12/08/2026
First Lady Alamitu’s Gadis Gamme initiative gives pastoral girls a voice, a shield and a future
In a community where the dreams of many girls have too often been interrupted by harmful traditions, early marriage and limited opportunity, Marsabit County First Lady Alamitu Guyo Jattani is steadily rewriting the story of the pastoralist girl child.
Her Gadis Gamme initiative, now in its 14th edition, has grown from a local advocacy programme into a widely admired model of girl-child empowerment, drawing attention from counties across Kenya, development partners and organisations working to protect girls from female ge***al mutilation, early marriage and school dropout.
The latest graduation ceremony, held at Haweecha Primary and Junior School in Sololo during the August school holiday, saw 200 girls from Sololo, Obbu and Uran ward complete five days of intensive mentorship and training. For the girls, the camp was not merely a holiday activity. It was a safe space to learn, speak, question, heal and imagine a future beyond the limits that society has often placed before them.
Since its establishment by the First Lady in 2019, Gadis Gamme has reached thousands of girls across Marsabit County. More than 900 beneficiaries are from Sololo alone, the very place where the programme was first launched. Over the years, the initiative has expanded to Laisamis, North Horr, Saku and Moyale sub-counties, bringing together girls from different ethnic backgrounds and pastoralist communities under one message: no to FGM, no to early marriage, yes to education.
For Alamitu, the campaign is personal.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the First Lady said the girl child in pastoralist communities remains vulnerable and must be deliberately protected, educated and empowered.
“I love all children, but I love girls a lot because girls are often the weak link, and we must protect them,” she said. “Girls, be courageous always. Be strong, put more effort into your education and prepare for a better future.”
Her words captured the spirit of a programme that has become one of her most visible and passionate causes. Those who have followed her work say Alamitu has pursued the campaign with rare consistency, moving from one part of the county to another, meeting parents, elders, religious leaders, teachers, girls and young mothers with the same message of dignity, protection and opportunity.
In communities where FGM has historically been treated as a rite of passage and where marriage has sometimes been prioritised over schooling, the First Lady has chosen to confront difficult conversations directly but respectfully. She has used Gadis Gamme not only to educate girls, but also to challenge the wider community to rethink practices that continue to harm children and deny them their future.
“No to FGM, no to early marriage, and yes to education,” Alamitu told the graduates. “We started Gadis Gamme here in Sololo, and we are proud of what it has become. This programme will continue even after the governor’s term because protecting girls is not politics. It is a responsibility.”
The First Lady said although FGM remains widespread in some parts of the county, it can be ended through sustained advocacy, education and community involvement.
“We established Gadis Gamme to create awareness and educate our children on the harmful effects of FGM,” she said. “We can advocate, we can end the practice and we can save future generations.”
The five-day camp exposed the girls to sessions on life skills, hygiene, sexual and reproductive health, drug abuse prevention, self-esteem, advocacy and the dangers of FGM. Facilitators also encouraged the girls to remain in school, resist negative peer pressure and become ambassadors of change in their homes and villages.
Dahabo Abagaro, who represented the facilitators, said the 14th edition had deepened the programme’s impact by reaching girls at a time when schools are closed and many are exposed to social pressures at home.
“This camp has trained 200 girls from Uran, Sololo and Obbu wards,” she said. “They have learned about life skills, advocacy, awareness creation, hygiene, sexual and reproductive health, and drug abuse. More than 3,000 girls have now benefited across the county.”
The decision to hold the camps during school holidays has become one of the strengths of Gadis Gamme. During long breaks, girls in pastoralist communities often return to environments where they may be at risk of early marriage, FGM or dropping out of school altogether. By engaging them during these periods, the programme keeps them connected to mentors, teachers and role models who reinforce the value of education and self-worth.
What began as a county initiative has now gained wider attention. Leaders at the event said several counties have hailed the programme and shown interest in adopting similar models. Non-governmental organisations and development partners have also come on board after recognising the impact of the initiative in reaching girls who are often left behind by mainstream empowerment programmes.
The First Lady has also extended her advocacy beyond Marsabit, joining fellow county first ladies in other parts of the country to champion the same cause. Through these engagements, Gadis Gamme has become part of a broader national conversation on protecting girls, ending harmful practices and ensuring that children from pastoralist and marginalised communities are not denied the chance to learn.
County leaders who attended the ceremony praised Alamitu for building a programme that speaks directly to the realities of the region.
County Secretary Dr. Arero Halkano said the county government’s wider investment in education complements the First Lady’s advocacy for girls. He highlighted Governor Mohamud Ali’s record in expanding access to learning, including the construction and equipping of 377 Early Childhood Development centres and the employment of 605 ECD teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.
Dr. Arero said ECD enrollment had risen to 23,000 learners, while the governor’s scholarship programme had benefited 9,000 students. He also pointed to support for vocational training centres, where hundreds of young people are acquiring practical skills, with the county paying fees to ease the burden on families.
County Executive Committee Member for Education Mrs. Ambaro Abdullahi urged the graduating girls to make use of the knowledge gained during the camp and remain focused on their studies.
“You have been trained and empowered,” she said. “Use these skills well. Say no to drug abuse, no to FGM, no to early marriage, and yes to education.”
She also thanked LAPFUND for supporting learning institutions in the county through the donation of 1,000 chairs, 148 tables, 42 teachers’ chairs, 42 teachers’ tables and 377 curriculum designs.
“These girls have been trained for five days on the harmful effects of FGM and other important life skills,” she said. “We thank Mama Guyo for this initiative.”
Community elder Galm Dabaso said the fight against FGM must be owned by the community, noting that the practice is illegal in Kenya and has also been rejected by the Borana community.
“FGM is harmful and must stop,” he said. “These trained girls should now become ambassadors and create awareness in their communities. They must focus on education and invest in their future.”
His remarks were significant in a setting where elders remain influential in shaping community attitudes. The presence of elders, women leaders, youth representatives, education officials and development partners at the ceremony reflected the broad support that Gadis Gamme has built over the years.
Halima Guyo, representing the Sololo Women Caucus, said the initiative should not be viewed as the First Lady’s work alone, but as a community education movement that deserves collective support.
“You have been trained well,” she told the girls. “Go and spread this advocacy in society. This is not Mama Guyo’s function alone. It is an educative initiative that we must all support.”
Youth representative Wario Sala, popularly known as Yudha, described girls as pillars of society and urged families to protect and educate them.
“We must protect girls and educate them,” he said. “Parents and the community should always monitor the girl child and guide her in the right direction.”
