Today, October 11th, marks the International Day of the Girl Child. Today KPI would like to honor and acknowledge all of the girls around the world that are forced to be on the sidelines at a young age due to family responsibilities.
In our community in Gatagara, we have hundreds of young girls who are responsible for siblings, walking miles to fetch water, and many other daily chores that keep them from participating in the daily activities that boys enjoy. At a very young age girls are forced to take on adult responsibilities due to family dynamic or size. Many times it’s nearly impossible for the mother to complete her tasks without relying on the support of her children, and in many cases, her daughter/s. Responsibilities coupled with general gender stereotypes, makes the life of a girl in the “developing” world a lot of work and little play!
At KPI, we recognize the complexity of this issue and work closely with members of our community to create viable long-term solutions that not only benefit the girls in our community but also do not place blame on families or cultural norms. Our model is built on inclusion, not exclusion. We keep boys and girls together and focus on creating a safe environment for developing mixed gender relationships centered on Fair Play – respect, community, contribution, opportunity, and moral courage.
We believe our most valuable teammates in leveling the playing field are the boys and men in our community. We believe we are interdependent and together we can and will make a difference in the lives of girls in Rwanda and afar.