NTS is committed to breaking down the barriers that prevent girls from accessing education. We have steadily increased female enrollment and success, while introducing initiatives to reduce child marriage, female genital cutting (FGC), menstrual-related absenteeism, and gender-based violence (GBV).
While young women in Kenya have traditionally been encouraged to pursue tailoring and hairdressing, that is beginning to change—and NTS is proud to be part of that transformation. Today, more girls are stepping confidently into fields once dominated by men, including electrical wiring and masonry/carpentry.
NTS actively supports this shift by welcoming female students into all trades and helping them explore the parts of each profession where their strengths can shine. Our staff work closely with students to identify internships and employment opportunities where they will be safe, respected, supported, and given real room to grow.
Whether a girl dreams of designing garments, wiring homes, repairing machinery, or constructing buildings, we want her to know that every trade is open to her. We ensure that all students—not just the boys—have a clear advancement ladder, access to mentors, and pathways to strong, sustainable careers.
At NTS, girls are not only entering new fields—they’re proving that they belong there.
NTS is proud to have a 50:50 male-to-female student ratio, a milestone that reflects growing family trust and the strength of our programs. We meet our young women’s needs through a holistic support system—safe learning environments, mentorship, counseling, menstrual support, and education in complete nutrition so students understand how to fuel their bodies for health and academic success.
This progress is helping shift long-held beliefs.
For generations, poverty, limited access, and cultural expectations kept many girls from attending school beyond age twelve. Daughters were often expected to contribute to household income or take on domestic work, while boys continued in school. A career for a girl was rarely considered possible.
NTS is working directly with families to address these root challenges and spark lasting change. By providing daily meals, we relieve the financial pressure of a daughter’s “lost wages,” and parents begin to see the long-term economic value of vocational education. As girls gain real skills, excel in class, and imagine ambitious futures, families witness something transformative: an educated girl with a career can lift her entire household out of poverty.
Parents start to view their daughters not as dependents or future brides, but as capable professionals with talent, earning power, and limitless potential. This shift—seeing girls as contributors and changemakers—breaks generational patterns and opens the door to a more equitable and economically secure future for families and the entire community.
The result: changing attitudes, expanding opportunities, and a village where girls are gaining the confidence and support they need to build healthy, independent, and prosperous lives.
At NTS, no girl should ever miss school because of her period—and now, none do.
Before joining NTS, many of our students regularly missed classes due to a lack of menstrual products, unmanaged period pain, and no access to accurate reproductive-health information. Period poverty held girls back academically and socially, often pushing them further behind their male peers.
NTS has changed that.
We are proud to partner with AFRIpads to ensure every female student has the resources and confidence she needs to attend school every day of the month. Each girl receives a free reusable menstrual kit that provides a full year of reliable protection. Through AFRIpads, we also offer annual trainings on proper product use, menstrual hygiene, and female reproductive health—creating a safe, informed environment where girls understand their bodies and feel empowered to care for themselves.
This support restores dignity, builds confidence, and removes one of the biggest barriers to female education.
At NTS, periods no longer interrupt learning, opportunity, or a girl’s ability to thrive.
“Education is key to breaking menstrual barriers, addressing taboos, and improving menstrual health and hygiene worldwide.” – AFRIpads
Since women are typically in charge of feeding the household, learning the basics of nutrition is a long-term investment in healthy families.
In addition to three daily meals, we provide nutrition lessons so students learn to create healthy food combinations, to buy and prepare locally available and affordable nutritious foods, and how nutrition needs will change throughout their lives.