International Day of the Girl Child | October 11, 2022

For the 10th anniversary of International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC), we join organizations around the world in bringing attention to issues impeding the rights of girls and young women.

At COCE, we saw IDGC as an opportunity to highlight a girl changemaker from our community: Immaculate. Through her resilience and tenacity, Immaculate continues to drive progress in her community as a teacher and role model for other children in Busia County, Kenya.

Immaculate shared the many obstacles faced by girls and young women in rural Kenya. She shared how parental absenteeism and poverty affect many in her community: this hardship often leads to physical, sexual, and psychological/emotional abuse for those seeking a better life. Without access to essentials like menstrual hygiene products, many are unable to go to school or live according to their will, leading to other poor outcomes, from child pregnancy and marriage, drug abuse, and child labor.

Immaculate

 One of ten children, Immaculate explained she never knew her father, who died from HIV/AIDS after her birth. A short time later, her mother also passed away. After hearing of the passing of her mother, one of Immaculate's sisters from her mother's previous marriage brought Immaculate and her other siblings to live with her.

During the time she lived with her sister and foster father, she felt comfortable knowing she had someone to support and guide her. Unfortunately, Immaculate faced additional losses after the passing of her sister and then a short time later, of her foster father.  Immaculate explained that the experience of recurrent hardship and loss is something many children in her community face. Her story is one she is able to look back on now and recognize how the educational opportunities she had through COCE’s sponsorship, changed the trajectory of her life.

Immaculate (center) with her COCE sponsor (right) and schoolmate (left).

Now, as an adult and embarking on a career in teaching, Immaculate is strengthening services for girls in rural Kenya. As a teacher, she understands the lived experiences and circumstances many of her students face outside of her classroom. She offers mental help support and encouragement to girls going through some of the challenges she faced in childhood and adolescence.

Immaculate uses the skills she gained in school to provide educational resources for others. She believes in her student's potential, urging them to have the same determination to stay in school, become independent, and eventually give back to their community, as she did. COCE sponsors young women like Immaculate because they hold so much potential. If you are interested in supporting a changemaker, please contact us at info@cocekenya.org