Prof. Janet Barasa Foundation

Empowering Rights and Confidence of Vulnerable Women and Children

We envision a Just world, where all are equal

About us

Prof. Janet Barasa Foundation was established in 2022 under the stewardship of Her Excellency Prof. Janet Kassilly Barasa, the First Lady Kakamega County.

Our Mission

To promote and protect the rights, skills, knowledge and confidence of vulnerable children and women in the society

Core Values

Integrity
Transparency and accountability
Professionalism
Teamwork
Equity and equality

Quick Facts About Kakamega County

Most populous rural county in Kenya: Total Pop. 2,002,435
Pop. density 663.1km2
Pop. growth rate 1.8% per annum

Males 50.1%
Females 49.9%.
Children 0-18 years 48%
90% population reside in rural areas
10% resided in urban/peri-urban areas

Education system change from 8-4-4 to 2-6-6-3: Pre-primary (2), Primary (6), Secondary (6 years) and
University (3)
Adoption of Competency Based curriculum (CBC) at all levels of basic education

Our Programmes

Teen Mothers’ Program – A Helping Hand Initiative

Program goal: To achieve zero teen pregnancies in Kakamega County

Specific objectives

To reintegrate the teen mothers into formal education and vocation training
To advocate for prevention of early marriages
To provide mentorship to adolescents in school
To create awareness on adolescent sexual and reproductive health and services
To create awareness on Triple Threat - New HIV infections, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Teenage Pregnancy

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)

To improve access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services and information to reduce teenage pregnancies and harmful practices in Kakamega County.

Collaboration with community health promoters to pay attention to SRHR services to the youth
Increasing awareness of services among young people with information through sexual education program in schools
Conduct dialogue sessions with parents, caregivers, teachers and community leaders teenage SRHR
Provision of dignity packs to program participants

Child and women’s rights protection

To ensure functional child and women’s rights protection mechanisms to prevent and respond to all forms of violence and abuse

Nutritional support to children up to age 3 left behind by the teen mothers reintegrated into education and vocational training
Facilitate availability of pro-bono legal services for child and women abuse and violation cases
Facilitate availability of psycho-social support services
Establishment of rescue centers and safe houses for child and women abuse and violation cases

Entrepreneurship for young girls and women

To build stronger ecosystem for vulnerable young girls and women employment and entrepreneurship.

Reintegration of teen mothers into school or vocational training
Capacity building of vulnerable teen mothers and women in basic financial literacy and entrepreneurship
Facilitation of start-up capital for income generating activities for vulnerable teen mothers and women

Mentorship

Program targeting adolescents in mixed day schools on career development, mental health and sexual education through:

Motivational talks
Issuance of sanitary towels to girls and underwear to boys

Observations

15 schools covered reaching out to 12,000 adolescent learners

The Foundation’s Commitments

Gender transformative

Tackling gender inequality by addressing root causes and improving the daily lives and societal value of girls and women.

Rights-based

Work grounded on human rights principles through adopting strong, clear positions on, and actively support, human rights

Transparent and accountable

Reporting openly and transparently about what we do on both our successes and failures and about how we use the resources entrusted to us.

Collaboration

Building relationships with a variety of organizations, institutions, corporate and other actors that influence the changes we are seeking

Participants Selection Criteria

Children

(Nutritional Package)

• Children must be between age 0 – 3 years
• Children born of teenage girls of age upto 18 years from vulnerable backgrounds
• Mother must be enrolled into the Foundation Program

normally $399 $5999 monthly

Young Adults

• Young girls and boys of upto age 18 years suffering poverty, violence, exclusion, disasters, and discrimination.
• Must be willing to enroll into school or vocational training
• Must demonstrate availability of a fixed abode

normally $399 $5999 monthly

Women

• Widows suffering poverty, violence, exclusion, disasters, and discrimination

normally $399 $5999 monthly

Reintegration into Formal Schools and Vocational Training

Cohort 1 (2023)

60 teen mothers reintegrated back to school
8 teen mothers joined TVETs pursuing the following courses:
- 4 No. tailoring and dress making classes
- 2 No. food and beverage
- 2 No. hair dressing and beauty
52 teen mothers reintegrated into secondary schools

Observations

Teen mothers enrolled in TVETs: Smooth integration, high levels of motivation and satisfaction and 100% completion rate
Teen mothers enrolled in Secondary Schools:
- 5 relapse cases
- Initial cases of below par performance with gradual improvement
- Stigmatization and difficult school integration process

Cohort 2 (2024)

74 teen mothers reintegrated to vocational training:

34 No. plumbing and pipe fitting
40 No. food and beverage

Observations

100% beneficiaries successfully completed coursework /practicals and transitioned to industrial attachment.
High levels of motivation and satisfaction
Increased levels of self-awareness and self-esteem