RURAL TEENAGERS SUPPORT PROGRAMME
KIAMBU, KENYA
Welcome to Rural Teenagers Support Programme (RTSP), a non-profit in Kenya since 2012. Our focus is empowering teenagers living in rural Kenya through Lifeskills training, a Hygiene program, and Psychological Counselling. RTSP aims to make available support services that are not usually available for teenagers in rural areas. It is a great joy to make a difference in the lives of teenagers and impart new thinking that goes beyond current challenges while motivating these young minds to believe in themselves, think big, and aim to achieve their dreams. An empowered teenager yields a productive youth and adult.
Our organization’s motivation is derived from the words of the renowned self-help author Napoleon Hill, “Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”
Lifeskills
Hygiene
Counseling
Rural Teenagers Support Programme, “A Brighter Future for Teens.”
How to Support our Programs
Badges for Charity Social Venture
Your Giving Counts
RTSP TEENS EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM
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RTSP
About Us
Rural Teenagers Support Programme was founded in 2012 by George Warui and Lucy King’ori following their experience with teens facing social challenges due to low family incomes in rural Kenya. Many teenage girls lack a sustainable supply of sanitary pads, while teenagers of all genders require comprehensive personal hygiene education, life skills training, and psychological counseling support.
In September 2012, RTSP was registered as a Non-Governmental Organization by the NGO Coordination Board of Kenya, and authorized by the Ministry of Education Quality Assurance Department to run Hygiene and Life Skills Training programs in Kenya’s public schools.
RTSP front office
The key objective was to mobilize resources through partnerships and donations that would be used to address challenges faced by public school-going teenagers through the provision of Hygiene Kits and Life Skills Education. Since the year 2020 when COVID-19 struck the world, we added the provision of psychological counseling services as essential mental health support for our target group of teenagers and their families, a service otherwise unaffordable to many.
To date, we continue to be passionate about our mission to support teenagers under the slogan, “A brighter future for teens.”
Our Team
George Warui - Founder and Chair of the Board: George is the Team Leader, he holds a B.A. Social Sciences degree (Kenyatta University, Nairobi). He has vast work experience locally and internationally, having worked in Elections management, and management of local firms, and is also an entrepreneur. He consults for the renowned governance INGO - The Carter Center, based in Atlanta, USA as an International Election Observer. George is passionate about empowering and mentoring young people and fostering good governance.
Lucy King’ori - Founder and Treasurer of the Board: Lucy holds a B.A. Counseling Psychology degree from Pan Africa Christian University Nairobi, and a Higher Diploma in Counseling Psychology from Maranatha College of Counseling, Nairobi. She has vast experience as a psychological counselor and facilitates life skills training for teens and youth. She consults for NGOs in Nairobi in the area of family empowerment. She is committed to alleviating teenage challenges.
Joanne Wanjiru - Secretary to the Board: Joanne holds a Certificate in Management at Kenya Institute of Management, Nairobi. She has over 15 years of experience in office management for private firms and is currently the Office Administrator at a construction company in Nairobi. Joanne has a passion for young people, and volunteers to serve the youth at her local Church and residential neighbourhood.
Hannah Chege - Board Member: Hannah holds a Higher Diploma in Nursing from the University of Nairobi. She worked as a Senior Nursing Administrator, Nursing Tutor, and Community mobilizer for the Government of Kenya till her retirement. She served on the Board of Beta Care Hospital, Githunguri. She has a wealth of experience in health and counseling, and is passionate about youth matters and community health.
James Mungai - Teens Counselor: James holds a Diploma in Counselling from Kenya Institute of Business and Counselling Studies, Nairobi. He is also a digital print technology Technician. He enjoys his role as a Teens’ Counselor facilitating the Life Skills Training Program. He has vast experience working with teens and parents. He also volunteers in the hygiene program ensuring teens are counselled during donation of hygiene kits.
RTSP
Our Programs
RTSP has three focus areas in our teenagers empowerment programs:-
- Teens Hygiene
- Life Skills Training
- Psychological Counselling
Teens Hygiene
Good personal hygiene is a key pillar for human development. A teenager embracing good personal hygiene is a key virtue to be learned at an early age. On the other hand, poor hygiene leads to low self-esteem, hence, teens who have esteem issues do not get to realize their full potential and end up being poor performers in school, both academically and in co-curricular activities. In addition, it causes illness and can be a huge embarrassment, especially for girls who are unable to manage their menses.
