Costed Solutions Templates
These templates help grassroots leaders and organizations explain how effective, sustainable solutions work in their context, particularly in areas with high rates of FGM and other forms of violence against girls and women, and estimate the cost per girl or household.
Across our co-creation processes with grassroots organisations, three solutions consistently pointed out to being the most effective and sustainable in areas of high prevalence of FGM and other forms of violence against girls and women. These are:investing in girls' education, expanding Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), voice & agency and women's economic development.
These solutions are neither programme activities in the narrow sense nor meant to be prescriptive, they are broader strategic approaches that respond to the root drivers of FGM and its evolving nature. With each having a strong track record of reducing & preventing FGM risk when adapted to local contexts and led by community-rooted organisations.
This section offers costed solution templates to help grassroots leaders and organisations articulate how these approaches work in their context and estimate the cost per girl or household. The goal is to strengthen visibility and investment readiness for proven grassroots solutions and not to standardise.
How to use it:
- Select a solution that aligns with your work e.g. girls' education or women's economic development.
- Fill in or adjust the activities listed, add your own, remove what doesn't apply.
- Edit the costs to reflect your actual expenses since these are not fixed prices, they're reference points.
- Use the How to do it…. column as a starting point to reflect your local context.
- Pair the template with your impact stories, especially stories that show change over time.
- Share it with potential funders or partners to help them understand what it takes to do this work well.
You can combine the Costed Solutions Templates with other tools in the Resource Bank.
Roots & GrowthUse alongside the Roots & Growth Tool to track how your organisation is growing.
Learning questionsAlign with the Learning Questions Tool to reflect on how your work is contributing to wider impact.
Evidence-Based ApproachesFeed lessons into the Evidence-Based Approaches section by connecting activities to broader solutions.
Solution 1: Girls education
Note on the solution
This solution draws on grassroots organisations' evidence of what works to end FGM across Kenya and Tanzania, where increased support for girls' education is showing real, measurable contributions to the prevention and reduction of FGM. It is not a one-size-fits-all model. Instead, it offers flexible, costed components that organisations can adapt based on their context and community priorities.
Why Girls Education
Change to end FGM is happening faster in communities and villages where there has been increased support for girls' education.
In many communities where girls and women are subjected to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), poverty, limited opportunities for girls, and social expectations around marriageability remain deeply rooted drivers. Therefore, families may view FGM as a necessary step to secure a daughter's future through early marriage. However, in communities where access to girls' education has improved, these norms are shifting often rapidly.
Girls' education has offered a practical, trusted pathway for families to invest in their daughters' futures one that reduces economic pressure, delays child marriage, and strengthens the entire household. From the evidence educated girls are more likely to complete school, access livelihoods, contribute to household income, and make informed decisions outcomes that contribute to long-term end of harmful practices like FGM.
| Education support intervention | Contribution to preventing FGM | Unit cost per girl / Year | How to do it…. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary school support (e.g. uniforms, pads, lunch, school levies) | Keeps girls in school during vulnerable years when FGM is often first discussed. Builds trust with families. | KES 5,000 – 10,000 | Often enough to prevent dropout or transfer. |
| Menstrual health support (menstrual pads, pain relief, private changing space) | Reduces girls school absenteeism, improves retention, supports bodily autonomy. | KES 1,000 – 3,000 | Needs to be paired with consistent education & SRH-focused messaging |
| Secondary school scholarships | Critical in delaying FGM and marriage; reinforces the value of girls beyond traditional roles. | KES 100,000 - 150,000 | May include tuition, transport, boarding, essentials |
| Post-secondary education support | Positions girls as role models, builds community shifts, and often leads to broader aspirations that reject FGM. | KES 150,000- 200,000 | For high-impact FGM prevention stories, especially when girls become community champions |
Primary school support (e.g. uniforms, pads, lunch, school levies)
Contribution to preventing FGM
Keeps girls in school during vulnerable years when FGM is often first discussed. Builds trust with families.
