INUA

Inua Girls Group

Kenya

Inua Girls Group was established by three girl leaders from different schools in Garissa in eastern Kenya to help support other pastoralist girls. Inua means “uplift” in Swahili and that is what the girls in this organisation aim to do for each other by offering a safe and friendly space to discuss sensitive topics such as gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and FGM. The group offers peer-to-peer mentoring and leadership training in secondary schools. It holds regular dialogues with girls and provides a career counselling service, allowing girls to find their individual voice in this pastoralist environment where girls are not seen as individuals with their own rights. Inua Girls Group also lobbies and advocates for a change in legislation to address gender discrimination in all its forms. It works closely with the Ministry of Education, local government and national legislators, as well as religious and community leaders to help raise awareness of the rights of girls. The group’s activities are all girl-led. Girls hold regular meetings to discuss their needs and the challenges they face.