Dream. Believe. Repeat

Giving Girls the Tools They Need to Survive and Thrive

DBR Cohorts at Leadership Summit, Rusinga Island, Kenya
DBR Cohorts at Leadership Summit, Rusinga Island, Kenya

Dream. Believe. Repeat (DBR) is a community based organization that helps girls stay in school. It is literally changing lives for girls.

School girls in Kenya, benefiting from Dream.Believe.Repeat.
School girls in Kenya, benefiting from the work of Dream.Believe.Repeat. (DBR)

What started out as a program to teach girls leadership skills is now a movement which offers a holistic approach to helping girls continue their education in high school and beyond...

DBR Cohorts with Leadership Coach Kiki Watanabe

Girl population served

In just under two years, DBR’s mentorship program has reached and continues to impact 120 teenaged girls.

This number is expected to rise as DBR continues to grow and develop enough to fund its expanded activities in additional schools on the island and beyond.

DBR Founder Val Miler-with Cohorts July 2023

Reduced Pregnancy rates

All but one girl on the DBR program have managed to evade the grip of teen pregnancy. Before our program began 28 teenage girls dropped out of school annually in the community.

DBR’s commitment to ensuring that girls stay in school and realize their full potential is effective and is bearing fruit.

DBR Team, Coaches and Committee Members

Reduced drug abuse

Such coaching topics as Creating a Vision for Your Future and an Action Plan, Self Management/Mindfulness and Meditation, and Coping Skills and Manifesting have taught the girls to shun drugs and seek better, healthy mechanisms of navigating the hardships that life throws at them.

Schoolgirl in Dream.Believe.Repeat Program

Reduced Absenteeism

Before the introduction of DBR programs, girls in the school in which we operate used to miss school due to the lack of sanitary towels, school fees, high rates of teenage pregnancy, lack of support from parents, and family conflicts; now, the schools report positive improvement (of up to 90%) in school attendance by the girls in our programs. Some of these challenges remain and require concerted intervention; a commitment that DBR is keen to pursue until every teenager remains in school and gains an education and the requisite “soft skills” for dignified living.

Students in mentorship lesson

Beneficiaries Volunteering Guidance and Counseling services

At Kamasengre Mixed Day Secondary School, where we launched our pilot activities, some of the beneficiaries are volunteering in the guidance and counseling department to help their non-DBR peers navigate challenges affecting them. The girls also confess to advising their male counterparts on the importance of maintaining healthy/responsible relationships with them in the course of their indispensable academic journey together.

Schoolgirl in DBR Program

Improved Self-esteem/self-confidence

Many girls testify to having increased their self-esteem from our coaching programs. As a result, they feel more confident to speak to peers, teachers, parents or guardians about the issues affecting them. Their self-confidence also manifests in how they face and navigate such challenges as period shame, unhealthy relationships, and the belief that a girl’s education is less important than a boy’s.

Dream.Believe.Repeat group photo

Increased Community Awareness/Involvement

DBR’s robust coaching and mentorship program continues to draw significant support and cooperation from the local community. This is critical for our operations, being a community-based organization. For example, our organization receives from time to time calls to effect the rescue of girls missing school (due to the lack of sanitary towels or school fees) or whose rights are being violated curtailing their chances at education.

YOUR DONATION CHANGES LIVES

Dream.Believe.Repeat Summit

Your donation will go toward these initiatives

Leadership skill building workshops

Sanitary towels

School fees

Community Center Project with computer lab and assembly hall

Our goal is to raise $80,000 by July 2024

Please help us reach this goal!