The Jerri Savuto Girls and over a hundred girls from the surrounding community marched in singing to begin the three day International Day of the Girl Child Event in Kenya.

Noeli was our wonderful Anti-FGM educator and interpreter. She had been laid off her job that had been funded by USAID and was available to help us. 

Making new friends is always part of being in mission with others.

Recreation was part of the program. Notice the basketball hoop on the pole. That makes getting a basket even more challenging!

All the girls were asked to create a vision board dreaming about their future. The girls have big dreams!

Here’s another example of their vision boards.

The Jerri Savuto Girls were treated to a special birthday party during our time together including a beaded name bracelet from the FUMC Denton unit.

Janet Fisher’s presentation on affirmations was inspirations to the girls and all the adults who heard it as well.

Fara (Cynthia's daughter & a physician assistant) taught them about their body and how it works.

Happiness is reusable sanitary pads! These were provided by the mission team led by Rev. Lisa Neslony.

Janet and Dennis Fisher with Marfa Ministry led the girls in decorating Chrismons to sell in the U.S. to help support the center.

Pauline, Janet Fisher, and Matron (like House Mom) accepting the Jerri Savuto puzzle from Janet Fisher.

Swimming was a surprise! The girls devised a way to create a swimming suit top out of their new skirts from our FUMC Plano UWFaith unit. Clever girls!

The girls were able to enjoy a swimming pool for the first time. Imagine the excitement!

The girls hanging out at the pool wearing FUMC Plano’s skirts.

Each girl received a special shirt and Kenyan skirt for the graduation ceremony on Sunday. Here one girl is helping another tie on her skirt.

A special t-shirt was presented to each girl before graduation.

The back of the shirts given to all graduates of the alternate rite of passage.

Graduation Day! All 176 girls marched in together waving ribbons in the air for the graduation ceremony.

The girls are known in the community as the Jerri Savuto girls. With the help of these masks, the girls learned how to recognize Jerri Savuto!

Each girl received a graduation certificate for completing the four instruction modules.

They were proud to receive this certificate on graduation day! (Pauline signed them before they were handed out!))

Graduation Day pictures with the Jerri Savuto Girls and the girls from the Marigat community. There were 176 graduation certificates awarded.

Group Graduation picture!