The Tharaka Women’s Welfare Program (TWWP) was established in 2005 as the successor to Ntanira Na Mugambo (NNM), a self-help group founded in 1995 to combat Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Tharaka. NNM gained recognition as the first anti-FGM group in Kenya to introduce the Alternative Rite of Passage (ARP) in 1996, offering girls a dignified substitute to traditional FGM practices. As NNM’s mission expanded, TWWP was formed to further empower women and girls through education, scholarships, community awareness, income-generating activities, and safe male circumcision (SMC).

Since the inception of the ARP program, over 8,000 girls have graduated and now hold influential positions in government, the private sector, and beyond, serving as role models for others. Additionally, more than 500 boys have completed the SMC program, and 162 girls have successfully graduated at various levels of education through the Sisters to School sponsorship program, with 205 more girls currently supported. TWWP has also equipped women and girls with vital skills, training over 140 girls in basic computer literacy and providing more than 1,000 women with adult literacy education. Through income-generating initiatives, such as basket sales, women have earned over KES 1,000,000 since 2014.

At TWWP, we are committed to ensuring the women of Tharaka have the tools and opportunities to create sustainable livelihoods and stand as equals in society. Our journey began at home, in Tharaka, but it is powered by the support of partners and donors worldwide, including the Women’s Global Education Project, Global Fund for Women, Save the Children Canada, PATH, and Ford Foundation. Together, we are building a brighter future for the women and girls of Tharaka.