Why Girls? A Q&A on Girls’ Empowerment with Dr. Karen Austrian
“There is tremendous power in investing and intervening during adolescence, which is a critical window in our development.”
Addressing the vulnerabilities adolescents and young
women face in informal settlements.
Girls’ Empowerment activities are strategically embedded across our health and youth programs. Recognizing females face unique challenges in informal settlements, we build self-agency among girls, provide them with access to a support network, and encourage them to develop and use their voices and practice leadership, ensuring girls can reach their full potential. Our work focuses on empowerment interventions and violence prevention to address the vulnerabilities that adolescents and young women face.
Ensuring girls have a supportive environment where they can learn, grow, and process challenges.
We support teenage mothers in accessing this cornerstone of empowerment.
Partnering with community leaders and male allies to end sexual and gender-based violence.
Our Funzo Project is making a difference in the lives of teenage mothers by improving their health, wellness, and education outcomes. Advocating for teenage mothers at the family, community, and institutional levels, the project provides avenues for young mothers to continue their education or vocational training, paired with safe space sessions and psychosocial support.
CFK Africa’s Girls Parliament encourages adolescent girls to find their voices to demand action on issues they care about, practice leadership, and develop public speaking skills. Girls use their advocacy skills to educate the community through large-scale events and participate in economic empowerment activities to increase their earning potential.
CFK Africa was the lead partner in developing, implementing, and piloting the “Girl-Centered Design” and the “Safe Spaces” models in collaboration with the Population Council in 2008, which has been internationally recognized as a leading program model for girls’ empowerment. Our safe spaces ensure girls in slums have a supportive environment where they can learn, grow, and process their challenges with trusted mentors.
Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) remains a significant problem throughout Kenya, with 45% of women experiencing it in their lifetime. By empowering landlords to address SBGV in their compounds, establishing gender desk offices in police stations, and engaging in male allyship, we challenge the norms that allow violence against women to persist and support survivors in advocating for justice.
girls participate in safe spaces annually.
Funzo teenage mothers have returned to school since 2018.
girls engage with our Menstrual Hygiene Lab each year.
“There is tremendous power in investing and intervening during adolescence, which is a critical window in our development.”
“The launch event affirmed several truths for me: that many are committed to ending GBV, that community ownership is key, and that extraordinary potential exists when people unite around a shared cause.”
For CFK Africa, 2024 has been full of innovation, collaboration, and empowerment, and we are pleased to present our interactive year in photos.
Who We Are
CFK Africa is a registered NGO in Kenya and 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the U.S. that empowers youth in slums.
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