"She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed..." Proverbs 31:27-28a

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eduKenya trains and employs women in Mathare and Naivasha.[/caption]Like other women in rapidly growing urban slums, Mathare women are likely to be the head-of-household and experience profound economic disadvantages. eduKenya is committed to improving the lives of the women and girls they serve in the Mathare slum, and in doing so, developing and transforming their community. Through eduKenya, girls and women have the opportunity for education, skill training, and employment.On this International Women's Day, March 8, 2017, eduKenya pays respect to a few of the many women who, over the years, have worked hard and sacrificed to transform themselves, their families, and their community.[caption id="attachment_1809" align="aligncenter" width="565"]

A faithful grandmother.[/caption]Lydia Wairimu, a grandmother responsible for two grandchildren, took part in eduKenya’s Community Support Ministry soap-making program. Lydia now provides neighbors and Mawewa school with hand soap, detergents, and disinfectants. She also contracts with eduKenya to help instruct other women in the skill of soap-making. Lydia is a fierce advocate for her grandchildren’s future.[caption id="attachment_2204" align="aligncenter" width="307"]

2014 Employee of the Year.[/caption]Jennifer Wanjiku, supported and raised two younger siblings while working in the Mawewa School catering department and earning a Certificate of Tailoring and Dressmaking at eduKenya’s Skill Training Program. Jennifer, named eduKenya’s Employee of the Year in 2014, earned prize money to buy a sewing machine to start a second career as a tailor.[caption id="attachment_2402" align="aligncenter" width="565"]

Building her children's future.[/caption]Agnes Ndanu is a strong African woman and single parent of four children, whose circumstances serve as a catalyst, not a hindrance, to her success. In 2015, Agnes requested and received a position as manual laborer building the new Mawewa School. Her hard work on the job site did not go unnoticed, and Agnes was retained as a school custodian.[caption id="attachment_2752" align="aligncenter" width="565"]

The light at the end of the tunnel.[/caption]Francesca Mumbe’s life has always been difficult. Parenting her younger siblings and her two children, while her husband, like many men in Mathare, was mostly absent, Francesca struggled to provide for her family. Through eduKenya and Kiva Loans, Francesca received help to start a business selling fresh produce. The income allowed her to buy food and clothing, pay bills, and move the children into a building with electricity.[caption id="attachment_2783" align="aligncenter" width="353"]

A young woman of substance.[/caption]Faith Wangui is a young woman with a zest for life and a willingness to help others. While still a girl, she was abandoned by her mother and became the breadwinner for her younger siblings. With the help of a sponsor, Faith earned certification from the Skill Training’s Hair and Beauty program while maintaining her own small business.[caption id="attachment_2949" align="aligncenter" width="565"]

A favorite among Mawewa School teachers and staff.[/caption]Edita Orinda’s childhood was marked by abandonment, insecurity, and repeatedly dropping out of school to take on the adult role of caregiving. Though life was sometimes crushing, Edita never lost hope and eventually, with hard work, graduated from teacher’s college and joined the faculty of Mawewa School. Edita’s experiences make her sympathetic to the needs of students who suffer poverty and instability at home.[caption id="attachment_2979" align="aligncenter" width="565"]

Changing her family's financial trajectory.[/caption]Vivian Nyaitundi, a young mother of two, and caregiver to two brothers and a cousin worked to help her husband support their family of seven. She made and sold food to construction workers, carrying heavy pots of food on her back for long distances. Nevertheless, they could not make ends meet. After Vivian had graduated from the eduKenya Skill Training School in November 2015, she found employment at a busy Nairobi hair salon and changed the financial trajectory of the family’s future.[caption id="attachment_3097" align="aligncenter" width="377"]

Mawewa Preschool Custodian.[/caption]Patricia Ndinda, raising her four children alone in Jangwani, struggled to handle life's demands as a single parent. She tried moving her family out of the slum, but away from the safety net of friends, she worried for their safety while she worked. Patricia moved the family back to Jangwani and started work in the catering department at Mawewa School, eventually becoming the Preschool Custodian. All of her children attend Mawewa School, receiving a life-transforming opportunity through a good education.