Planting Seeds of Change to End Child Marriage

Joy was sold to a husband for twenty goats. Alone, she would have had no way out. But she was not alone.

Kenya Works has been planting seeds of change in communities like Joy's for nearly twenty years.

Joy is from the pastoral Kenyan village Musenke, in a region where gender inequality reduces girls' access to education and agency over their futures and trading adolescent daughters for a dowry is still an accepted practice.

Kenya Works began investing in Musenke in 2015 with a Makini Pads distribution. This timeline outlines the many touchpoints, investments and collaborations we have with the village, demonstrating the realities and also real progress, culminating in a defining moment for the village as it vows to end child marriage and commit to girls' equality and education.

Jump to the Timeline to see the engagement with Musenke that leads to this moment.

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TIMELINE

In collapsed mode, you can see the long arc of progress. Expand a date to see and read more.

May 2015: Makini Pad Distribution in Musenke

September 2015: VICODEC Begins Satellite Feeding Program at Musenke Primary School

Fall 2021: Agreement to build Women’s Teachers Quarters

Feb 2021: Anti-FGM forum at Boarding School for Survivors of Child Marriage

April 2021: Kenya Works Starts Partnership with the Boarding School to Sponsor 30 Area Girls

May 2021: Joy's sister Irene is enrolled in Kenya Works Student Sponsorship Program

Dec 2021: Irene Learns Her Father and Brothers are Plotting to Marry Her Off While on School Break

Dec 2021: Irene is Brought to Miale ya Tumaini Rescue Center

Feb 2022: Launch of Musenke Girls Club

Aug 24, 2022: Irene and Kenya Works Program Coordinator Caroline Gitau Appear on Womens View TV program Where Irene Shares Her Story

Sept 2022: The Musenke Girls Club Leader Notifies Kenya Works that Joy is Missing

Sept 2022: Irene Calls Caroline Gitau to Report Her Sister, Joy's Abduction

September 2022: Kenya Works Confirms the Girl Has Been Missing for Two Days

September 2022: Kenya Works and VICODEC Coalition Arrive for a Scheduled Ceremony to Open the Women's Teachers' Quarters

September 2022: Joy is returned home

September 22, 2022: Irene Teachers Joy How to Use our Makini Pads

September 23, 2022: Joy is enrolled as a new resident at Miale ya Tumaini

September 26, 2022: Joy is enrolled in Kenya Works Education Sponsorship Program

September 29, 2022: Kenya Works Convenes a Stakeholders Meeting in Musenke  

October 11, 2022: Day of the Girl Child | Kenya Works-Led Human Rights Training in Musenke