Early Risers of Hope (EROHI) is a Kenyan non-profit organization dedicated to empowering adolescent girls, teen mothers, and vulnerable families through mentorship, education, health, and economic empowerment programs. We work with communities to address teenage pregnancy, gender inequality, and poverty to create safe spaces where every girl, every child, and every family can thrive.
Who We Are
Early Risers of Hope (EROHI) exists because too many adolescent girls and young mothers in rural Kenya are forced to choose between survival and their future.
Early Risers of Hope (EROHI) exists because too many adolescent girls and young mothers in rural Kenya are forced to choose between survival and their future.
I, Josephine Odhiambo, became aware of this reality during a community nutrition assessment in rural villages. What began as a community nutrition assessment revealed a deeper crisis. A lot of households in these villages suffered from food insecurity. Shockingly, a lot of them were led by minors, teenage girls unable to transition to secondary school, and young mothers navigating parenthood without support. I witnessed firsthand, how witnessed firsthand how poverty, gender inequality, and lack of safe spaces were limiting the potential of adolescent girls.
It became clear that the issue was not just education or nutrition, it was the lack of holistic support around the girl child. It was from this reality that the Early Risers of Hope (EROHI) was born. EROHI is dedicated to identifying and supporting vulnerable teen mothers and their children through mentorship, education, financial, nutritional, and health support.
We serve adolescent girls, teen mothers, and vulnerable families in underserved rural and low-income communities. Our work focuses on girls at risk of school dropout, early pregnancy, and social exclusion as well as young parents who need support to raise healthy, thriving children.
What makes our approach unique is that we do not offer one-size-fits-all programs. We walk alongside each girl and family through a structured, community-centered approach:
Our Integrated Program Pathways
Identify & Enroll
Outreach to identify & enroll adolescent parents at risk
Assess & Plan
Conduct Needs Assessment & Develop Individualized plans
Empower & Educate
Provide life skills and parenting, health & education support
Refer & Link
Connect to health nutrition & social service resources
Monitor & Support
Transition adolescent parents to government support groups & peer SILC groups
Our Process
- Identify & Enroll – We conduct outreach to find vulnerable adolescent girls and teen mothers at risk.
- Assess & Plan – We assess their unique circumstances and design tailored interventions based on their educational, economic, and health needs.
- Empower & Educate – We equip them with life skills, leadership training, parenting education, entrepreneurship skills, and sexual and reproductive health knowledge.
- Link & Refer – We connect them to youth-friendly clinics, schools, government services, and community resources.
- Monitor & Support – We provide ongoing mentorship and follow-up to ensure long-term resilience beyond direct program support.
At EROHI, we believe adolescent motherhood should not end a girl’s dreams. It should be met with dignity, opportunity, and renewed hope.
Why Our Work Matters
EROHI is based in Western Kenya. According to health data, teenage pregnancy in Kenya affects about 15% of girls aged 15–19, with counties in the western region such as Bungoma, Busia, and Trans-Nzoia reporting higher girl-child vulnerability than many other parts of the country. Of these, at least 13,000 girls drop out of school each year with no hope for a future. Early pregnancy interrupts education, limits opportunity, and alters the course of their future.
This is because, when a girl becomes pregnant, she is far more likely to drop out of school and many never return. Without education, her economic options shrink, increasing the risk of long-term poverty and overdependence to the community. In rural communities where employment opportunities are already limited, this vulnerability deepens.
These challenges are not isolated. They are rooted in poverty, limited access to youth-friendly health services, gender inequality, and social norms that often undervalue girls’ education and decision-making power. Many adolescent girls lack safe spaces, mentorship, and accurate information about sexual and reproductive health.
The result is a cycle where teenage pregnancy, school dropout, and rural vulnerability reinforce one another. This affects not only the girl, but her child, her family, and her community.
This trend reflects broader structural inequalities faced by girls and young women, particularly in rural areas, where poverty, limited access to sexual and reproductive health information, and fewer economic opportunities persist.
