What Has Changed? Parents and Community Members’ Perceptions on an Education Intervention for Girls in the Slums of Nairobi

Abstract

The objective of the paper is to examine reflections of parents and community members with a community based intervention for girls aged 12 - 19 years in the slums of Nairobi. The intervention involved mentoring in life skills and after school support for girls; and, parental counselling on supporting girls’ education. This paper is motivated by the need to identify from the perspective of parents and community members, what has changed in regard to the education and social lives of the girls, both at school and within the households as a result of one-year exposure to an intervention. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) during the qualitative midterm survey conducted in Korogocho and Viwandani slums, in Nairobi, Kenya. Results show that parents and community gatekeepers’ generally have a positive experience with the outcome of the intervention one year after the onset of the intervention. In conclusion, the knowledge gained by the beneficiaries is gradually leading to an empowerment process within the urban informal settlements, as both girls and their parents become advocates of the program.