NYAR MARSABIT COMMUNITY

BASED ORGANIZATION
PROFILE
PROFILE
INTRODUCTION
The Nyar Marsabit CBO (NMCBO) works to end teenage pregnancy in Kenya through
education, advocacy, and outreach. We are committed to creating an environment of awareness
and prevention against teenage pregnancy. The organization leverages storytelling as a channel
for advocacy.

MISSION
Our mission is to reduce the rate of teenage pregnancy in Marsabit county through a
comprehensive approach, founded on peer-to-peer sexual health education.

VISION
Our vision is for a progressive and prosperous Marsabit county, where every girl has an equal
chance to pursue her dreams.

BACKGROUND
Kenya has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancies in Sub-Saharan Africa, with
approximately 2.6 million women aged 15–19 giving birth each year. Kenya ranks third
worldwide in teenage pregnancy (UNESCO, 2022). Ministry of Health reported 45,724
pregnancies among girls aged 10 to 19 in January and February 2022 — averaging about 775
a day, and about 1 in every 5 teenage girls between the ages of 15-19 years, have either had a
live birth or are pregnant with their first child. (UNESCO, 2022). The rate increases rapidly
with age from 3% among girls aged 15, to 40% among girls aged 19. In addition, in Kenya,
about 11% of teenagers are having sex before their 15th birthday. An estimated 47% of teens
are already sexually active before the age of 18 – the legal age of consent. In Marsabit County,
teenage pregnancy increased by 150%, between 2016 to 2020. Teenage pregnancies have
severe consequences, such as increased risk of sexual and gender-based violence, increased
risk of maternal morbidity and mortality, limited educational opportunities, and limited
economic opportunities.

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OBJECTIVES
The primary objective of the organization is to reduce the rate of teenage pregnancy in Marsabit
County. The organization also strives to carry out:
- Consciousness building: Creating awareness about the biting situation of teen
pregnancy in Kenya.
- Story telling: Holding story telling sessions against teen pregnancy with teenage girls
in primary and high schools.
- Education and Awareness: Creating and delivering education and awareness sessions
to young people on the risks of teenage pregnancy and the options available to avoid it.
This includes information on reproductive health, contraception, and sexually
transmitted infections (STIs), and provide material support, including sanitary towels,
to minimize pitfalls.
- Access to Contraceptives: Ensuring young people have access to contraception and
information on how to use them correctly.
- Peer to peer learning: Creating safe spaces for young people to discuss topics related to
sexuality and teenage pregnancy, such as peer pressure, consent, self-esteem, and
relationship issues.
- Mentoring: Connecting young girls with experienced mentors who can provide career
guidance and support, while inspiring them for greatness.
- Advocacy: Advocating for improved access to contraception, health services, and social
services for teens.
APPROACH
NMCBO employs a peer-to-peer approach in disseminating sexual health education to schools
and the community, and storytelling as a channel for advocacy. In the short term, the
organization is working to develop teen friendly sexual health educational materials and
resources, and to implement peer to peer sexual health education sessions. These activities will
focus on key topics, such as healthy relationships, gender-based violence, contraception, and
the consequences of teenage pregnancy.
In the medium term, NMCBO plans to include the implementation of sexual health campaigns,
the development of an online sexual health portal, and the development of a monitoring and
evaluation framework for the organization. Activities of the organization focus on developing
capacity of peer educators to deliver effective sexual health education, and support teenage
mothers in their motherhood journey. This includes training workshops on sexual health, as
well as mentorship and support for teen mothers and peer educators.

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PROGRAMS
Nyar Marsabit CBO strives to meets its objectives through the following programs;
1. Story telling program.
The program seeks to create safe spaces for experience sharing and resilience building
against teenage pregnancy. It aims to pass across sexual health education through
storytelling, putting teenagers at the heart of solution building while inspiring them for
greatness.
2. Community outreach and engagement program.
The program seeks to engage community members, parents, and community leaders on
teen pregnancy, and rally their contribution towards ending teen pregnancy through
community efforts.
3. Mentorship Program.
The program connects young girls with experienced mentors who can provide career
guidance and support, while inspiring them for greatness.
4. Peer to Peer Sexual Health Education Program.
The program seeks to provide evidence-based and age-appropriate sexual health
education to students, teachers, and parents and to create a culture of open and honest
communication about sexuality and relationships. It aims to reduce teenage pregnancy
by providing teens with the information and support they need to make informed
decisions about their sexual health.

CONTACT PERSON
Joyce Kawiria,

Chairperson.

Nyar Marsabit CBO,

nyarmarsabitcbo@gmail.com

+254 727 888 711

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