Our Teens Hygiene program aims to ensure that vulnerable school-going teenagers have a conducive learning environment by facilitating proper personal hygiene; for girls, we ensure they have sanitary pads when needed and sustainably, while both genders are educated on good personal hygiene practices. Boys in many rural areas are accepted as “OK” in their unkempt state, this is wrong leading to low self-esteem and failure in life. RTSP is focused on correcting this sorry state of affairs. RTSP has issued 2500 hygiene kits; much more needs to be done.
SUSTAINABLE MENSTRUAL MANAGEMENT:
At RTSP we have developed the Neema Reusable Sanitary Pads as a sustainable, hygienic, and cost-effective menstrual management solution for the many girls and women who cannot afford a regular supply of disposable sanitary pads due to low earnings. Many family incomes are low and barely sufficient for food, often, the sanitary pads are relegated to a non-priority purchase, and many girls suffer. Neema is Swahili for grace, and these pads bring back dignity in the lives of the girls we work with.
Neema Cloth Pads are given in a pack of six (6) to serve the user for one year, or in a pack of ten (10) to serve the user for two years. Some of the key characteristics of Neema Cloth Pads are:-
- Made from comfortable, easy-to-clean, and quick-drying materials. They are cleaned using locally available supplies.
- Tailored in appealing colors, and non-corrosive snap buttons.
- Comfortable to wear, made in the design of disposable sanitary pads with wings. We consulted Aisle (Lunapads) Canada on the design.
- They don’t leak. We aim to diversify to period underwear in due cause.
Neema Reusable Sanitary Girls’ Pack
A Neema Reusable Sanitary Kit from RTSP contains; Neema Cloth Pads, Multi-purpose cleaning soap, inner-wears, a user guide flyer, a personal hygiene guide pamphlet, all packed in a drawstring bag branded in our partners’ info.
Neema Ordinary Girls’ Pack
A Neema Ordinary Sanitary Kit from RTSP contains; Disposable Sanitary Pads, Multi-purpose cleaning soap, inner-wears, a user guide flyer, a personal hygiene guide pamphlet, all packed in a drawstring bag branded in our partners’ info.
NEEMA SANITARY PADS REUSE CYCLE
Neema Sanitary Pads are environmentally friendly, unlike disposable sanitary pads that pollute our environment every day, Neema pads are reused for several months. The cycle involves: use > clean > dry > reuse pads.
Neema Reusable Sanitary Pads are not just for girls and women who need a sustainable menstrual management solution, they are also a solution for ladies with health challenges when using disposable sanitary pads. Neema pads are a personal experience.
RTSP aims to partner with all who intend to provide girls with a SUSTAINABLE menstrual management solution. Many girls will go through the school system with peace of mind and dignity, not having to worry about menstruation.
Neema Hygiene Kit for Boys
RTSP provides a hygiene kit for boys too, they contain soap, underwear, and a personal hygiene guide pamphlet. Boys are often overlooked when it comes to observing proper hygiene. Often, boys are unkempt and in need of grooming. At RTSP we educate boys to be well groomed because it is best practice, good for their health, and builds their self-esteem in a way that they feel and aim for success in life. Boys are key members of society, sooner than later they have diverse leadership roles, and they need to be nurtured to be responsible and organized. It starts with basic hygiene practices such as proper bathing, well-kempt hair, tidy attire, organized personal spaces, and more.
Life Skills Training
Our Life Skills Education program targets teenagers and parents, to help them go through the teenage life stage from a point of information. It allows teens to cope with biological and emotional changes that may lead them to fall prey to social deviance; truancy, early and unsafe sex resulting in unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, crime, mental illness, and more. On the other hand parents and guardians learn how to interact with their teenage children,
Teens Lifeskills Training
many parents/guardians have sour relations with their teenage children because they do not understand them.
The Teens Life Skills Education also empowers teenagers to conceptualize and set a path to realize their life goals, despite their vulnerability resulting from poverty. The vicious cycle of poverty can only be broken by education that changes the poverty mindset; replacing it with a message of positive thinking and hope for a brighter future. We subscribe to the words of American Motivational Author Napoleon Hill, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” Our Life Skills Education program seeks to change the narrative of poverty and failure to one of success from humble beginnings.
