Program Background
The Good Shepherd Program in Embu is established in the year 2000 under the invitation of the then Bishop of the Diocese of Embu, Cardinal John Njue. Located in Karurina village, the program has community outreaches in the informal settlements of Shauri Yako, Kathita, Gregon, Daalas, and Kimangaru, where it works with 10 women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) with a total of 198 women.
Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
Through bi-weekly group meetings, the SHGs provided women with an opportunity to receive various training including:
- Group dynamics
- Interpersonal relations
- Entrepreneurship
- Financial literacy
- Records keeping
- Life skills
Besides, 133 women also participated in the International Women’s Day.133 women also participated in the International Women’s Day, 296 children commemorated the Day of the Girl Child to promote gender equality within the Embu community and 45 households also acquired adaptive skills in sustainable agriculture through which they were trained on Corn gardening for farming production and Rearing of indigenous chicken
This was supported by Sharing Fair, an Irish-based organization supporting empowerment programs to uplift the livelihood of local communities.
Annunciation Home (AH)
The Good Shepherd Program in Embu also operated the Annunciation Home (AH), a residential facility offering temporal shelter to pregnant girls and teenage mothers in crisis situations, averaging 5 to 12 girls in 2022 and 2023.
In 2024, the AH hosted a total of 12 young mothers and their babies , facilitating access to their basic needs of shelter, food and nutrition, clothing, emotional support, and health care.
The Centre closed the year with six young mothers and six babies.
Imarisha Dada Project
Due to high teenage pregnancies and rampant Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Embu County, the Good Shepherd Program initiated the Imarisha Dada project in partnership with Mission Austria in 2024 as a response to the limited community support to pregnant girls and teenage mothers in crisis situations in Embu County.
The project adopted a community-based approach to care for pregnant girls and teenage mothers, offering them:
- On-going counselling
- Life skills training
- Medical and nutritional support
- Family support, reconciliation, and cohesion
Teenage mothers were enrolled in the project in 2024, clustered into three association groups; Victorious, Mwitethia and Mwivoko
Teenage mothers received life skills training, MDO – ECAP YEAR 2022 – 2024 and group counselling. Where they underwent individual counselling, medical support and dignity kits.
Mental Health Project
The program also implemented a mental health project targeting girls in Embu County courtesy of Misean Cara, an Irish-based organization supporting development work globally.
At least two sensitization sessions on SGBV were conducted in partnership with Kimuri Radio Station, reaching approximately 3,000 listeners.
Key Achievements
- Commemoration of the International Women’s Day and the Day of the Girl Child to promote equality of rights among men, women, boys and girls.
- Improved community awareness on SGBV, contributing to countering retrogressive cultural practices, breaking social barriers, and ill-treatment of women and girls.
- Strengthened socio-economic resilience of women and girls through personal development, financial literacy, access to seed capital and micro-credit, and transfer of agricultural skills.
- Enhanced safety and access to critical psycho-social support i.e. shelter, medical, emotional, psychological, and food and nutritional support to pregnant girls and teenage mothers.
- girls and teenage mothers. Improved decision-making, stress management and a positive world view among program participants.
- among program participants. Notable improvement in selfconfidence, personal acceptance, positive self-image, dignity and rights among women, and girls through life skills training, counselling, rights awareness and advocacy intervention.