{"id":24594,"date":"2026-05-13T08:00:43","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T08:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/?page_id=24594"},"modified":"2026-05-13T15:20:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T15:20:36","slug":"education-youth-development","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/index.php\/education-youth-development\/","title":{"rendered":"Education &amp; Youth Development"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"24594\" class=\"elementor elementor-24594\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-509442a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"509442a\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ae09f44\" data-id=\"ae09f44\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f9aa5f3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f9aa5f3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><h2 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\" data-pen-placeholder=\"Type Here...\" style=\"font-size: 38px;font-style: normal\">\n\nPreserving the Art of Letter Writing: <BR>\nDear Pen Pal + Kusoma Bags Program for Children<span style=\"color: var(--ast-global-color-2);font-size: 3.33333rem;font-style: inherit;background-color: var(--ast-global-color-4)\"><\/span><\/h2><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-95d78ad elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"95d78ad\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ded59f4\" data-id=\"ded59f4\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-272099b elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"272099b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"187\" src=\"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cropped-New_Amsha_Africa_Logo-removebg-preview-2.png\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048 wp-image-24596\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cropped-New_Amsha_Africa_Logo-removebg-preview-2.png 500w, https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cropped-New_Amsha_Africa_Logo-removebg-preview-2-300x112.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-da4b2d1\" data-id=\"da4b2d1\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3e3aad5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3e3aad5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">+<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-738464d\" data-id=\"738464d\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6ff2417 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6ff2417\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/aaaaaaaaalogo-300x169.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-image-7813\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/aaaaaaaaalogo-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/aaaaaaaaalogo.png 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5081328 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5081328\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-57dd5e9\" data-id=\"57dd5e9\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-071ddc3 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"071ddc3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div dir=\"auto\"><div dir=\"auto\">Foundational literacy skills\u2014reading and writing\u2014are essential for learning. They form the cornerstone of basic education and power economic and social development. Literacy breaks down educational barriers, addresses social injustices, connects communities, and empowers individuals to access knowledge and embrace lifelong learning. It opens doors to employment, entrepreneurship and lasting friendships by fostering essential skills like communication, creativity, and critical thinking- all of which contribute to holistic development. By promoting literacy, societies can cultivate inclusivity, foster equity, and build a more just world.<\/div><div dir=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/div><div dir=\"auto\"><p><strong>The Dear Pen Pal + Kusoma Bags Program<\/strong><\/p><p>The Dear Pen Pal + Kusoma Bags Program is <strong>a collaborative initiative<\/strong> between Amsha Africa Foundation and <a href=\"https:\/\/startalibrary.org\/\">Start A Library Trust (SAL)<\/a>, designed to connect learners in the United States (U.S.) and Kenya through a structured exchange of letters. The program fosters literacy development, cross-cultural understanding, and critical life skills such as communication, empathy, and collaboration while building enduring one-on-one global connections. At its core, the program seeks to create equitable learning opportunities, enabling marginalized learners in Kenya to access literacy resources and inspiring their U.S. counterparts to embrace global citizenship and social responsibility.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f9eb9ce elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"f9eb9ce\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/index.php\/dear-friend-program\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Read more on our Pen Pal Program<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9db987e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9db987e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f697ca2\" data-id=\"f697ca2\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a55ea1a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a55ea1a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Exploring the Potential: Utilizing Banana Stems for Sustainable Sanitary Pad Production<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6e71f7d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6e71f7d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e99459e\" data-id=\"e99459e\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-28d6355 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"28d6355\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/saathi-biodegradable-pads.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5414\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/saathi-biodegradable-pads.jpg 750w, https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/saathi-biodegradable-pads-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/saathi-biodegradable-pads-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b6261e1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b6261e1\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1a5bbd8\" data-id=\"1a5bbd8\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d676e92 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d676e92\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Amsha Africa Foundation (AAF) has played a pivotal role in fostering partnerships for sustainable sanitary pad production across East Africa.\u00a0<\/p><p>Recognizing the importance of menstrual health and environmental sustainability, AAF has collaborated with local NGOs, communities, and government agencies to explore the utilization of banana stems as a viable material for sanitary pads.\u00a0<\/p><p>Through these partnerships, AAF has facilitated knowledge sharing, research, and pilot projects to test the feasibility and effectiveness of this innovative approach. By working closely with stakeholders across East Africa, AAF has been able to leverage regional expertise and resources, contributing to the development of sustainable menstrual hygiene solutions that empower women and promote ecological preservation.\u00a0<\/p><p>These collaborative efforts highlight AAF&#8217;s commitment to creating meaningful and impactful change in the region&#8217;s menstrual health landscape.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8493fc3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"8493fc3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/index.php\/elementor-5400\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Read more on the stem program<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Preserving the Art of Letter Writing: Dear Pen Pal + Kusoma Bags Program for Children + Foundational literacy skills\u2014reading and writing\u2014are essential for learning. They form the cornerstone of basic education and power economic and social development. Literacy breaks down educational barriers, addresses social injustices, connects communities, and empowers individuals to access knowledge and embrace [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-24594","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"campaignId":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24594","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24594"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24594\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24632,"href":"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24594\/revisions\/24632"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/amshaafrica.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}