Over the last few days, we have been trying to gain a better understanding of the challenges specifically faced by the girl child in the Umoja Project. We've talked to guardians, teachers, school leaders, primary school students, secondary schools students, women's groups and congregational leaders and visited schools, churches and homes. The challenges emerge out of cultural, systemic, legal, developmental and physical issues. They are all interwoven into a complex fabric that can seem overwhelming and heartbreaking.
In a conversation with Joseph, the Umoja Project Country Director, in my first days here, I asked him what his greatest lesson learned so far has been. He said that it is is easy to look at these big problems and think that they will only be solved by big solutions and that scares many people away. But really, big problems are made up of many small challenges and each person can do something to help meet the small challenges and in doing so, we will start to tackle the big problems. The Umoja Project is already helping address the issues that the girl child faces by providing sanitary towels, schools uniforms and school fees to help her stay in school and working with guardians and community groups to create a stronger support structure around the orphans and vulnerable girls. We will be helping the Kenyan women put on a workshop on Saturday as an opportunity for the girls to have fun and build self-esteem.
We have learned much about the immense challenges that keep the girl child from reaching her full potential to be a healthy, smart and productive woman. We will continue to work with our Kenyan partners to build relationship and partnerships that reduce the challenges a bit more each day so that our Umoja girls have every chance to grow into strong Umoja women that will be role models for the future girl children in their communities.
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