Kenyan Honoured As Champion of Girls’ Empowerment

Rotary International recently honoured PP Lydia Njoroge, a Kenyan from District 9212 as one of six members to receive the People of Action: Champions of Girls’ Empowerment award on 11 October, the International Day of the Girl Child. This distinction recognizes the honorees’ commitment to improving girls’ access to education, health, and sanitation and hygiene resources, as well as their work to create environments where girls can flourish. Empowering girls is one of RI President Shekhar Mehta’s key initiatives, and he is encouraging clubs and districts to consider how they can accomplish this through all of their service projects this year. The honorees will also be recognized at Rotary Day at UNICEF in March.

Lydiah Njoroge is the program manager for Freedom for Girls at HEART (Health Education Africa Resource Team), where she has directly affected the lives of almost 300,000 girls in Kenya and other parts of East Africa by providing hygiene products to keep them healthy and in school. Njoroge has conducted extensive research on how menstrual concerns affect girls’ access to education. She has worked with Rotary clubs both in the U.S. and Kenya and with Procter & Gamble’s Always Keeping Girls in School initiative as well as facilitates relationships with partners to create programs that provide girls with resources and helps them get an education. This program has reached girls in more than 500 schools and trained more than 10,000 teachers in mentoring female students.

We speak to PP Lydia Njoroge on what it takes to earn this recognition.

Congratulations! You have just received the coveted Champion of Girls Empowerment award from RI. How does it feel?

Humbling!

Tell us a little about yourself

I am a professional social worker with a BA from Daystar University with 12 years of practice with a non-profit organization called HEART (Health Education Africa Resource Team-www.africaheart.com). I am currently studying for an MA in Communication at the United States International University- Africa (USIU-A). I have been a member of the Rotary Club of Kiambu since 2012 where I have served in various capacities. I am the firstborn in a family of 2- my sister and I. I have two nephews who I totally love. My mum and dad are my pillars and biggest cheerleaders and I have the most supportive partner. I enjoy travelling and baking.

Why did you join Rotary?

I was drawn by the motto “service above self”. I wanted a platform I could continue with my service projects and Rotary was it. My biggest regret is not joining sooner.

What was your motivation to get involved with girls empowerment?

My life as an adolescent girl growing up in Murang’a, Kenya was full of uncertainties especially when puberty hit and I didn’t know what exactly was happening in my life…I struggled with a lot of issues including self-esteem and how to manage my periods. I was lucky to have a mother who gave me pads to use but that was just about it! I had to figure out everything else on my own. I knew that I didn’t want any other girl to go through what I went through.

What does your project involve?

Freedom for Girls(FFG) is a girl child Empowerment project that gives girl an opportunity to stay in school and access education by providing them with a year supply of sanitary towels, 4 undergarments and a health education pamphlets to help them stay in school all year round. Statistics show that girls miss up to five days of school a month due to lack of sanitary protection.

How did you achieve this feat?

Partnerships with an array of Rotary clubs, organizations both non-profit and corporates who are like-minded. Dedication and seeing the impact we’ve had since 2009 keeps me going.

How many beneficiaries have been impacted?

Close to 300,000 school going girls located all over Kenya. We have collaborated with many Rotary Clubs in Kenya and in the US as well as other non profits and corporates.

How do you balance your community service initiative with your work and social life?

I am not sure I can speak authoritatively about balance but I do try to prioritize what needs my attention and what really doesn’t. I have learnt to delegate and to rest when I have to. I love to travel and I enjoy a good drive in the countryside as I sip some cappuccino. That’s my way of clearing my mind and having time to reflect and plan.

What challenges have you faced on this journey and how are you overcoming them?

The need to keep girls in school especially post Covid-19 going forward is huge. Getting the funds to ensure we do that is one of my toughest challenges. We leverage on partnerships and collaborations to meet our targets.

Any other remarks?

This is not my award. It is for every girl who inspires me to wake up early and go serve! It is for everyone who believed in me and held my hand in every step and for the donors and supporters who have selflessly given to the organization to keep us going as we serve.