This past Monday was International Women’s Day. But because of your support, we celebrate this day all throughout the year! The young women at Neema are constantly learning about their value and worth.

In a social class about gender equality, “Our students learned about their rights such as access to education and employment, as well as personal freedoms for women and men and protection against all forms of aggression,” says Irine, our Residential Department Administrator. “The barriers that constrain women in Kenya are multifaceted. Issues like gender-based violence have remained prevalent, and women remain underrepresented in decision-making processes at all levels. Literacy levels for women remain low. 

“Despite all these barriers, girls and women hold incredible potential. We believe that each one is valuable. She has opinions that should be listened to. She has ideas that can change her family. I encouraged them not to let barriers constrict who they are.”

On a global scale, only 39% of rural girls attend secondary school (which is much less than rural boys and urban children). But with each additional year of primary school, a girls' eventual wages increase by 10-20% and she becomes less vulnerable to violence. (UN Women)

We were happy to welcome back to Neema 13 graduates for an alumni luncheon with games, team building activities, and a chance to hear updates from one another! “It was fun to see the girls get into the games, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company.” The alumni said they were thankful for how Neema helped them to be grounded in their faith. 

Five of these graduates have decided to work together. Just recently, Faith, Moureen, Elizabeth, Ann, and Susan (Class of 2020) opened their own business, and we can’t wait to see what it becomes! They are living out the “incredible potential” that Irine mentioned above. 

Purity, our new counselor, says, “I am excited that here at Neema, girls have been given the opportunity to learn and thrive in skills training [and] discipleship so that they can learn about their rights [and] gender equality [in order] to gain sustainable development and enjoy the same opportunities and obligations in all spheres of life. There's no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish...I have seen the girls grow in grace, getting strength from troubles, smiles when distressed, and grow even stronger with prayers and hope.”

Today, and everyday, we celebrate these young women for their courage to step into that transformation. Thank you for being a part of it.