Girls Can Club

Led by ChallengeAid Africa’s Fatuma, the ‘Girls Can Club’ tackles unique challenges for young female learners in Schools of Hope. Free to attend, There are currently 724 girls participating in ‘Girls Can Clubs’ which meet to discuss topics such as women’s empowerment, career, lifestyle choices, women’s health and education.

According to research by Kenya’s Ministry of Education, girls lose on average four school days every month due to a lack of access to sanitary products, which translates to two weeks of learning each term. Over four years of high school, they lose on average 165 learning days. 2500 girls attending SoHs receive complementary sanitary pads every month. Supplying monthly sanitary pads directly combats period poverty, removing a barrier to education.

Approximately 40% of girls under the age of 17 living in a slum are sexually active. Almost 50% of those girls drop out of school due to unintended and unwanted pregnancies. Our average dropout rate for SoHs girls in 2021 was just 1.4%.

Discussions cover menstrual hygiene, healthcare, and economic opportunities, enabling girls to break cycles of inequality. We believe our ‘Girls Can Clubs’ play a pivotal role in creating a supportive environment for girls in informal slum settlements, empowering them to thrive by addressing challenges, becoming advocates for change, and respecting community values.