Vision, Mission and Objectives
Mission
Our MissionHitaji Development Initiative (HDI) is committed to fostering sustainable economic development, empowerment and independence for vulnerable women and girls in the rural areas.
Vision
Our VisionTo create, develop and Integrate communities in which women and girls realize their full potentials.
Objectives
Core ValuesFaith, Humanity, Impartiality and Neutrality, Transparency.
The goals and objectives
- To promote basic and holistic transformational development services through agriculture, education, mentorship aimed at reducing “extreme hunger, poverty, illiteracy and injustice.
- To promote sound gender equality, human rights, democracy and good governance in the rural communities.
- To mitigate disparities in healthcare services and support by providing comprehensive health care services to women and girls in the poverty-stricken communities as well as establish an accessible resource center for educational materials and literature.
- To build and encourage women and youth employment; enterprises scheme and inter-cultural communications that builds and promotes peace and harmony between communities.
- To partner with local, national, regional, international charities, institutions, foundations, individuals, donors and UN agencies to achieve holistic transformation in sharing skills and knowledge pertaining to community welfare and development.
Core Programmes
This program focuses providing educational opportunities to the girl-children who are poor and vulnerable through sponsorships. The program targets academically motivated girls who are orphaned or otherwise vulnerable, including those from economically disadvantaged families, who are physically disabled, and/or who are adversely affected by HIV/AIDS. This is done in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child which states that every child has the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and the right to a standard of living adequate for the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development.
For sponsored students who may not have performed well, Hitaji coordinates training on vocational skills and additional training on leadership skills, community development and entrepreneurship. Hitaji then provides loans for the young women to start small businesses that encourage self- reliance and economic independence. Further, we equip young women with handy technical skills, especially for women beyond school-age who were not able to obtain meaningful education due to poverty, cultural practices and other life circumstances.
Since 2018 Hitaji has embarked on mentorship to compliment educational sponsorships. The emphasis is to encourage positive self-perception, which is a key ingredient for shaping the trajectory of the girls’ lives. During mentorship girls are encouraged to recognize their worth and pursue their dreams, regardless of their backgrounds.
The mentorship program has played a significant role in shaping the enrolled students' leadership qualities, ultimately leading to their selection as student leaders. Through guidance, support, and skill-building activities, the mentorship program has helped cultivate the students' confidence, communication skills, and ability to work collaboratively with others. The students have been able to demonstrate exemplary leadership traits that caught the attention of school administrators, leading to their appointment to leadership positions within the school community.
Hitaji also conducts mentorship to the larger student bodies targeting girls from very rural secondary schools in Nyatike sub-county, Migori County. Hitaji staff works very closely with schools Principals to implement the mentorship program in several girls and mixed secondary schools. The benefits are felt as noted by Bande Girls Secondary School Principal who remarked that, “The mentorship project had contributed to the girls improving their academic scores.” Additionally, the schoolteachers at Olando Mixed Secondary School added that, “The mentorship program played a significant role in shaping the enrolled students' leadership qualities.
• STEM MENTORSHIP
One of Hitaji's primary programs is the Girls STEM Mentorship Program. Girls from poor families in Migori County, Kenya, face multifaceted challenges that hinder their well-being and academic success. These challenges include early marriage practices, disease, poverty, and limited access to quality education. The lack of representation of girls in STEM fields further exacerbates their marginalization. To address these issues, in 2022, Hitaji proposed and implemented a comprehensive program focusing on empowering girls through STEM education and mentorship. The purpose of the program is to spark interest and encourage secondary school girls in 10th grade to pursue a STEM field. STEM education is key to reducing inequalities through access to better jobs, achieving gender equality, and subsequently earning a good income to support themselves and their families and reduce the poverty cycle. Hitaji collaborates with several partners to deliver this program.
Several areas in Migori County are considered food insecure, due to adverse weather patterns and poor soil type. The adverse weather limits the community to animal rearing and fishing, which hinder their engagement in crop production.
In a drive to improve food security and livelihoods, HDI has embarked on fostering behavioral change amongst populations by partnering with specialists from the County Ministry of Agriculture to train farmers towards better and climate friendly agricultural practices.
This service aims at enhancing employment creation, income generation and overall improved livelihood of women. Activities that reflect this service includes Microfinance, skills building for women and income generating activities. Women are encouraged to get involved in microfinance and table banking activities, with the majority engaged in small scale businesses.
We educate women and girls on sexual reproductive health, pregnancy, and HIV/AIDS, and offer information on related topics. We also provide sanitary pads to poor and vulnerable girls in the rural schools where we work. We promote good physical and mental health through additional programs such as soccer for women.
• WOMEN SOCCER PROGRAM
In rural remote areas, soccer holds the potential to positively impact the lives of women and girls, yet access to such opportunities remains limited. Hitaji uses the soccer program to educate the women groups and community members on physical health, sexual and reproductive health, leadership, governance, and community development, fostering peace and understanding. Through a health professional who attends women’s soccer practice and matches, the women can receive health education. In addition, these soccer events serve as platforms to discuss women group project activities, challenges, achievements, and the collaborative roles expected from stakeholders to enhance their livelihood interventions.
Currently, Hitaji has leveraged the soccer project to empower four women groups (comprising 100 women) in Nyatike Sub-County with health education, a revolving fund, entrepreneurial skills, and financial management, improving their economic prospects and well-being. These women, from vulnerable backgrounds, have experienced increased unity and improved health through their participation. Hitaji plans to extend these benefits by incorporating 3 additional women groups into the soccer project by the end of 2024 in Nyatike Sub-County, Migori County.
Building a Better Future
We provide services for children and young people whose families need support, who can’t live with their birth families, who are are disabled, and who are the most in need.
A donation of $500 covers school fees for one girl for one school year.