New project by Rotherham mum to support young women in Kenya

Becky Murray, founder of the One By One charity which has built a children’s home and school in the small village of Bumala’B in northern Kenya, says the Dignity Project will benefit 1,300 girls.

The project will also provide sanitary items to the young women.

Becky, of Woodlands Chase in Kimberworth Park, who travels to Kenya regularly, said the Dignity Project was badly needed in a country where girls have difficult lives.

She said: “Many girls in Kenya miss a week of school every month as, due to poverty, they don’t have access to sanitary products. Our aim is to give every girl a hygiene pack containing two pairs of brand new underwear and three recyclable sanitary pads. This means they can stay in school and receive a good education.

“We also want to empower girls to say no to sex. Tragically in the remote regions of Kenya, some girls still think they have to give their body to anyone who demands it, whether it be their father, an uncle, a school teacher or anyone in authority. We want to empower the girls to know that their virginity is their own and that they have the right to say no.

“We are partnering with local police to ensure the girls are protected in following through with their decision and are therefore empowered to say no.

“Human trafficking is also all too frequent in parts of Africa. We are delivering training sessions to raise awareness and put safeguards in place to protect the vulnerable and needy.”

During a visit to Kenya in July, a mother ran up to Becky in tears as her seven-year-old child had been missing for six days and no one knew where she was. Sadly, a month later, there is still no news.

Becky said: “Someone needs to speak up for the forgotten children of Africa, the ones who have been trafficked from city to city for sex or child labour. They are given no human rights and are often never heard from again.

“It’s modern day slavery and it must be stopped.” 

The charity is setting up training events to educate children on warning signs about human trafficking, such as whether jobs offered have a proper selection process and whether businesses are reputable.

Becky said: “By equipping the children with these warning signs, we may be able to stop traffickers before they are able to recruit new victims.”

To donate to One By One, go to https://www.justgiving.com/TheDignityProject/ or contact [email protected] for more information.