Education has proven to be the most important factor in social mobility and the primary determinant of better development and health outcomes for girls. The ultimate measure of success in education is ensuring girls especially in remote rural areas with high poverty index have access to education and once in school that they are learning 21st century competencies and skills. While this is a significant challenge, a local organization; Girls Leading Our World Initiatives (iGLOW) has had tremendous success in reaching, enrolling and retaining the most vulnerable rural girls and transforming their poor performing public schools.
In Kenya despite free primary education, girl child education in Nyanza remains a key challenge for the region; while there has been relative improvements and even though there are pockets of well performing academic schools including exceptional girls schools, on the whole in high poverty areas, many girls with high potential of succeeding in life are being left behind as they succumb to the overwhelming difficulties of grinding poverty, retrogressive cultural beliefs and the adverse impact of high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates, leading to a general disinterest in school and low retention rates in comparison to other areas.
Girls in St Patricks Ukwala Girls primary day school, a public school located in Ugenya constituency Siaya County were no exception. They were amongst the most vulnerable and at risk students with most coming from very poor background and having one or no parent as a result of HIV/AIDS. In 2011, the school was described as hell to the point that it was referred to the organization by the local education office. The school ranked bottom in the district as well as in science. Pregnancy and dropout rates were very high.
Focused on extremely vulnerable girls in rural Kenya, iGLOW removes barriers that commonly prevent girls from going to school. iGLOW began programming for the girls in Ukwala in January 2012. iGLOW process begins with counselling for both the girls and their families, and school placement. Leadership training, mentorships, and tutoring build the girls’ self-esteem and accelerate their learning. Meanwhile, healthcare services, school feeding program and reproductive health education improve the girls’ overall well-being and teach them how to protect their bodies and their rights. Refresher professional development training keeps teachers up-to-date on new research on how girls learn, class management and curriculum implementation.
The results have been remarkable with school performance being on an upward trajectory; by the end of 2012, the schools performance had improved from position 64/84 to 34/84 in the district, 8/85 in 2013, 5/85 in 2014 and 2/85 in 2015. The school has now become a centre of academic and leadership excellence for girls. In science the school ranked 84/84 in 2011, with iGLOW programming and dedication from science teachers, for the past three years the school has ranked 1st, not only in the district but also in Siaya county beating more than 600 schools. The school also produced the top performing girls and ranked second and third in the district in two other subjects (Social studies and English). Pregnancy rates have reduced to zero including dropout rates and transition rates to the next grade level stand at 98% including to secondary school. In Ukwala girls iGLOW reaches more than 230 vulnerable girls. Today the girls courtesy of iGLOW computer purchase and training have basic computer skills and through the organizations exchange program, have completed computer program with schools in New York.
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