We save lives
Meet The Founder
Dr. Josephine Kulea, HSC.
Josephine decided that she could not sit on the sidelines while young girls where being raped, abused, mutilated and if they got pregnant, forced to kill their own children. She begun by rescuing her own cousin who was married off to a man almost her father’s age. Things quickly went south when she had to call for the intervention of the police when her uncle opted to marry off her rescued cousin’s younger sister as a replacement bride. The backlash from the community was unfathomable. Elders put a curse on her.
She was however not moved, So she opened up her home to rescue more girls from this horrifying act. Soon, her house was full with over 20 young children and received daily calls from others wanting to seek rescue. She was supporting them with her salary. Working as a nurse she realized she needed help. She reached out to her friends, church, and other community members, who most of the time secretly supported her.
In 2011 she formerly registered SAMBURU GIRLS FOUNDATION, popularly known as SGF, as an NGO’ to rescue at-risk girls. The scope of rescue swiftly grew from her little village to her rescuing girls across 4 counties in Kenya. Samburu, Marsabit, Isiolo and Laikipia counties.
Her tremendous work has been recognized widely and has been awarded numerous awards including:
Unsung Hero 2011, Head of State Commendation 2012, COVAW champion 2013, Acumen East
Africa Fellow 2013, UN Person of the Year 2013, Inspiring Woman by Gender commission Kenya
2014, YALI Washington Fellow 2014, Spark Change maker 2015, Vital Voices Lead Program 2015,
African Union Youth Hero 2015, Egerton university gender award 2015, Gender Equality City
University of New York award 2016, Top 40 under 40 women award 2016, Humanitarian Award 2017
by Kenya Women, and Children Wellness Center.
She was recognized by President Obama for her work on his visit to Kenya.
Dr. Josephine Kulea serves on an international board named VOICE based in the Netherlands as an
advisory member.
Her dream is to see children enjoying their full rights, and the eradication of harmful cultural practices for a prosperous Kenya and Africa as a whole.
About SGF
Samburu Girls Foundation, (SGF) is a Kenyan non-profit whose primary work is to rescue girls from child-marriage, beading and FGM. Over 1183 girls have been rescued and 326 are currently being sponsored in schools around the country.
The organization was registered as an NGO in October 2011. Its head office is based at Loosuk Center, Samburu County and works closely with 3 more counties namely, Marsabit, Laikipia and Isiolo.
Founded by Josephine Kulea, the organization saves lives by advocating against Harmful Cultural Practices and builds futures for the girls by taking them to school.
Our Core Values
I – Integrity
R – Respect
L – Leadership
S – Stewardship
Mission & Vision
Mission
To make the world a better and safer place for pastoralist girls in Kenya through the provision of life opportunities and psychosocial care, free from the harmful and retrogressive cultural practices of FGM, Child marriage and Beading.
Vision
To empower the Pastoralist Girl Child.
SGF Quality Standards
- Advocacy
We are committed to influencing key decision-makers to make and implement policies and practices that improve the lives of girls and women. - Values
We are committed to living out our core values through our staff and with our partners in relationships with all those with whom we interact. ( In upholding our core values we have zero tolerance for all forms of exploitation and abuse, fraud, bribery and any other conduct which is incompatible with these values) - Impartiality & Targeting
We are committed to reaching the most vulnerable girl child and women, selected on the basis of need alone (this means that clear criteria are needed to identify those who are most vulnerable), regardless of their tribe or clan.
- Accountability
We are committed to being fully accountable to project participants, communities, partners, supporters and donors for the work we undertake and for the resources entrusted to us. - Sustainability
We are committed to empowering staff and partners and to seeing that the work that we support has a lasting impact, being built on acceptance and local ownership. - Gender
We are committed to seeing transformation through restored relationships between men, women, boys and girls and ensuring equal value, participation and decision making by all.