Empower & Educate the Girls of Rural Kisumu

Dear GlobalGiving Family,

The 2025 Girls Empowerment Workshops culminated in a powerful celebration of 428 girls across five communities: Nyagande, Ongeche, Nyamkebe, Odienya, Onong'no and Nduru during the International Day of the Girl Child.For many girls and mothers, this gathering opened a space they had never had before: one where conversations about their bodies, safety, and future felt natural, safe and openly supported. 

Across five days, trained facilitators led mothers and daughters through practical, culturally grounded discussions on menstrual & sexual reproductive health, confidence, communication, and personal safety. This workshop marked the culmination of a year spent deepening our understanding of community barriers and strengthening the support systems that surround girls.

At the heart of these gatherings stands one of the most persistent barriers to girls’ education: access to menstrual products. Period poverty remains deeply rooted in these communities, where open dialogue is still rare and knowledge is limited. Many households are led by single mothers who shoulder immense responsibilities; waking early, hustling daily, sacrificing meals, and often absorbing blame when resources fall short.

Rising living costs have only tightened the strain. As one mother shared, “There is no pad that costs Kshs. 50 (≈ USD 0.40) anymore. Good quality pads start at Kshs. 80 (≈ USD 0.60). For most families, the choice between food and pads is not a choice at all; it is survival.

When families are forced to prioritise food, menstrual supplies fall out of reach. Girls miss school. Mothers feel helpless. Cycles of shame and silence deepen. 

The Impact in Numbers: A Year of Empowerment & Growth

The 428 girls celebrated on IDGC are part of the 773 girls reached through our Girls Empowerment Program by October 2025.

Each girl attending the workshops received a Sanitary Kit containing:

• 5 reusable pads lasting 12–18 months
• 2 pairs of panties
• Soap, tissue, and a hygiene bucket 
• A Girl Talk booklet for confidence and education

These kits ensure a girl can manage her period safely and attend school with dignity for the next year.

Here is what these numbers mean:

• 773 girls can stay in school consistently for the next 12 months.
• Financial relief for households now able to redirect funds toward food, rent and school fees
• 773 mothers engaged in guided discussions on safety, puberty, emotional well-being, and building supportive home environments.

Why This Work is Urgent:

• 95% of girls in Kenya miss 1–3 school days every month because of menstruation.
• 70% reportdeclining academic performance, and more than half fall behind in class due to lack of menstrual supplies and supportive environments.
• Rising food and fuel costs have made menstrual supplies unaffordable for many
• Poor menstrual health management contributes to school absenteeism, higher dropout rates, early pregnancies, and unsafe coping strategies among adolescent girls.
• In high-vulnerable communities, girls resort to transactional sex simply to manage their periods, exposing them to exploitation and lifelong trauma

These risks are preventable; and this program remains one of the few reliable, safe lifelines for girls in our partner communities.

Impact Beyond Numbers: Moments of Collective Healing

What took place in these rooms was more than education. It was healing.

As one teammate described: “Healing was taking place in that room. Literally, I felt goose bumps.”

Mothers weren’t simply affirming their daughters; they were opening their hearts. Many cried as they voiced truths they had never spoken aloud, “My daughter, you are beautiful. I love you.” 

One mother later shared, in Luo, that she felt her soul open, that for that moment, it was just her and her daughter in the world.

Across the year, one theme has stood out: Mothers carry profound, unspoken pain. And in these safe, supportive rooms, they were able to let go, briefly but meaningfully, releasing years of heaviness. It was healing not just for them, but for all of us who witnessed it.

Because when a girl sees her mother heal, she learns that she, too, can reclaim her voice, and that is how generational change begins.

Let’s AMPLIFY this Impact! (Giving Tuesday is on 2nd December 2025)

As we celebrate this year’s progress, we say ASANTE SANA! You made it possible for mothers to heal, for girls to learn confidently, and for households under strain to find relief. 

This GivingTuesday, we invite you to stand with these girls and mothers once again. 

For 36 hours only (Dec 2, 8:00 a.m. – Dec 3, 8:00 p.m. EAT), every unique donation up to $2,500 will be matched through GlobalGiving’s $500,000 incentive fund.

A donation of USD $200 or Kshs.26,000 will:

•  Equips 10 girls with a full sanitary kit lasting 12-18 months.
•  Support Girls’ Empowerment Workshops that strengthen trust, resilience, and stronger mother–daughter relationships.
•  Expand access to menstrual health education across more communities in Kisumu County.

Make your GivingTuesday pledge today. Email us at info@therahulkotakfoundation.org or call +254 777 733 443 for more information.

Together, we can ensure that no girl misses school because of her period, not this year, not ever again.

Links:

• Donate Now
• Read More Stories of Change