Vocational Skill Building Program

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Empowering Teen Mothers | Namwela-Chwele, Kenya

Najijali Project Mission:

As a result of the pandemic condition the rate of teen pregnancy went up by 40% in Kenya. These young girls were forced to drop out of school trapping them and their child in perpetual cycles of poverty. As a response to this crisis, our communities in Chwele, Kenya and supporters across the United States have rallied together to create the Najijali Project.

We strive to:

Improve their mental health with therapy and socio-psychological support.
Help reduce teen pregnancies by including reproductive health education and resources.
Elevate community awareness of the value of the girl child in the local economy.

For recent updates and resources check out the Najijali Project video channel

Teen mothers are learning essential skills to care for themselves and their families independently, contribute to the community, and become a new generation of female business owners. The value of the Najijali Project is immeasurable!

What is Najijali?

In Kiswahili, 'najijali' means, "I care for me." The program focuses on the following:

Skills training for teenage mothers
A daycare for teenage mother's children while they are in class
Health courses- including mental, physical, and reproductive health courses
Business courses and microloans to help teenage mothers start their own businesses
Each young mom have mentors that supports, advise them in starting their own businesses in order to provide for themselves and their children

Why It Matters

Training and Education

Mental Health

Community Awareness

Project Phases

April 2025 - GRECA connects students with family day, pen pals, and other activities to keep them fully engaged.
March 2025 - Cohort III completed term one and returned home for break.
January 2025 - Cohort III began studies at Makindu Advanced Training College for a two-year program. (25 students)
January 2025 - Global Grant officially closed by The Rotary Foundation and GRECA/Harambee Centre move into their sustainability phase.
December 2024 - Final Progress Report submitted to The Rotary Foundation
October 2024 - Year 2 progress report submitted to The Rotary Foundation. RESULTS - We are happy to report that for the first two cohorts, 49 of 50 girls completed training and successfully graduated. We thank the Chwele Vocational Training Centre and GRECA for providing some additional support to help those who required a bit of extra time.
July 2024 - Cohort II students graduated!
May 2024 - GRECA and the Rotary Clubs of White Salmon-Bingen and Tigard visited Makindu Advanced Training College in Makueni County to see if the boarding school would be a good fit for a future class.
March 2024 - Cohort I students graduated!
Summer-September 2023-The first class continues to work on developing their skills and will go into the attachment phase (internship) later this summer. Then the second class will begin in September of 2023. More to come…
April 2023-Volunteers and Visitors perform the initial site visit for the Rotary Global Grant and to interact with the girls. The community celebrated the project, bringing awareness to the program and to the Chwele Vocational Training Center.
Jan 2023-The Najijali Project began operations at the Chwele Vocational Training Center and welcomed the first class of students and their children!

Read The Najijali Project Report

Sustainability

Developing long-term sustainability is essential!

Harambee Centre and GRECA continue to work with partners in support of teen mothers now that the Rotary Global Grant period has ended. We have developed a scholarship program linking students directly to sponsors helping fund their education. A beneficiary's family also contributes to the program with an annual, low, culturally appropriate fee that secures their commitment to their daughter's two-year vocational program.

Proceeds from the sale of "Be the Gift. Be the Light. Stories of My Mother's Legacy " Grace Kuto's new book, published in 2025, support the Najijali Project and other scholarship programs.ps between our communities in the Pacific Northwest and Kenya - the very spirit of Harambee!

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