We Are Purposeful Emergency Response Project
In 2024, AYAN Kenya partnered with We Are Purposeful to implement an Emergency Response Project designed to protect and empower marginalized women, girls, and sexual and gender minorities (SGM) in Migori, Kisumu and Homabay counties, These regions are disproportionately affected by heightened risk of violence, exploitation, and limited access to essential health services.
This project was designed as a flexible and rapid-response initiative to ensure that women, girls, and SGM communities are not left behind in times of crisis. By combining rights-based advocacy with direct service delivery, the project addressed urgent gaps in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) while also building long-term community resilience.
Our Approach
1. Life-saving SRHR Services: We expanded access to contraception, safe abortion care, and post-abortion care, ensuring women and girls had access to safe, confidential, and quality services during emergencies.
2. Community Preparedness and Response Systems: Local health workers, youth peer providers, and community leaders were trained to integrate SRHR into humanitarian response efforts, ensuring that crisis response was holistic and inclusive.
3. Support for SGM Communities: We created safe and supportive spaces where SGM individuals could access tailored SRHR services free from stigma and discrimination.
4. Advocacy for Inclusive Response: We engaged county-level health and protection structures to mainstream gender-sensitive SRHR services into broader emergency response strategies.
Key Achievements
Improved Access to SRHR: Hundreds of women and girls in Kisumu, Migori and Homabay were reached with critical SRHR services during emergencies.
Life-saving Care Provided: 30 women received safe termination of pregnancy (TOP) and post-abortion care (PAC) in Homabay County alone.
Resilient Community Systems: Strengthened the capacity of local health facilities and community structures to respond quickly to SRHR needs in crises.
Reduced Vulnerability: Enhanced the safety and dignity of women, girls, and SGM communities by addressing both immediate needs and structural barriers.
Why This Project Matters
In many emergencies, SRHR services are often overlooked, yet they are essential for saving lives and protecting rights. The We Are Purposeful Emergency Response Project demonstrates how integrating SRHR into Climate Change response is not only possible but critical to ensuring resilient, inclusive, and equitable communities.
Through this initiative, AYAN Kenya and its partners have shown that with the right investments, even the most marginalized communities can access the care and protection they need during crises and beyond.