The background
The town of Ol Kalou in the Rift Valley is about the size of Hanau. The people are poor and live on around USD 1.50 a day. Many parents are unable to send their children to school; if at all, the children attend school up to grade 8. Girls in particular have an additional handicap once a month: going to school during menstruation when you have no money for sanitary towels is a challenge! Career prospects are rare, many girls prostitute themselves. Around 30 percent of prostitutes are girls between the ages of 12 and 19.
In the process, young women become infected with HIV and other STIs, experience sexualized violence and become pregnant unintentionally.
Around 10 percent of all pregnancies are teenage pregnancies. Up to the age of 18, 50% of girls are married. After that, education is out of the question.
The project
A group of committed teachers tackles the problem and invites the girls to counseling sessions. The girls receive free sanitary towels and information about HIV and contraception.
