Give and Grow Community Development Organization (GaGCDO) is a community-based organization which supports adolescent girls residing in informal settlements in arid regions of rural Kenya. The organization’s mission is to cultivate a safe and supportive environment for girls to thrive, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status. To that end, GaGCDO provides safe spaces, referral services, sports programs, and training on topics such as sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, and life skills.
Gender-based violence and poor reproductive health outcomes are persistent challenges affecting adolescent girls in Kenya. Rates of adolescent pregnancy are particularly high in arid regions, including in Mandera County where GaGCDO implements many of its programs. A number of interrelated factors contribute to the issue, including poverty and lack of access to quality education. Many early pregnancies are the result of non-consensual encounters, and survivors often lack adequate support to report their experiences or seek help. GaGCDO aims to disrupt this cycle by empowering adolescent girls with skills and support systems to help them overcome the vulnerabilities they often face.
With support from the Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund, GaGCDO will significantly scale its Safe Spaces Initiative to reach more girls in Mandera County’s informal settlements. GaGCDO will train teachers to provide confidential support to girls, as well as host group sessions in schools to discuss sensitive issues in a safe and trusted environment. The organization will also install anonymous boxes in the schools for girls to share their concerns and hold time to discuss these concerns during group sessions. Additionally, the organization will host a number of other activities to engage girls, including discussions with women role models, sporting events, and life skills workshops.
GaGCDO will significantly expand the reach of its current program, which currently serves five schools. Through its multifaceted approach, GaGCDO aims to address the factors that marginalize girls in an intersectional and holistic manner. Promoting girls’ safety and wellbeing is a priority of the project, and ultimately, the organization hopes to create a future in which girls are confident and able to realize their power.
To learn more about GaGCDO, please visit the organization’s Facebook page.
See more projects: Africa, Gender-based Violence, Leadership & Life Skills Development