Team Kenya was officially founded in 2008 by Valerie Wilson, a geography teacher and senior manager working in a secondary school in Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK. Before establishing Team Kenya, Valerie had been working with the Ndhiwa community since 1999, focusing on school partnerships and curriculum exchange.

Since 2008, Team Kenya have built a strong relationship with the community in Ndhiwa, and Twende Pamoja. Team Kenya work in partnership with Twende Pamoja and together they have transformed the lives of over 60,000 people in Ndhiwa, including 20,000 young girls. Team Kenya’s holistic approach tackles the barriers that prevent vulnerable girls from being safe.

Their goal is to create an enabling environment for girls to thrive and to stay in school. They work collaboratively with girls themselves, schools, community leaders, parents, local authorities and the wider community to ensure that the rights of girls are recognised and respected. Team Kenya takes a three-pronged approach to tackling entrenched gender inequality to empower young girls and their female caregivers living in extreme poverty.

This approach ensures that:

This work has become even more crucial over the last year as COVID-19 has exacerbated an already fragile situation. Schools were closed for nine months as part of national lockdown restrictions, meaning girls lost access to crucial support mechanisms and were at higher risk of violence in the community and forced early marriage. Families have been pushed further into poverty due to loss of livelihoods and many families are having to survive on one meal per day.

This year, Team Kenya’s focus is to address these increased vulnerabilities and support the needs of vulnerable girls to enable them to stay in school and to support their health and wellbeing. They are providing counselling, home visits, and needs-based practical support (e.g. school equipment, solar lamps, healthcare, sanitary pads, food) and are running weekly Girls Support Groups (GSGs) for 30- 40 of the most vulnerable girls in each of
16 partner schools.

Team Kenya works towards the sustainable development goals: No Poverty (SDG1), Quality Education (SDG4) and Gender Equality (SDG5).

Team Kenya’s vision is for every girl in Kenya to have an equal chance to achieve her potential and be free from poverty. Their mission is to involve entire communities in gender equality, so that girls in rural Kenya can create their own bright futures. They work with local Kenyan people to educate girls, empower women, and transform communities in rural Kenya.

Team Kenya is immensely grateful for this partnership with MGPS and look forward to all the exciting events to come.

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