A Celebration of Elevated Potential

A quarter of the world’s population is made up of rural women! Forced early marriages, female genital mutilation, scarcity of essential resources and gender-based violence are a fraction of the challenge rural women face every day.

Thursday, July 25th was a celebration of intelligence, determination, empowerment and elevated potential for girls from hard to reach rural regions of West and East Pokot counties, Kenya. Proud relatives, board members, and special guests gathered on the pleasant July day to celebrate the graduation of 37 beneficiaries from the Global Give Back Circle’s HER Lab, in Morpus, West Pokot County, Kenya.

All those in attendance dressed in traditional regalia, its vibrant and bright colors reflecting the joy in faces of the elated graduates. Powerful speeches reminded the girls of their newly discovered potential and amazing possibilities ahead. Shirleen Kasmeri, a beneficiary of HER Lab, thanked the parents for joining the fight against FGM and Early Marriage. She spoke of how she has benefitted from being at HER Lab, highlighting her increased confidence and eloquence. Guest speaker Dinah Endoo, a former teacher at St Elizabeth Morpus, gave an inspiring speech. She encouraged the girls to be the change that their community needs. She emphasized that the girls are the pride of Pokot and that they should take advantage of the great opportunity they’ve received to go out and make a difference.

Over a post-graduation bonfire and dance, the graduates spoke about their plans for the future, powered by new-found self-confidence and skills.  After 6 special months of digital literacy and life skills training, the girls shared their aspirations to be accepted to college and certificate courses. The graduates’ excitement to use their skills to impact the Pokot community was evident. All were glad for their improved income-generating capacity to support their families.

Global Give Back Circle’s HER Lab is an economic empowerment incubator for at-risk girls who have completed secondary school with a desire to obtain additional life, livelihood and leadership skills. Beneficiaries of HER Lab receive training in Digital Literacy and Coding, Hairdressing, Reproductive Health, Entrepreneurship, Beadwork, Agriculture and life skills workshops. HER Lab is designed to support girls rescued from FGM & Early Marriages to transition into economic independence and social empowerment.

Six months ago, 37 at-risk girls began their journey at Global Give Back Circle’s HER Lab in Morpus, West Pokot County, Kenya. Today, Global Give Back Circle and our partner organizations congratulate these once at-risk girls on their graduation. We look forward to seeing their successful transition to educated, economically independent women who will be leaders of change in their communities.

HER Commitment to Change!

8 Empowered Beneficiaries Uplift Their Community Through Their Give Back Commitment

Shirleen Kasmeri and seven colleagues have grown up in the midst of cholera epidemics, hunger, and harmful cultural practices; such as FGM and early marriage. Rather than becoming discouraged, they are motivated and determined to change things for the better.

Morpus, a remote, dry village, located in West Pokot County, Kenya, is the home of the Global Give Back Circle’s ‘HER Lab’.  The community of Morpus is comprised mainly of farmers. The environment, apart from being semi-arid, is highly littered due to improper disposal of waste. Over the past several years, the West Pokot region has been threatened with epidemics of cholera infections due to poor sanitation. The county government of West Pokot has been actively implementing policies to improve the sanitation of the region, and girls from the Global Give Back Circle are helping advance the government’s mission.

On recognizing the desperate need for proper waste methods, this team of eight rain-makers, under Shirleen’s leadership, has dedicated themselves to changing the environmental sustainability of waste management in Morpus

They have made it their mission to educate the community – holding frequent community meetings to discuss waste disposal strategies. The community now emphasizes reusing and recycling as common practice to minimize excess waste: recycling household water to irrigate their farms and using readily available sacks to plant kale in small scale gardens. Through constant litter collection, to rid the center of plastics and inorganic waste, they have influenced the community to dispose of their waste correctly.

Apart from having a visibly cleaner Morpus center, the team has seen incredible results from educating the community on efficient farming practices too.  The team uses online technologies via smartphone applications to teach the community pest-control, irrigation, and other sustainable farming methods. Innovative farming techniques have increased food production and decreased deficits caused by the dry seasons. The community recently took on the initiative to install a pit latrine, for communal use. With access to the communal pit latrine, local women feel more comfortable traveling from their homes, into town, to sell their vegetables.

Shirleen and her team are making big changes in their community. For the past four months, they have witnessed the successful implementation of their Give Back Commitment and cannot wait to share their results at the next Annual Renewal Ceremony. The Global Give Back Circle empowers adolescent girls to effect positive change in their communities. Join us in our efforts to shift power to empowered young women who are instrumental in effecting positive change in their communities. Mentor HER, Educate HER or Support HER today.

Shirleen is from the Mtelo community.  Her mentor has recently committed to being her sponsor to attend Maasai Mara University where she will study business commerce.  Shirleen will be the first girl from Mtelo to go to ‘ever’ attend university.