A Celebration of Women™

is elated to Celebrate the Life of this woman leader. Through her journey to successful leadership with The Pastoralist Child Foundation, she stands as a bright beacon for all youth to achieve an education, with a focus on making sure each and every girl has a chance at life without female mutilation.

 

WOMAN of ACTION™

 

Sayydah Garrett

 
 

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is gender-based violence defined by the World Health Organization as all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. In Samburu, FGM is a centuries-old rite of passage to adulthood and forced early marriage, resulting in many young girls not having the right or ability to continue their formal education. Educated girls = Literacy = Empowerment = Equality. Girl’s education improves communities.

How will this project solve this problem?

Samburu girls ages 11-15 will share their knowledge with self-confidence and begin dialogues with their parents, siblings, guardians, elders, and males to enlighten them about the harmful effects of dangerous practices. Girls will understand the importance of a formal education in order to help their communities as nurses, doctors, teachers, social workers and other professions. Education empowers girls with a voice to stand up for their right to live safe, happy, healthy and productive lives.

Potential Long Term Impact

The empowerment of 180 girls to resist FGM and forced marriages and to adopt Alternative Rites of Passage (ARP) to womanhood, resulting in the decline of harmful, sometimes deadly practices. Girls will take leadership roles by sharing what they learn with their communities and report incidents of FGM to the authorities. Girls will resist the painful, violent, non-medical, unlawful and out-dated practice of FGM, adopt ARPs and preserve the positive aspects of the beautiful Samburu culture.

Young girls in Maasai communities/villages in Kenya are speaking up about NOT wanting to be subjected to the painful and uNnecessary ritual of female genital mutilation (FGM). They also DON’T want to be married off to old men. They want to go to school and achieve their dreams like other children around the world. Let’s help these children. Education is not free in Kenya – they need your help. Please donate $10.00 (or more!) TODAY.

Attaining our fundraising goal will catapult us and allow us to have at least 3 more educational camps for girls that will empower them and bring them closer to having Alternative Rites of Passage – no more FGM!

Please, whether you donate regularly or haven’t donated yet, this is the most critical time. Donations are tax-deductible.

Thank you from the children! Asante sana!

Topics to become aware of:

1) Self-awareness
2) Female genital mutilation (FGM/C)
3) Life skills management
4) Teenage pregnancies and child marriages
5) Sexual reproductive health
6) Rape: causes, effects, prevention and post rape management
7) Drug and substance abuse
8) Amendment of children’s rights and importance of formal education
9) HIV/AIDS & sexual transmitted diseases

July and August will be 2 of the most memorable months for us at Pastoralist Child Foundation and my trip to Samburu exceeded my expectations!

I hadn’t been back to Kenya since founding our organization in August, 2012. This was like a homecoming for me as I was joyfully welcomed back to where it all started. Samuel Siriria Leadismo, our fearless Director of Samburu District and I met with the Hon. Dr. Linah Jebii Kilimo, Board Chairperson of the Anti-FGM Board in the Kenyan Government who assured us that she’s doing everything in her power to accelerate the abandonment of FGM in Kenya. Dr. Kilimo expressed sincere interest in our work and assured us of her support.

I personally met with Ms. Naisula Lesuuda, Senator of Samburu County. Ms. Lesuuda said Pastoralist Child Foundation is doing important work, we have her support and she wants to be kept informed of our progress.

During my 2 week stay I met with our dedicated mentors who are doing a fabulous job of facilitating workshops, making presentations on behalf of PCF at official meetings, visiting our sponsored girls and raising awareness about our mission.

My visit with students Asha, Janet and Serena at their school in Isiolo was quite emotional as this was the first time I’d met them.

I’m happy to report the girls are doing well both academically and socially. Asha is class prefect, Serena is the school’s top volleyball player and I have no doubt that Janet’s dream to become a doctor will become a reality.

The girls are in our new video. Our Olympic Games day was a blast! We had races, soccer games and donated prizes for boys and girls in Namayiana Village.

We filmed our official video in July and hope you like it!

 
We’re truly thankful for goodhearted people. Phil Newman, Chief Executive Officer of Cobmex Apparel Limited, an international uniform company, generously donated 12 boxes of clothes to Pastoralist Child Foundation. We distributed the clothes to 150 children in 6 different Samburu villages. New shirts, blouses, shorts, trousers, socks, sweaters and jackets sure look nice on the kids. Thanks so much, Cobmex!!

