The Forum for African Women Educationalists – Kenya Chapter has released a new documentary that highlights the growing challenge of teenage pregnancy in Kenya and its devastating effects on girls’ education, especially in underserved communities.
The film, which explores the success of the #ImarishaMsichana program, is a bold call to action to protect, empower, and invest in the future of girls.
According to FAWE Kenya Executive Director Teresa Mwoma, the initiative has already reached over 42,000 adolescents, providing not only academic support but also reproductive health education and economic empowerment for girls and their caregivers.
“This program is about more than education. It’s about rewriting the narrative for Kenyan girls and building resilient, gender-inclusive communities,” Mwoma stated at the launch event.
The Imarisha Msichana initiative, launched in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, has been implemented in 20 counties across Kenya. It focuses on communities with high rates of school dropouts among adolescent girls,particularly those most affected during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many girls faced increased risks of early pregnancies, child marriages, and gender-based violence.
The documentary, now available online, features emotional testimonials from young girls whose lives have been transformed through the program’s holistic approach. From mentorship and psychosocial support to life skills training and school re-entry facilitation, Imarisha Msichana offers more than just education,it restores dignity and hope.
“Before the program, I thought my education journey had ended. But now, I’m back in school, and I want to become a doctor,” says a teenage girl from Kisumu County featured in the film.
The documentary also gives voice to the parents, teachers, and community leaders who have embraced the program’s vision. Chiefs and religious leaders in several regions have joined the movement, championing school retention and challenging harmful cultural norms that place girls at risk.
For women and girls across Africa, this documentary is a reminder of the urgent need to protect girls’ rights to education, bodily autonomy, and economic opportunity.
