About the Project
The project consisted of providing school uniforms for students in Nairobi County.
Location
Ruai, Nairobi County, Kenya
Quick Project Stats
| Funding Date | May 2025 |
| Luena Investment | $1,000 |
| CBO Partner | Good Mothers Community Based Organization |
| Village | Ruai |
| Country | Kenya |
| # of Children Impacted | 85 |
| Community Contribution | $100 (from Good Mothers CBO) |
Poverty Creates Stigma and Barriers to Education
Many vulnerable families in Ruai work informal and insecure jobs such as casual labor, washing clothes, collecting scrap metal, or small-scale vending. These types of work provide extremely low wages that are barely enough for daily food, let alone long-term investments in education, including expenses like school uniforms, books, socks, or even pencils. Parents – especially single mothers – are forced to make heartbreaking choices between feeding their families and sending their children to school. In Kenya, school uniforms are mandatory in most public schools, and children without them are often sent home. In such cases, a child’s right to education is denied not because of ability or willingness to learn, but because of their family’s financial status.
Girls in impoverished households are the most vulnerable when it comes to accessing education. They are often the first to be pulled out of school to help with domestic chores or caregiving, especially in homes where a family member lives with a disability. Without school uniforms or supplies, many girls simply stop attending school altogether due to shame, fear of ridicule, or lack of motivation. Others face early marriage, pregnancy, or gender-based discrimination, further compounding cycles of poverty and lost potential. For girls living with disabilities, or those with disabled family members, the challenges are doubled; they must navigate stigma, poverty, and limited access to inclusive education. Without targeted, gender-sensitive support, these girls are at serious risk of being left behind, trapped in lives of dependency with few opportunities for self-advancement or empowerment.
School Uniforms Support Educational Access and Social Inclusion
The donation from Luena Foundation was used to support 85 vulnerable children – 54 girls and 31 boys – by providing essential school uniforms and learning materials. Students received school sweaters, dresses for girls, shirts and shorts for boys, socks, exercise books, and pencils for every child.
This support was especially transformative for the girls, many of whom had been missing school or attending irregularly due to lack of proper attire. With this intervention, girls regained the dignity and confidence to return to school. They will now attend classes regularly, participate more actively, and are shielded from the pressures that lead many girls in similar situations to drop out. For the boys, the donation equally ensured that they could continue learning without shame or exclusion. Across the board, children’s morale and attendance will improve, while parents expressed deep gratitude for the relief this brought. The project restored hope for families and ensured that girls, in particular, are not left behind.
Meet our Partner Community-Based Organization
Good Mothers Community Based Organization is a non-profit organization based in Ruai, Kasarani, Nairobi County. The organization is committed to empowering community, mothers and families in impoverished communities through education, health care initiatives, and economic support. Our focus is on improving the quality of life for mothers and children by providing essential services and resources that promote their well-being and sustainability.
