REACHING OUT CHANGING LIVES

ROCL is not for profit organisation led by women and committed to women’s issues. Our work in Kenya supports UN MDGs especially promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment. ROCL has been working with Women4Resources UK since 2006 on gender issues. Our mission is to make a positive difference primarily through community based initiatives that are sensitive to the needs of women and girls.  We help them make informed choices as it relates to sexual health and reproductive rights and are able to address gender based issues to their benefit.

Girls in rural areas who would necessarily be from the poorest households require targeted interventions to encourage them to enrol in and stay in school. While eliminating fees, ensuring a safe school environment and promoting later marriage have boosted girls’ attendance in school, lack of a conducive environment for homework, reading material and no role models to look up to greatly counteract efforts being made. In one school 24 girls out of a class of 25 girls had dropped out of school in one term (span of 3 months) due to pregnancy (Sept 2009).

Three million children are involved in child labour some as young as 5 yrs. Most affected is the girl child. 15-19 year old girls are living with HIV/AIDS contracted in search of money for food due to high poverty rates and responsibility for supporting their families.