Teens Lifeskills Training
RTSP has a team of qualified Professionals in various fields led by Lucy King’ori who holds a degree in Counseling Psychology. We organize training sessions in schools, especially in the communities that don’t get guidance and counseling services. When you partner with us, you help us to hire qualified personnel to deliver our Life Skills Education content. RTSP has Life Skills Education facilitation manuals for Grade 6 to Form 4, that form the basis of our teenagers' and parents' education content. The development of these training manuals was funded by Britam Insurance Kenya a noble gesture in support of teen empowerment.
RTSP Training Manual
Some of the schools where we have facilitated Life Skills Education include Mungai Chengecha Primary School, Benson Njau Primary School, Ndumberi Primary School, Gatatha Primary School, Njenga Karume Primary School, Enkaroni Primary School, Chief Wandie Primary School, Kongo Primary School, and Kiambu Primary School. We want to cover a lot more schools in Kenya. RTSP has facilitated 52 sessions in Lifeskills.
“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” - Napoleon Hill
Psychological Counselling
Since 2021, RTSP has been running a full-time program to provide psychological counseling services for vulnerable
teenagers. This service has been extended to parents and guardians of the teenagers.
Psychological counseling for teenagers is a specialized area of mental health care focusing on the unique emotional,
behavioral, and developmental challenges that adolescents face. The teenage years are a crucial period marked by
rapid physical, emotional, and social changes, making this age group particularly vulnerable to mental health
issues. Counseling provides a safe space for teenagers to express their feelings, explore their thoughts, and develop
coping strategies to navigate this often turbulent phase of life.
The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in cases requiring psycho-social support, many families went through economic and health challenges, and for the cadre of society that we work with, COVID-19 aggravated their challenges. RTSP stepped in to provide professional counseling support to many teenagers, who would not have otherwise afforded the services. Despite the great importance of Counseling services, most Kenyans cannot afford the high cost. RTSP mobilizes financial support from donors to engage a team of qualified Psychological Counselors. Lucy King’ori, a Psychological counselor, leads the team of Counselors to ensure the program runs smoothly.
Outcomes of Counseling for Teenagers
- Improved Emotional Regulation: Teens understand and manage their emotions more effectively.
- Better Decision-Making: Teens learn to make healthier choices and think critically about their actions and their consequences.
- Enhanced Self-Esteem: As Teens work through their issues, they often develop greater self-confidence and a more positive self-image.
- Stronger Relationships: Improved communication and relationships with family and peers.
- Coping Skills: Teens learn practical strategies to handle stress, anxiety, and other challenges they may face.
Psychological counseling for teenagers is an essential resource that supports their mental and emotional development during a critical stage of life. It provides them with the tools they need to navigate the challenges of adolescence, fostering resilience, self-awareness, and well-being. Whether dealing with emotional difficulties, behavioral issues, or simply needing someone to talk to, counseling can make a significant positive difference in a teenager’s life.
RTSP aims to make counseling services available and accessible in rural Kiambu and beyond in Kenya. We also want to educate the general public about the importance of psychological counseling for good mental health by developing and sharing both electronic and print materials, and also public engagement.
RTSP
Badges for Charity
Our Fundraising Social Venture
Badges for Charity is a social venture that makes Pin Button Badges, a creative and fun way to raise funds for our non-profit organization Rural Teenagers Support Progromme’s teens empowerment programs. The Badges for Charity venture introduces an avenue for organizations and individuals from all walks of life to contribute towards positively impacting the lives of teenagers in Kenya. This idea has helped us to combine FUNDRAISING through the sale of badges with PUBLICITY whereby we get to speak about our teens' empowerment work.
In this venture, we make high-quality Button Badges in different sizes such as Round - 25mm, 44mm, 56mm, 58mm, Square 55mm, and 58mm pocket mirrors. The badges are customized to the client’s design requirements. Badges have many uses such as product promotions, campaigns, activism, celebrations such as birthdays, important calendar days, fundraising, memorials, and more. The potential is big in terms of being a viable fundraising option.
Our Badges for Charity slogan is “Think it, we badge it.”
Fundraising: Returns from the sale of badges go into covering administrative costs, then program costs. We are delighted that this has turned out to be a creative fundraising tool.
Badges for Charity Fundraiser 2024
We are excited to introduce our button badge-making social venture, a project that combines creativity with a mission to empower teenagers in rural Kenya. Our goal for 2024 is to raise US$ 5,000 to fund the production of unique button badges, lapel pins, keychains, and more artifacts that will help us sustainably raise funds continuously for our teens support program. Fundraising is a major challenge for grassroots non-profits like RTSP, and our badge-making social venture presents a creative and long-term solution.
