ADOPT A GIRL PROJECTA mentorship initiative by Kenya Veterinary Association – Women’s Branch

WOMEN’S BRANCH

The Kenya Women Veterinary Association (KWVA) is a specialized branch of the Kenya Veterinary Association (KVA), it comprises of Kenyan Women Veterinarians. KWVA members operate purely on voluntary basis and since its inception in 1993, KWVA’s main goal has been to improve the livelihoods of livestock keepers who in most cases are women by training them on better animal husbandry practices. The Adopt a girl project was the brain child of the current KWVA Chairlady Dr. Mary Agutu who was greatly concerned by the plight of rural pubertal primary school girls in Kenya. The girls on average missed 1 to 5 days of school due to lack of proper sanitary wear. Mary was able to mobilise the veterinary fraternity to donate Ksh. 1,000 each year to go towards purchase of hygienic and quality sanitary wear. The donations allowed KWVA to launch the Adopt a girl project on 19th November 2013. The main goal of the Adopt a girl project will be to identify less fortunate primary schools in the country and mentor the young girls and boys into future scientists and responsible citizens.

Background

The first school adopted under this project was the Vetlabs primary school. The school shares a fence with the Central Veterinary Laboratories (CVL) which is the National veterinary referral laboratory situated in Kabete Nairobi. Vetlabs primary school has a rich history with the Veterinary fraternity as it was built to serve the children of sta� working in the veterinary laboratories during the colonial and immediate post-colonial eras. The adopt a girl launch saw over 80 girls and boys mentored by the veterinary fraternity members drawn from di�erent sectors of the profession. In addition, 20 girls in class 7 and 8 were given a year’s supply of sanitary wear.

“The empowerment of women throughout the world cannot fail to result in amore caring, tolerant, just and peaceful life for all”

Adopt A Girl Activities

Aung San Suu Kyi

The vetinary fraternity during the Adopt a girl project launch atVetlabs Primary School.

Charity Begins At Home.

Mopia Primary School located in Namanga, Kajiado County was the second school to be adopted. The school was visited on 5th April 2014. The event was well attended by twelve veterinarians, one veterinary para-professional and one veterinary student. The visit combined mentorship with rabies awareness and vaccination. A total of 73 pupils were mentored of these 29 pubescent girls were given a year’s supply of sanitary wear. In addition to the mentorship activity, a rabies awareness and vaccination campaign was carried out where a total of 118 dogs and 19 cats were vaccinated against rabies. The community was also educated on identification of rabid animals, management of dog bite wounds and on rabies control strategies. Rabies awareness leaflets materials were left behind for future reference.

KWVA presenting sanitary wear to the students

Maasai women were not left behind, they too werepresented with re-usable sanitary wear by a local non-governmental organization also present.

The Veterinary Fraternity team thatvisited Mopia primary School inKajiado County.

Mopia Primary School girls paying close attentionduring the mentorship talk held in Kajiado County.

Kajiado here we come

"…there is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women."Kofi Annan

Acknowledgments KWVA is grateful to:1. The Kenya Veterinary Fraternity- you made the Adopt a girl project a reality 2. The Kenya Women Veterinary Association Members- for your tirelessly voluntary e�orts. 3. The Kenya Veterinary Association National O­ce4. The Health Education Africa Resource Team (HEART)- for the innovative subsidized sanitary pack that has 12 packets of sanitary pads, 4 inner wear and a health information booklet.

Join us todayKWVA is looking for likeminded people and organizations to support this Nobel initiative.Please contact us via the information given below:

Kenya Women Veterinary AssociationMobile: +254-722-983405 – Mary : +254-722-762910- PaulineEmail: kwva2010@gmail.com