The Malkia Initiative (Malkia) is a youth and women-led organization with a mission to enhance the agency and power of adolescent girls. It operates in Kajiado, a rural pastoralist county in Kenya. The organization’s programs focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), education, and combating female genital mutilation (FGM). To date, Malkia has impacted more than 23,000 adolescent girls and young women, empowering them with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions about their bodies and future.
Adolescent girls in Kajiado face many challenges which hinder their full potential, including inadequate access to education, gender-based violence, and early pregnancies. In recent years, the effects of climate change have exacerbated existing challenges. Droughts in the region have increased economic instability among households who depend on farming for income, leaving many families struggling to survive. Consequently, families are marrying their daughters at a young age due to financial constraints and incentives like dowries. Girls are also often forced to undergo FGM, which is seen as a rite of passage before marriage.
The Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund will support Malkia’s SHErise Project, which will primarily serve teenage mothers. Malkia will provide safe spaces to build a community among adolescents who are experiencing similar challenges and offer workshops on topics such as financial literacy, leadership development, advocacy, and self-care. Many young mothers in the area are experiencing mental health challenges, including postpartum depression, so the organization will place a special emphasis on teaching emotional self-care and emotional resilience techniques. Additionally, Malkia will offer scholarships for education and vocational training to disrupt the cycle of poverty created by early pregnancies.
Malkia expects to directly support 30 girls with its project. The project aims not only to provide valuable knowledge and skills but also to develop emotional resilience and a sense of belonging among the girls. Ultimately, the organization hopes to empower girls with a strong sense of confidence, supporting them to overcome the difficulties of their circumstances. In the long term, Malkia envisions a society in which girls are agents of change who are able to advocate for themselves and challenge harmful practices which limit girls’ potential.
To learn more about Malkia, please visit the organization’s website and social media pages:
See more projects: Africa, Education, Gender-based Violence, Health & Wellbeing