Improving A Community 100 Girls At A Time

When you teach girls, you educate a community. Educated boys might leave their communities, whereas educated girls are more likely to stay and become mothers who encourage their children, especially daughters, to go to school. We often hear, “One girl at a time.” Well, it’s almost 2020 and we must accelerate the pace to “100 girls at a time.” Quality girls’ education empowers by giving them choices, alleviates poverty and yields great returns in socio-economics, health, population and politics. Girls’ education is a driving force against poverty leading to increased income for girls themselves, but also for nations as a whole. Better educated girls become women who have smaller, healthier families with lower infant mortality rates, and maternal mortality.

Primary education significantly helps reduce infant mortality, and secondary education helps even more because women know how to use health services, improving nutrition and sanitation, and taking advantage of their own increased earning capability. In addition, girls who get a quality education marry later when they’re better able to bear and care for their children. Educated girls are more likely to stand up for themselves and resist violence, and as women more likely to participate in political discussions, meetings and decision making.

2021 Global Woman PEACE Foundation Award

Sayydah Garrett is a recipient of the 2021 Global Woman PEACE Foundation Award.

Sayydah Garrett is an experienced Adult Education Instructor with a demonstrated history of working in the nonprofit and accredited school sector. Strong education professional skilled in Language Development, Lesson Planning, Educational Technology, and International Relations.

 

The Impact Of Sponsorship

Educated girls are more likely to stay in or near their communities and become mothers who encourage their children to go to school. Quality girls’ education empowers by giving them choices, alleviates poverty and yields great returns in socio-economics, health, population and politics. Education leads to increased income for girls themselves, but also for nations as a whole.

In keeping with its sincere and dedicated commitment to the formal education of girls, Pastoralist Child Foundation gives like-minded people the opportunity to sponsor students. When you sponsor a girl her life changes forever and her hopes and dreams can become a reality! We enroll students in high performing private boarding schools with great teachers and administrative staff. The annual sponsorship fee of $1,500.00 pays for full tuition, examination fees, transportation, healthcare, school uniforms and shoes, books, school supplies, backpack, mattress, sheets, blankets, pillow, personal toiletries and a lock box for personal items.

Girls who receive full sponsorships are from very low-income families where many heads of households are single mothers with numerous children. Student candidates are interviewed and must demonstrate good grades, good citizenship, leadership skills, and a willingness to volunteer with Pastoralist Child Foundation during school holidays. The parent(s) and/or guardian(s) of the potential candidates must agree that FGM should be abolished and they will not force her to marry as a child (under the age of 18). Local pastoralist conditions reduce attendance in day schools due to long walks to schools which may be as far as 15 kilometers from a girl’s village, and disruptions of education caused by droughts and the movement of the communities from one place to another for greener pastures and clean water.

Many girls who attend local day schools also miss classes because they cannot afford sanitary napkins during their periods. When they’re sponsored in boarding schools they’re provided with the necessary napkins. Boarding schools also discourage the cultural barriers by giving girls a place to escape the relentless pressure for early marriage and motherhood to an environment supportive of girls’ education. Boarding schools provide nutritious meals, health care, structured time for study, and housing for girls who have reached puberty and are at risk of being married off.

In Kenya, the school year starts in January and there are 3 semesters. The high school curriculum is competitive with subjects such as English, Kiswahili, mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry, history, geography, computer skills, physical education, music, art, drama/theatre. School holidays are in April, August and December. Some students attending boarding schools don’t see their friends and families back home often, so they eagerly look forward to the holidays!

Sponsorships are available for secondary school and university students.

To learn more about how to sponsor a student please contact us with any questions.

Education = Empowerment = Equality

 
Sponsors are provided with the student’s bio, picture, report cards (if requested), school mailing address and email address (if the student has one). We encourage sponsors to keep in contact in order to encourage their students to perform well and assure them they can reach their goals. Pastoralist Child Foundation’s staff and mentors also stay in regular contact with the girls, school principals, teachers, counselors and administrators.
 

 

A Celebration of Women™

welcomes this woman, one that is leading the way for future women leaders with open arms, through the education of children in Kenya, and we embrace the thought of future collaboration.

 

 

Brava Sayydah!

 
Up-dated November 2021