In 2024, we want to revamp our Badges for Charity social venture to make it better and raise more funds.
Badge making Equipment & Parts
How Your Support Will Help
With your generous contributions, we will be able to:
- Purchase Materials: High-quality supplies are essential for producing durable and vibrant badges.
- Purchase Equipment to Boost Production: High-quality badge-making machines will enable us to work efficiently for many years. We shall add our range of equipment to increase our product offering; new badge sizes, lapel pins, keychains, bottle openers, and more.
- Market Our Venture: Your support will help us reach a wider audience through marketing efforts, allowing us to spread our message further. Increased sales will result in increased funds raised for RTSP programs.
- Increased Incomes: We regularly engage young people to make the badges which earns them an allowance. The bigger the project, the more the beneficiaries.
Budget Summary:
- Purchase of badge-making Equipment - USD 1300
- Purchase of badge-making parts - USD 2700
- Publicity - USD 500
- Logistics - USD 500
Projection of Funds to be Raised:
The button badges social venture is projected to raise USD 1,000 a month or USD 12,000 annually. These funds will cover administrative costs and contribute to programs. Moving forward, this level of fundraising ensures RTSP programs are rolled out consistently. We welcome your generous support.
In the short video clip below, George speaks to you about the badges for charity fundraiser,
HOW TO DONATE
We have flexible options to donate to our badges for charity fundraiser 2024.
1)
RTSP has a PayPal account for the fundraiser, you can access it using the QR code or button below.
or
Scan the QR code to direct you to our PayPal donate page.
2) BANK WIRE
You can wire your donation to our Rural Teenagers Support Programme Bank Account.
For account details, kindly contact our Team Leader - George Warui by Phone +254 720 762 021 or by E-mail at gkingori@gmail.com
...Thank You ...
“It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.”
Mother Teresa
RTSP
Donate
Welcome to our Giving page, here you will find resources on how to support RTSP Teens’ Empowerment Program.
RTSP as a non-profit organization that depends on support from partners both corporate and individuals who have a passion for empowering young people in Kenya. We provide a vehicle to reach out to the many teenagers with great potential but are pulled back by vulnerabilities that exist in their communities.
Donations can be monetary or in-kind.
Monetary donations will go to the procurement of hygiene kits, engagement of qualified Trainers and Psychological Counselors, administrative costs, financing the badges for charity social ventures, organizing outings for teen groups, procurement of learning aids and supplies, and more.
In-kind donations have come in the form of components of the hygiene kits such as soap, reusable sanitary pads fabrics, volunteering for mentorship, training, and counseling services
1) PayPal
RTSP has a PayPal account to facilitate easy and safe online giving. Here is a link to our PayPal giving button.
2) BANK TRANSFER
3) MOBILE MONEY
In Kenya, you can donate using Safaricom M-Pesa on the RTSP Paybill number 330350, Account - Badges for Charity. A confirmation message is sent to your phone from Safaricom indicating you have sent funds to TEENS SUPPORT PROGRAM.
3) GIVE IN-KIND
You could also donate to RTSP by giving in-kind donations. For example, you could donate items that go into the hygiene kits for boys and girls; sanitary pads, innerwear, soap, printing services, packaging, etc. You could also donate your time to offer services such as mentorship, Counselling, event management, and more.
“It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.”
Mother Teresa
Our Partners
Our partners are invaluable to our work empowering teenagers. They support us in implementing RTSP programs as per our goals and objectives and even align us with new resources.
Special mention goes out to Cordy Beckstead, USA, who helped us actualize the RTSP vision during our infancy days in 2013 and has supported our programs to date. We are grateful to all our partners past, present, and those to come, your kindness extends love to the teenagers we work with, making the world a better place than we found it.
Our Partners
- Cordy Beckstead, USA
- Austrian Embassy Nairobi
- Britam Insurance
- Bidco Oil Refineries Ltd
Our Partners
- Sumconsult Consulting Quantity Surveyors
- Mercy Mwaura & Friends, Australia
- East African Canvas Company
- St. James Anglican, USA
- OFDC, USA
Our Partners
- ACK St. James Cathedral, Kiambu
- Freb Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Kiambu
- Peflo Hardware, Kiambu
- Wonderful individuals from all over the world.
Visit our Facebook page to see the projects we have implemented with our partners.
There is a lot of work to be done empowering teenagers in Kenya, we welcome you to partner with us.
Partner with us today
RTSP
contact us
+254 720 762 021 / +254 723 841 853
info@teensupport.or.ke