Unit cost per girl / Year
KES 5,000 – 10,000
How to do it….
Often enough to prevent dropout or transfer.
Menstrual health support (menstrual pads, pain relief, private changing space)
Contribution to preventing FGM
Reduces girls school absenteeism, improves retention, supports bodily autonomy.
Unit cost per girl / Year
KES 1,000 – 3,000
How to do it….
Needs to be paired with consistent education & SRH-focused messaging
Secondary school scholarships
Contribution to preventing FGM
Critical in delaying FGM and marriage; reinforces the value of girls beyond traditional roles.
Unit cost per girl / Year
KES 100,000 - 150,000
How to do it….
May include tuition, transport, boarding, essentials
Post-secondary education support
Contribution to preventing FGM
Positions girls as role models, builds community shifts, and often leads to broader aspirations that reject FGM.
Unit cost per girl / Year
KES 150,000- 200,000
How to do it….
For high-impact FGM prevention stories, especially when girls become community champions
Note: These are grassroots-informed estimates. Costs will vary depending on rural/urban location, accessibility, inflation, and local partnerships.
Solution 2: Expanding girls' SRHR, Voice and agency
Note on this Solution
Expanding girls' sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), along with strengthening their voice and agency, plays a central role in preventing FGM and enabling girls to thrive. It builds on years of grassroots experience and reflects approaches that grassroots organisations across Kenya and Tanzania have found most impactful, particularly when tailored to local norms and priorities.
Why expanding girls SRHR, Voice and agency
Communities where girls are supported to speak, lead, and access SRHR services are seeing declines in FGM and stronger community resistance to FGM.
By supporting safe spaces, mentorship, and SRHR education, grassroots groups are equipping girls with the knowledge, networks, and confidence to speak up, ask questions, and make informed choices. These interventions are proven, low-cost, and high-impact, especially when led by trusted local leaders.
| Expanding girls SRHR, Voice and agency intervention | Contribution to preventing FGM | Unit cost per girl / Year | How to do It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safe spaces / girls' clubs (in- or out-of-school) | Creates trusted spaces to build knowledge, confidence, and solidarity | KES 5,000 – 10,000 | Works well through weekly sessions run by a trained mentor (peer or adult), include SRHR, leadership, and advocacy topics. |
| SRHR education sessions (non-formal) | Helps girls understand bodily autonomy, consent, FGM risks, and how to seek help | KES 2,000 – 3,000 | Interactive, culturally sensitive sessions using drama, visuals, storytelling. Can be layered into clubs or schools |
| Mentorship & role models | Provides ongoing psychosocial support and guidance from trusted adults | KES 3,000 – 5,000 | Pair girls with trained mentors. Leverage female teachers, alumni, or respected community women |
| Referrals & protection linkages | Girls at risk of FGM can access help quickly and safely | KES 1,000 – 2,000 | Include contact info for trained local responders, helplines, and Community Health Promoters( in Kenya) in every session. Map safe adults |
| Leadership & life skills training and support | Builds assertiveness, negotiation, and goal-setting | KES 2,000 – 5,000 | Use adapted life skills curriculum focused on agency, decision-making, goal-setting, and speaking up |
Safe spaces / girls' clubs (in- or out-of-school)
Contribution to preventing FGM
Creates trusted spaces to build knowledge, confidence, and solidarity
Unit cost per girl / Year
KES 5,000 – 10,000
How to do It
Works well through weekly sessions run by a trained mentor (peer or adult), include SRHR, leadership, and advocacy topics.
