Why Our Work Matters
Why Our Work Matters
Embedded Files
Health and education are not privileges—they are basic human rights. When women and girls have access to both, they gain the power to shape their own futures. Join us in breaking barriers and building brighter lives.
Health and education are not privileges—they are basic human rights. When women and girls have access to both, they gain the power to shape their own futures. Join us in breaking barriers and building brighter lives.
Zuri Life Scholarships
Zuri Life Scholarships
We provide families on Mfangano Island with school fees to send their girls to school, so they can receive the education they need to break the cycle of poverty, early marriage, and inequality.
The Cost of Opportunity
The Cost of Opportunity
The average cost to educate one child in Kenya is approximately KSh 68,701 per year, and the average annual education cost per household reaches KSh 221,904—far exceeding the income of most families in rural regions (1).
While day school students traditionally didn’t pay tuition, proposals in 2025 aim to impose annual fees of KSh 5,372, with other national and extra-county schools seeing increases between KSh 19,628 and KSh 27,488 (2). Private school fees range between KSh 20,000–40,000 per term, and elite schools in Nairobi can charge up to KSh 4 million per year—though such figures are far removed from the realities of rural education (3).
Barriers Girls Face
Barriers Girls Face
Girls in Kenya face a complex web of challenges that prevent them from accessing or completing school:
Cultural and gender norms remain a major barrier. Roughly 30.5% of girls are married before age 18, and families often prioritize boys’ education (2,4).
Poverty forces families to choose between essentials and education. Girls are more often kept home to help with domestic work or supplement household income (2,4).
Menstrual hygiene insecurity means about 1 in 10 girls in Sub-Saharan Africa miss school during their period, leading to absenteeism and learning gaps (2,4).
Long distances to school and safety concerns, including the risk of harassment, discourage school attendance in remote areas (5).
Inadequate facilities, untrained teachers, and lack of learning materials diminish the quality of education in rural communities (6).
The Reality on the Ground
The Reality on the Ground
16% of Kenyan women lack basic literacy, compared to 9% of men (2).
In rural areas like Kitale, only 19% of girls are enrolled in school, and over half of Kenyan girls are not enrolled in secondary school nationwide (2).
Fewer than 1 in 5 girls in some regions complete eight years of education (2).
Youth from the wealthiest households are 49 times more likely to attend university than those from the poorest. Only 0.2% of the poorest families have someone in higher education, compared to 9.8% of the richest (7).
The Power of Education
The Power of Education
Educating girls has transformative effects on families and entire communities:
Just one additional year of secondary education can increase a girl’s earnings by 25% and reduce the likelihood of child marriage by 50% (2).
Educated mothers are more likely to raise healthier children who attend school themselves—helping break the cycles of poverty and inequality (2).
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Every girl deserves a seat in the classroom. Help us remove barriers and create lasting change through donating to Zuri Life.
Hygiene and Health
Hygiene and Health
In rural Kenya, women face significant health challenges that affect their dignity, safety, and future. At Zuri Life, we are committed to addressing the core issues harming women’s well-being—from inadequate health education to the crisis of period poverty. We’ve had the opportunity to provide an educational talk and provide healthcare products to 18 women so far—but this is only the beginning of a much longer journey.
Period Poverty in Kenya
Period Poverty in Kenya
Scope and Impact
High Prevalence: About 65% of Kenyan women and girls-roughly two out of three-cannot afford basic menstrual products (136). This leads to over one million school-aged girls missing an average of three to four days of school every month due to lack of access18.
Educational Setbacks: Regular school absenteeism due to period poverty negatively impacts girls’ academic performance and can lead to higher dropout rates (1,8).
Health and Safety Risks: Lack of access to safe menstrual products forces many to use unsafe alternatives, increasing the risk of infections. Some girls resort to transactional sex to afford pads, heightening vulnerability to exploitation, sexual abuse, and teenage pregnancy (4,8).
Stigma and Mental Health: Period poverty is compounded by social stigma and shame, which further isolates girls and reduces their self-esteem (5,8).
Environmental Concerns: Inadequate disposal facilities mean used pads are often discarded unsafely, causing pollution in waterways, especially in rural areas (1).
Barriers
Affordability and Availability: Menstrual products are often too expensive or simply unavailable, particularly in rural and low-income areas. Nearly half of surveyed women and girls reported not having enough shops nearby selling menstrual products (4,6).
Policy and Distribution Gaps: Government programs to provide free sanitary pads in schools exist, but distribution is inconsistent-41% of recipients say supply is insufficient, and 35% have not received pads at all through these programs (4).
Education: Only 50% of girls openly discuss menstruation at home, and many lack comprehensive education on menstrual health6.
Responses and Initiatives
Government and NGO Efforts: Kenya has launched a Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Policy and works with partners to improve access, but challenges remain(7).
Sustainable Solutions: Eco-friendly and reusable pads are being promoted to address both affordability and environmental issues (13).
Advocacy: Organizations and policymakers are pushing for stronger legislation and more effective implementation to ensure menstrual equity and dignity for all women and girls (4,7).
Summary:
Period poverty remains a widespread and deeply rooted issue in Kenya, affecting girls’ education, health, and dignity, especially in rural and low-income communities. While there are ongoing efforts to address these challenges, significant gaps in affordability, access, and education persist (1,4,8).
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