UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, said on 9 April 2003: “To educate girls is to reduce poverty. That is the lesson that unites us today. We come to this lesson well prepared. Study after study has taught us that there is no tool for development more effective than the education of girls. This is what CHEERS Kenya has embraced.

No other policy is as likely to raise economic productivity, lower infant and maternal mortality, improve nutrition and promote health — including the prevention of HIV/AIDS. No other policy is as powerful in increasing the chances of education for the next generation. And yet, out of the millions of children in the world who are not in school, the majority are girls.”

“Educating girls reduces the number of child marriages and crisis early pregnancies, among other issues and improves the overall socio-economic circumstances of young girls in marginalised and vulnerable pastoral communities who are subjected to numerous forms of violence. Not only do they suffer inflictions on the basis of gender but also social and cultural discrimination especially in the provision of education and participating in livelihood activities” says Judy Akedi who works in the Nairobi informal urban settlements (slums).