What we do
What we do in Kenya
Girls’ shelter
Since 2021, we have been building a boarding school for girls in Northern Kenya. It is attached to a school. It is a mixed school. We see educating boys at our school as a way of protecting girls. But the boarding part is only for girls who are at risk of FGM, early marriage and child labour.
Courses for parents
We organise seminars in the villages and aim to educate young women through dialogue about the lifelong consequences of FGM in the life of a growing girl..
Training and support by a mentor
To increase the number of tertiary educated girls who will actively contribute to development. We also organise seminars in schools where we talk to the girls and motivate them, and we do this in cooperation with the teachers.
Chances for empowerment
We do this by connecting women with organisations that promote economic empowerment.
Networking and partnerships
The aim is to promote the cause of Gargar Charity e.V. through networking with other organisations.
Every year, 28 May is the International Day of Menstrual Hygiene. The aim is to raise awareness of the fact that many girls around the world cannot afford sanitary pads. They have to make do with old rags or leaves, which means they cannot go to school or work during their period.
This puts girls at a huge disadvantage. Gargar Charity is involved in hygiene education to break the silence and raise awareness of the discriminatory norms surrounding menstrual hygiene. We distribute large quantities of reusable, washable sanitary pads to poor girls and women in the area around the girls’ schools.
The pads are donated by partner organisations in Germany. One of them is
‘Leben mit Behinderung Hamburg’, a self-help association of families with disabled relatives. The disabled members of the association produce the sanitary towels themselves in their own workshops. A wonderful cooperation!
Then there is ‘Asili ya Mwanamke – Natur der Frau e. V.’, an international association that promotes education about gynaecology and menstruation.
In Marsabit County, we were able to provide menstrual hygiene education in ten schools and distribute the pads. We were also able to donate pads to women in prisons. Many were very touched by our donations, as the women cannot afford to buy the pads themselves. They were often equally touched to be taken seriously and to be able to talk about their problems.
Career coaching
Through the rich skills of the organisation’s mentors, who encourage and inspire women to be effective in their careers and businesses, such as microfinance.
Peace campaigns
Building bridges between warring communities in Northern Kenya by organising tournaments, peace rallies. This is done by our youth, young women and men as our peace agents. This is done annually.
We are building a girls’ shelter and school
Wonderful, we have started to make our dreams come true and will start building a Girls Rescue Centre and School in Kargi, Kenya in July 2021! Read more about it!
What we do in Germany
Educational work
Low-threshold educational work with East African and especially Kenyan communities
Mentor training and prevention
Working with schools, nurseries and child family centres to train mentors (‘Change Engels’) to work with children at risk of FGM.
Publicity campaigns
Joint planning and implementation of events and awareness-raising campaigns with partner organisations in Germany, involving the East African communities.
Implementation of educational coaching
We support women with a migration background in their education and in their vocational training.
Networking and partnerships
Cooperation with organisations that support us, such as ‘Natur der Frau e. V.’ and ‘Leben mit Behinderung Hamburg’. The aim is to make the concerns of Gargar Charity e. V. known to a wider public.