Our Mission Statement
To work with families, communities and partners to create local solutions, support young parents, and help all children thrive
Our Vision Statement
A society where every adolescent girl and child thrives
Our Core Programs
PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT
MENTOR HER PROGRAM
HEALTH & NUTRITION
SCHOLAR’S PROGRAM
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
At EROHI, our programs are designed to empower adolescent girls, teen mothers, and vulnerable families with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to thrive. They are grounded in mentorship, education, health, and community support. Each program addresses the real barriers girls face, from school dropout to limited economic opportunities. Our holistic approach is designed to strengthen individuals, entire families and communities. Below is an overview of the key programs that guide our work and bring our mission to life.
Mentor Her Program
EROHI equips teen moms and adolescent girls with social life skills, leadership, entrepreneurship, and parenting knowledge while linking them to essential services. This program strengthens their confidence, sharpens decision-making, and enables them to realize their full potential, helping them overcome challenges and succeed in life.
Parental Engagement
This initiative equips parents and communities with positive parenting skills, knowledge of developmental milestones, and strategies to support adolescent girls and boys in education and life skills. Adolescent mothers learn caregiving skills and how to integrate play into child-rearing, promoting holistic development and improved educational outcomes for their children
Scholar’s Program
The Scholars Program identifies and nurtures exceptional Kenyan youth. It equips them with leadership, critical thinking, and academic skills in English, mathematics, and career development. Through one-on-one coaching, scholarships, and mentorship, the program builds a network of ethical, skilled change agents ready to advance community locally and globally.
Economic Empowerment
This 12-month program is designed to strengthen household resilience to economic hardships. It focuses on building sustainable livelihoods that reduce economic vulnerability and support long-term stability. It has helped equip adolescent parents and caregivers with financial literacy, and entrepreneurship skills.
Health & Nutrition
This program addresses the health needs of adolescent parents and their children. It promotes nutrition education and kitchen farming to improve household food security and reduce malnutrition. Additionally, it also links adolescent mothers and their children to essential healthcare services that support healthy development and well-being.
Our Impact
EROHI has supported adolescent girls, teen mothers, and families to build resilience, return to school, strengthen parenting practices, and access essential health services through our core programs. Our programs are creating measurable change, not just for individual girls, but for entire households and communities.
Our Values
Our values guide the decisions we make. They shape our culture, define our standards, and ensure that our work remains ethical, community-centered, and impact-driven.
Sustainability
Accountability
Justice
Transparency
Boldness
Sustainability: We design interventions that sustain communities beyond our direct interventions
Accountability: We hold ourselves responsible for ethical practices, & financial integrity
Justice: We uphold dignity, equity, and confidentiality in the communities we serve
Transparency: We maintain openness with beneficiaries, partners, & donors
Boldness: We challenge harmful norms & intervene early where systems have historically failed adolescent girls
Our Team
EROHI works with a dedicated team to serve the community. Behind every program is a dedicated team working directly with communities. Our staff, volunteers, and field officers bring passion, and professionalism to their work.
CAROLINE ACHIENG
Monitoring & Evaluation Assistant
CHRISTABEL ADHIAMBO
Program Assistant
IRENE AKINYI
Legal Advisor
PHYLIS ACHIENG
Communication & Marketing Assistant
SOPHIA AWINJA
Community Outreach Volunteer
EZEKIEL MBURU
Finance & Admin
Our Partners
We believe lasting change happens through collaboration. EROHI works alongside community leaders, schools, health facilities, government agencies, and development partners to strengthen systems and expand opportunities for girls and families. Our partnerships allow us to extend our reach and deepen our impact where it matters most.
Financial Transparency & Accountability
We are committed to responsible stewardship of every resource entrusted to us. EROHI operates with transparency, adheres to established financial standards, and remains accountable to our beneficiaries, partners, and supporters. We believe trust is built through openness and we welcome collaboration grounded in integrity and shared impact.
Get Involved
Your generosity helps a girl stay in school, access health services, and build a future filled with possibility. To contribute, click below.
We believe real change happens through collaboration. This is why we work with communities and partners to bring change. To partner with us, click below.
Be part of the change and volunteer today. Your time and skills can make a lasting difference. To volunteer with us, click below.