Preparing Disadvantaged Rural Girls for a Brighter Future Through
Education, Health, Finance, Farming, and Hands-On Learning
Project Overview:
Location: Iten Town, Kenya
Purpose: To transform the lives of young girls deprived of opportunities and at high risk for abuse, equipping them with skills, knowledge, and support to build a brighter future.
Status: Pilot project endorsed by the Kenyan President’s Office.
Organization: Shoe4Africa is a registered nonprofit dedicated to improving health, education, and well-being for vulnerable children and communities in Kenya. The foundation built East and Central Africa’s first public children’s hospital, six public schools, a youth center, and run several programs empowering women and youth.
Insight into the The Girls We Are Helping:
Imagine a young girl living in a remote village, in a mud hut without electricity. She lies awake at night, her sleep disturbed by insects crawling across the dirt floor. Her future — without intervention — looks bleak. A loaf of bread is a rare luxury, and her local school lacks books, electricity, and enough trained teachers to provide a meaningful education.
After school, she helps her parents tend a small maize crop, a tradition passed down through generations despite its low nutritional value and limited yield. Her parents, unemployed subsistence farmers, do their best to provide, but resources are scarce. Poverty, food insecurity, and the looming threat of abuse shape her reality. She fears following in her sister’s footsteps — married off as a pregnant teenager after enduring silent suffering from abuse, with no one to turn to for help.
Yet, despite her circumstances, she dreams of more. She envisions a life beyond the village, where she can learn, grow, and contribute to her community. This program aims to turn that dream into reality.
Key Issues Addressed:
- Poverty: In our current youth program, 57 children live in temporary rental housing. No parents own a car or have a bank account, and the children attend under-resourced government schools.
- Abuse: While comprehensive data is lacking, studies suggest up to 46% of rural girls experience some form of sexual abuse, with an average age of 13.3 years. At Shoe4Africa’s Children’s Hospital, we witness heartbreaking cases daily.
Project Summary:
A 50-week comprehensive educational and empowerment program for 30 disadvantaged girls, integrating mental health support, girls empowerment, financial literacy, career skills, and sustainable farming practices. Participants will access digital learning over a span of topics, meet life and career role models, and build a greenhouse to learn agriculture and entrepreneurship.
All program benefits — food, hygiene kits, clothing, transport and materials/tools — will be provided at no cost.
Program Components:
Access to Information & Technology
Mental Health & Trauma Healing (20 weeks)
- Weekly workshops on mental health, PTSD, and trauma recovery led by local health professionals.
- Safe spaces for sharing experiences and building resilience through mentor-led group sessions.
Hands-On Farming & Business Skills (20 weeks)
- Build a 30m x 8m greenhouse for sustainable, high-yield farming.
- Teach irrigation, crop management, sales strategies, budgeting, and reinvestment principles.
- Pilot back-home farming programs for each girl with program support.
Financial Literacy & Career Exposure (10 weeks)
- Partner with local banks to teach savings and financial management.
- Organize trips to Eldoret to meet bankers, healthcare workers, and business leaders.
- Facilitate 5 weeks of banker-led lessons and 5 weeks of small business mentorship.
Team Leaders & Collaborators:
- Program Leader: Toby Tanser, CEO & Founder of Shoe4Africa
- Farming Team: Chelimo Saina Women’s Advocate Shoe4Africa, Kennedy Mugaro Head of Tansain Farm, Brian Kiptoo Irrigation and Greenhouse specialist.
- Finance Team: Bank Branch Manager Sarah Kiptoo, Client relations manager Ms. Harsimran Sagoo, and new Business development Manager Ms. Angela Kasera
- Education & Sports Team: School Teacher & Athleticc Coach Joanne Kosgei, Former Head Teacher of a number of primary schools Robert Kiptoo
- Mental Health: Dr. Florence Jaguga,
- Mentors: Hon. Harriet Chiggai (President’s Women’s Rights Advisor), Mary Keitany (World Record Holder, 4x NYC Marathon Champion)
Expected Outcomes:
- 30+ girls on a yearlong project educated in mental health, careers, sports and wellness, financial literacy, and sustainable farming.
- 1 fully operational greenhouse producing high-value crops.
- Participants gain confidence, business skills, and hope for their future.
- Increased community awareness of girls’ rights and resources for help.
- Bank accounts with positive balances for each girl, fostering financial independence.
Evaluation & Sustainability:
Impact will be measured through a combination of participation records, academic performance tracking, greenhouse yield reports, participant feedback surveys, and levels of community engagement. Shoe4Africa will provide continuous mentorship, medical support, and alumni networking opportunities to ensure long-term success. Program participants will undergo pre- and post-evaluations to assess outcomes and guide future improvements. Additionally, partnerships with a local bank and hospital will offer valuable third-party insights and external validation of results.
Conclusion:
This program is a life-changing opportunity for vulnerable girls, offering not just education but a pathway to healing, growth, and a future free from poverty and abuse. By combining mental health care, agricultural training, and career exposure, we will empower a generation of resilient, self-sufficient young women ready to lead and uplift their communities.
Thank you for considering our proposal. Together, we can transform young lives and build stronger communities — one girl at a time.
