Our Stories

In a remote, impoverished village in Kenya, 13-year-old Mary’s* mother was murdered. With no father and no money for justice, she became the caregiver for her five younger siblings. Weeks later, she was found grievously injured — with both her breasts cut off. 

Her grandmother turned to So They Can, our international NGO dedicated to ending poverty through access to quality education in Kenya and Tanzania, for life-saving help and the possibility of a brighter future for her granddaughter. Our team on-the-ground team raced Mary to the nearest clinic. She survived against all odds, enduring transfusions and surgery at a larger hospital hours away.

Unfortunately, stories of gender violence are not uncommon where Mary lives in rural Baringo County. Further, an estimated that 60% of girls are at risk of female genital cutting (FGC) and being married off as child brides by their fathers and brothers. They will often become the second or third wife to a much older man – despite it being illegal in Kenya – and underscores a wider patriarchal culture whereby women are often considered the capital assets of men.

While So They Can’s core mission is to reduce child poverty through access to quality education, Mary’s story underscores how a holistic and locally-led approach to addressing the more complex barriers to education, such as gendered barriers, FGC and child marriage, must also be taken to create long-term and sustainable impact. 

Through So They Can’s support, Mary and her siblings have now joined a children’s home and are in school. She wants only one thing: for her and her siblings to be educated, so they can be free. 

So They Can has also a trained network of 116 local Champion Mothers & Fathers who directly support thousands of girls like Mary every year. Based in the remote villages where we operate, Champions provide the safety and support young people need. Because no child should ever believe that their only protection from violence is to harm themselves.

Support girls’ rights to safety, education and dignity. Donate to support our projects today.

* The name of the 13-year-old girl has been changed to Mary for privacy and protection reasons.