SRHR education sessions (non-formal)
Contribution to preventing FGM
Helps girls understand bodily autonomy, consent, FGM risks, and how to seek help
Unit cost per girl / Year
KES 2,000 – 3,000
How to do It
Interactive, culturally sensitive sessions using drama, visuals, storytelling. Can be layered into clubs or schools
Mentorship & role models
Contribution to preventing FGM
Provides ongoing psychosocial support and guidance from trusted adults
Unit cost per girl / Year
KES 3,000 – 5,000
How to do It
Pair girls with trained mentors. Leverage female teachers, alumni, or respected community women
Referrals & protection linkages
Contribution to preventing FGM
Girls at risk of FGM can access help quickly and safely
Unit cost per girl / Year
KES 1,000 – 2,000
How to do It
Include contact info for trained local responders, helplines, and Community Health Promoters( in Kenya) in every session. Map safe adults
Leadership & life skills training and support
Contribution to preventing FGM
Builds assertiveness, negotiation, and goal-setting
Unit cost per girl / Year
KES 2,000 – 5,000
How to do It
Use adapted life skills curriculum focused on agency, decision-making, goal-setting, and speaking up
Note: These are grassroots-informed estimates. Costs will vary depending on rural/urban location, accessibility, inflation, and local partnerships.
Solution 3: Women's Economic Development
Note on this Solution
In many communities where girls and women are subjected to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), deep-rooted gender norms, poverty, and limited economic options for women and girls fuel the cycle. FGM is often seen as a one of the gateways to marriage and marriage is tied to economic survival. When female figure heads;mothers, grandmothers, older sister & female cousins, aunts, and caregivers gain economic security, they are more likely to question this norm and support alternative paths for girls.
From current evidence, women's economic development shifts household priorities, reduces financial reliance on early marriage, and opens up space for women and girls to renegotiate harmful norms.
Why Women's Economic Development
FGM rates are declining faster in villages where women have access to savings groups, market-based training, or reliable income sources.
Where economic development programmes integrate FGM prevention dialogue, their impact is even greater providing both alternatives and agency.
| Women's Economic Development interventions | Contribution to preventing FGM | Unit cost per woman / Year | How to Do It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Village savings/income & loan groups | Builds women's collective power and decision-making at household level | KES 3,000 – 5,000 | Train facilitators to establish and support saving and income groups. Support integration of FGM and SRHR conversations in meetings |
| Start-up capital / revolving funds | Provides women with alternatives to bridewealth-based income | KES 10,000 – 25,000 | Disburse as part of group or individual micro-grants. Layer with mentorship on business planning |
| Skills-building (agriculture, tailoring, trading) | Expands livelihood options beyond traditional roles | KES 5,000 – 15,000 | 3–6 month practical training. Include market linkage support. Pair with family conversations on girls' futures |
| Women-led co-ops or producer groups | Shifts social norms through collective visibility and success | KES 20,000 – 40,000 | Support the organising of women into co-ops by trade or crop. Include intergenerational dialogues and storytelling |
Village savings/income & loan groups
Contribution to preventing FGM
Builds women's collective power and decision-making at household level
Unit cost per woman / Year
KES 3,000 – 5,000
How to Do It
Train facilitators to establish and support saving and income groups. Support integration of FGM and SRHR conversations in meetings
Start-up capital / revolving funds
Contribution to preventing FGM
Provides women with alternatives to bridewealth-based income
Unit cost per woman / Year
KES 10,000 – 25,000
How to Do It
Disburse as part of group or individual micro-grants. Layer with mentorship on business planning
Skills-building (agriculture, tailoring, trading)
Contribution to preventing FGM
Expands livelihood options beyond traditional roles
Unit cost per woman / Year
KES 5,000 – 15,000
How to Do It
3–6 month practical training. Include market linkage support. Pair with family conversations on girls' futures
Women-led co-ops or producer groups
Contribution to preventing FGM
Shifts social norms through collective visibility and success
Unit cost per woman / Year
KES 20,000 – 40,000
How to Do It
Support the organising of women into co-ops by trade or crop. Include intergenerational dialogues and storytelling
Note: These are grassroots-informed estimates. Costs will vary depending on rural/urban location, accessibility, inflation, and local partnerships.