Women and Girls Education (WAGE)

Through the 10 years of community organizing around SRHR and SGBV, Teenseed identified denied right to education as a significant contributor to violence against women and girls, teenage pregnancy and increased vulnerability. Teenseed decided to integrate an education program as part of the interventions to address SGBV and ensure freedom from violence for women and girls. The program, Women and Girls Education (WAGE) was launched in 2021 as a stand alone program and is pegged on two main projects/interventions. It is built on the understanding that educated women have more choices and opportunities to make informed and independent decisions over their lives. Education opens up doors for economic empowerment, enlightenment, awareness and knowledge, and access to decision-making spaces. The interventions include:

1. Seeds Education Fund (SEF): This is a scholarship fund designed to support girls who have experienced early pregnancy and or other forms of SGBV in Kiambiu. They are fully cared for under the guardianship of Teenseed and live in Teenseed’s safe house. Aside from providing full care and all responsibilities, Teenseed undertakes their educational support through school fees, books, uniform and any other needs that emerge. This is a responsive mechanism.
2. Seeds Education Support (SES): This is a partial education scholarship that is awarded annually to girls in the Kiambiu Informal Settlements for girls who have been identified as having a vulnerability and risk of experiencing sexual violence and whose families are not able to support their education. This is a preventative mechanism to protect these girls and ensure that they do not experience violence. Teenseed support their education while they remain under the care of their families.

In 2023, Teenseed had a short term Adult Literacy project that was aimed at supporting adult women to undertake the final opportunity to attain their primary level education. The education curriculum was changed and this was the last year to sit for the KCPE certificate which is the basic primary level. In partnership with the Ministry of Education- adult literacy department, Teenseed registered 26 women and girls and 18 of these attained their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education certifications. The age ranged from 19 to 57 years. This project is completed.