Challenges

Around Lake Victoria, a girl who becomes a mother rarely faces one problem at a time. Pregnancy, HIV, violence and poverty arrive together, which is why our support is built around the whole girl.

23%

of girls aged 15–19 in Homa Bay County have begun childbearing

Teenage Pregnancy

Nearly one in four teenage girls in Homa Bay has begun childbearing, and most who become mothers lose school, family support and safety at the same time.

15.2%

adult HIV prevalence in Homa Bay, the highest of any county, against 3.7% nationally

HIV & Mother-to-Child Transmission

The four counties where we work have the highest HIV prevalence in Kenya, and young people carry a large share of new infections.

34%

of Kenyan women aged 15–49 have experienced physical violence since age 15

Gender-Based Violence

Violence and teenage pregnancy are closely linked: many adolescent pregnancies begin with coercion, and violence at home makes it harder for a young mother to stay in school or in care.

13%

of Kenyan women aged 20–24 were married or in a union before age 18

Early Marriage

When a girl becomes pregnant, families sometimes push her into marriage with the father to settle the matter, ending her schooling for good.

65%

of girls in rural Kenya have difficulty accessing sanitary products

Period Poverty

Many girls in rural Kenya cannot reliably get sanitary products. In Siaya, researchers found girls entering transactional relationships to pay for pads.

39.8%

of Kenyans live below the national poverty line

Poverty

Poverty drives many of the pregnancies we see, and a baby deepens it. Without income, a young mother is pushed back towards the relationships that put her at risk.