Supporting Teachers to Bring Gender-Informed Education to Kenya's Most Remote Schools
Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive, regardless of where they live. Yet in Kenya's Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), some of the country's most remote and climate-vulnerable regions, adolescents face extraordinary barriers to education. Prolonged drought, extreme heat, and scarce resources make daily life challenging, while schools are often separated by long distances and teachers have limited access to quality teaching materials. Deeply rooted gender norms also shape the lives of both girls and boys, influencing how they see themselves, relate to one another, and envision their futures.
That's why gender-informed education is at the heart of ZanaAfrica's work. Together with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), county education leaders, and teachers, we're working to ensure that students in Kenya's most remote communities have access to the same high-quality, evidence-based education as children anywhere else in the country.
Over the past year, ZanaAfrica partnered with educators from ASAL counties to adapt our evidence-based Nia Learning curriculum to reflect the unique cultural, environmental, and social realities of their communities. Together, we ensured the curriculum is practical, culturally relevant, and responsive to students' everyday experiences while maintaining a strong foundation in health, life skills, gender equity, and social-emotional learning.
Today, ZanaAfrica is equipping teachers with the curriculum, training, and practical tools they need to confidently deliver gender-informed education that integrates health and life skills. By supporting teachers, we're strengthening local education systems and helping ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive.
The impact is already taking shape. Teachers describe more engaged classrooms where girls are gaining the confidence to navigate puberty with dignity and boys are developing greater empathy and respect. Together, students are building the knowledge and life skills they need to stay in school, make informed decisions, and shape healthier futures.
This work is about more than adapting a curriculum. It's about investing in teachers, strengthening education systems, and expanding opportunity for every child, no matter how remote their school.
Watch the video linked here to meet the educators bringing this work to life and see how, together, we're helping ensure every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive.