ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Imarisha Msichana is a Swahili word that means ‘Build Her Up/Firm Her Up.’
It is a program that gives a second chance to adolescent girls and young women who have dropped off from education because of teen pregnancy and those at risk of the same. It also aims to significantly reduce incidences of teenage pregnancies in Kenya.
Among activities in the program include:
- Re-entry of girls and teen mums back to primary and secondary school.
- Providing an enabling environment to keep girls in school and to transition to higher levels of education, which includes the establishment of Mothers Club safe spaces in 5 counties.
- Tuseme Clubs in high schools – Tuseme is a Swahili word meaning ‘speak out’. The Imarisha Msichana program has installed Tuseme Clubs across 160 schools in the 20 counties. The goal of the clubs is to put students at the centre of the empowerment process in schools. They therefore seek to create, promote, and sustain interactive platforms for both girls and boys to identify, understand and overcome challenges that affect their psychosocial and academic development.
- Empowerment sessions to shift attitudes, mindsets and social norms that perpetuate teen pregnancy – This includes training/sensitization sessions for girls, young women, boys and young men, educators, duty bearers, religious leaders, and local community leaders on human sexuality and prevention of teenage pregnancy.
- Boys and young men sensitization programs—Deliberately engage boys and young men in prevention programs and making them champions of girls’ rights.
- Sensitization of media, journalists, reporters, and editors for accurate and wide reporting of teenage pregnancy issues and women empowerment.
- Policy influencing – at county and national levels.
Find more information about the program here https://fawe.or.ke/programs/imarisha-msichana-project/
The program started in 2022 and will run until December 2024.
