progress and to ensure that activities are being implemented as planned. It was also an opportunity to engage with the participants and ensure that the projects objectives are being met in addition to identifying challenges encountered during implementation.

During these visits the Imarisha Msichana team comprising program, knowledge management and finance were able to engage with stakeholders and in some cases get real time data with regards to teen pregnancies in the respective counties. The project will be able to make necessary adjustments in resource allocation in some counties like Trans Nzoia to ensure the overall sustainability and great impact for the girls and the community.
So far, the counties visited include Narok, Homa Bay, Kakamega, Bungoma, Nairobi, Meru, Muranga and Trans Nzoia.

In Narok County, the team met with the Deputy County Director of Education- Mr. Makori and the TSC County Director – Mr. Lesayo Depson Megii who both acknowledged the good work FAWE has done noting that there has been a collaborative effort to reduce the teen pregnancy from 43% when the project began to 28% currently. He was impressed with the re entry campaign spirited by the FAWE Kenya County Coordinator, Ms Nelly Naserian that has resulted to many teen mothers going back to school. Even with the total re entry number captured at 72 girls, he mentioned that the number of re entry of girls back to school was big but noted a gap that the Ministry of Education did not have a tool that captures who are pregnant and are at school or who have gone back to school after delivery. Therefore, this data was based on those girls or school Principals who were willing to disclose this status.

For Instance, a visit at Kesington Girls in Trans Mara, one of the schools with mothers Club fondly known as FAWE KIDS revealed how powerfully the re entry campaign has taken root. Whilst at the school, a teen mum came to seek admission at the school and thereafter a husband also came in to seek re entry for his wife who was barely 19 years old. The principal, Ms. Teresiah Wairimu had this to say, “Kesington has become a hub where information is going out to people that girls should be given a chance to education even after getting pregnant.”  At the time of the visit, the school had a total of 31 girls re admitted after pregnancy. In the last year’s exam of 2023, the school boasts of having rescued 5 of their students from marriage and gives great credit for quick action and collaboration. One of the students scored a C+ and will be pusing a Diploma course in nursing (consultation and therapy) at Namache KMTC in Kisii county. This has given both the teachers, the students and the community renewed hope that girls can make it if given a chance!
A notable request was the dire need for a rescue centre for the girls, since Female genital Mutilation and Child marriage is very rife in the area. Many girls need this support if they are to realise their dreams; even as the program continues to challenge negative social norms.

In Homa Bay County while visiting Wasamo girls in Rusinga Island, the team interacted with Board members, school administration, the sub county gender officer, teachers, parents and the students. Since the onset of FAWE programs in 2023, the school has witnessed student population growth form 55 girls to 128. Its the only girls’ school in the island! This was largely attributed to the return to school campaign for the teen mothers. FAWE Equipped the school with 3 modern computers where the girls, after the digital skill training can access information on sexual reproductive health rights, elaborate study and revision especially on STEM subjects and the set books in English and Kiswahili thereby improving their confidence to do these exams. A total of 25 girls actively participates in the mothers’ club. They learn an array of skills spread out in 20 sessions on sewing, nutrition, childcare and get psychosocial support, guidance and counselling through peer to peer. They have been able to sew sanitary towels which is a precious commodity in the island and a major cause for the teen pregnancy and child marriage here. The number of pregnancies witnessed in the school has reduced from 8 in 2022 to 2 in 2024. This is also attributed to the TUSEME club in the school! This year 3 girls will be joining various universities in Kenya to take up degree courses: a rare phenomenal in the school.

In Nairobi County and Bungoma Counties, the visits entailed a two-day boys and young men training on how to support girls return to school, how to be champion’s and protect girls from teen pregnancies while acting as their main allies and ambassadors in the community. A total of 130 boys and young men from Kajiado, Kiambu, Nairobi and Bungoma were trained as champions of change!

In Meru and Trans Nzoia counties, the team held a stakeholder meeting with the ministry of Education, the MoH, the County Commissioners, Ministry of Gender and Social Services to try and understand the underlying reason for the high number of teen pregnancies in both counties respectively. The MoH data on deliveries by teen mums from January to June in Meru revealed.

Boys and young men’s session in Bungoma County 
In Narok County, significant progress was observed with the reduction of teen pregnancies from 43% to 28% since the project’s inception, attributed to the re-entry campaign led by FAWE Kenya. At Kesington Girls in Trans Mara, the school has become a hub for supporting teen mothers’ return to education, with 31 girls re-admitted after pregnancy. The success of this initiative has been mirrored in other areas, such as Homa Bay County, where Wasamo Girls’ school saw an increase in student enrollment and a significant reduction in teen pregnancies, thanks to FAWE’s programs and support. Additionally, in Nairobi and Bungoma, boys and young men were trained as champions to support girls’ return to school and protect them from teen pregnancies. Stakeholder meetings in Meru and Trans Nzoia focused on understanding the high rates of teen pregnancies, with data from the Ministry of Health highlighting the urgency of the issue.