Amuka in Kiswahili means; ‘To Rise Up’. Amuka Foundation is committed to equip and enable those most vulnerable to develop the skills, the confidence and ability to do exactly that.
Across the vast expanse of semi-arid lands and remote villages of Karare, Marsabit County, we work with pastoralist communities where young girls are vulnerable to the impact of harmful traditional and cultural practices. An ever present sense that family investment in boys is preferred over girls, that girls are a commodity to securing assets through marriage and that girls bring little value into a family, denies them opportunity to enrol or fully participate in education, a voice in decision making or developing leadership skills to define bright and secure futures.
Set within the context of prolonged periods of drought, heightened insecurity and poverty means girls are more vulnerable to exploitation and increasingly high risk of child marriage and female genital mutilation. When difficult decisions must be made, you can guarantee that girls will be most adversely affected.
Our Girls Mentorship Programme seeks to enhance the status of girls, showcasing their true potential and the positive contribution that they make to family and community. Developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills help them to make informed decisions, building strong and positive relationships, creating safe environments where they can thrive.
In partnership with our After School Programme, girls receive revision books, stationery, school uniform and sanitary towels. Access to a qualified teacher twice a week, in a more conducive setting, allows girls opportunity to better engage in discussion, to ask questions and fully participate in learning.
We recognise the adverse impact of tribal feuds, human – wildlife conflict, drought and poverty on women, and understand how this is magnified within a pastoralist community. Through Mwangaza Women, we focus on enhancing life skills and teaching vocational skills, supporting women generate income to care for their families, encourage access to education for their daughters and strengthen their ability to make decisions.
Our Child Sponsorship Programme goes some way to secure a child’s enrolment and continued attendance into school as well as enhancing the support of the wider family to educate and invest in that child. For girls and orphaned children this support is crucial. Timely payment of school fees alleviates much of the pressure from mothers to secure funds, and the provision of termly vouchers for food parcels and access to donations of clothing and footwear extends the benefit within the family.
Commissioning Mwangaza Women to make uniforms for more than eighty child beneficiaries extends the benefit realisation to their own children and family from the income generated.
Working closely with individuals, families and each community; we constantly seek to understand the complexity of the problem, and work with them to define realistic and sustainable solutions. We recognise the need for a transformational approach; not simply a quick fix, but a solution that addresses as many critical issues, has beneficiaries at the heart of delivery and where the impact and benefits grow long after the funding or the training support has finished.
The challenges we face around the World might differ in complexity and impact, but the lessons in understanding such problems and defining solutions are relevant for us all. By bringing together young people from around the World, we are committed to create an environment to learn about traditions and cultures that inform each of our lives. We strive to maintain trusting relationships built on tolerance and understanding of what is different and what defines each of us.
Using common interests of sport, social activities and skills, we encourage people to understand difference, to learn how to bring together positive elements of tradition and culture to solve problems, and to establish their own mark in a peaceful future.