Girl Power Clubs Moulding Leaders: Trizah Mboya's Story

Meet Trizah Mboya, a student at South Eastern Kenya University who recently completed her internship at Sadili and is now back to college. Trizah was a member of Girl Power Clubs while in primary school, and has grown to become a  role model to younger school girls who are presently members of Girl Power Clubs. She spent her last long holiday as an intern at Sadili Oval Sports Academy and had the opportunity to interact with the current members of Girl Power Clubs as well as children in other programs. Here is her story:

“My name is Trizah Mboya, a former intern at Sadili Oval Sports Academy. I came to know about Sadili through their program Girl Power Clubs Africa back when I was still in class 7 at St. Michael’s Holy Unity Academy. Throughout the program I learnt a lot during the sessions that they had in the school. I have been able to learn a lot more during my internship at Sadili which has also widened my thinking and attitude on lots of things.

Throughout my internship at Sadili under the Court of Dreams program, I loved my experience with Mary Rice School- a school for special needs children. Despite their conditions, these children were so full of life. Their smiles, their happiness and positive attitude towards life were a big lesson to me. They taught me that despite any situation we maybe in life, we should always appreciate and love life. The court of dreams program has also been helpful as I engaged in data entry and also data collection which was really a fun thing to do and teaching of the daily lives. I have also been able to learn tennis as a sport which was one of the things I least expected to develop an interest in, but I have found it as a great and now as one of my favorite games. I have experienced a lot through the programs they have been conducting. The most exciting and important part is the relation with the people in the community. Although it was a challenge at first, I found it more exciting since it also gave me the tips of handling different people, accepting and appreciating the people living around us. This has made me strong and I have learnt to persevere more and also be ready to work in any environment.

Under Girl Power program I also had the chance to talk to girls like me and share different experiences of our daily lives. Women empower each other. I learnt a lot from the girls as we would talk openly of every situation we’ve faced as girls. I must admit that I learnt from the girls from their questions and answers. The different topics we shared like Leadership, Menstruation, Discipline among others showed impact afterwards from the girls. I loved their company and how they always there for one one another, fighting challenges together.

Sadili has raised a platform in my life as I went through new discoveries, meeting new people and engaging with the community. I thank Sadili for inviting me in their programmes to work with them and gain good experiences from the programs. I am looking forward to practicing everything I learnt while at Sadili in my daily life, especially when it comes to working with children.”

Trizah's hard work and dedication during her internship at Sadili was always evident and that explains her success and ease with working with young people. We hope to see her do even more to her community in future.

We are always proud to see Girl Power Club members grow into ladies who are out to change the world, even in little ways!

Wonderful Week of Sports for Girl power Clubs

The past week (27^th February-3^rd March), we had an amazing sport week for Girl Power clubs at the comfort of their schools. This deviates from the norm where we always have one-day event sports days, usually at Sadili Oval Sports Academy. 

We hoped to have the sports done with all Girl Power Clubs in the 6 schools in Nairobi. However, this being a busy period in the school calendar with most schools either having midterm examinations or on midterm break, we had the pleasure of having the sports at Karama Academy and St. Catherine Primary only. 

Soccer at Karama Academy on Tuesday 28^th February was fantastic. The hot and sunny weather did not stop the girls from having fun. They were divided into two teams: A & B. Team A proved to be stronger after winning 1-0 against team B. The girls were so thrilled to have a whole one hour of nothing but soccer. They even begged for extra time at the end of the game!

We were so lucky at St. Catherine’s Primary School on Wednesday 1^st March as we had teachers coming in to work with us. Here too the girls played soccer and were divided into teams A & B. The game ended with a nil-nil draw, but that did not matter. What mattered was that everyone participated and that all the girls enjoyed it. 

The Girl Power Sport Week is an initiative to offer sport participation opportunities in a term that’s too busy to run our usual monthly Sports Days. Instead the activities are split into one huge week and students have the opportunity to participate in sports at the comfort of their schools.

Girl Power Clubs and Ushindi Boys Clubs Successfully Hold Induction Workshops in Busia County

Girl Power Clubs induction workshop

On Saturday 11^th February 2017 Girl Power Clubs Africa and Ushindi Boys Clubs successfully held induction workshops in Teso North, Busia County. The workshops were attended by a total of 300 students and 15 teachers from 16 schools across Busia County. The schools included: Akadoot Primary, Changara High School, ACK Rwatama Primary, Kolanya Girls Primary, Kolanya Boys High School, Katakwa Primary, Katakwa Secondary, Aedomoru Primary, Aedomoru Secondary, Bishop Sulumeti Secondary, Kolanya Boys Primary, Albert Ekirapa Secondary, Okimaru Primary, Akolong Primary, Kaujakito Primary and Kamunyele Primary.

The 300 girls and boys, divided into Girl Power and Ushindi Boys Clubs, had workshops running in two separate halls at Katakwa Secondary School, each facilitated by Sadili’s social educators Joy Akim and Kevin Ayuko respectively. Topics of discussion included: who Girl Power and Ushindi Clubs are, their importance, understanding the female body (for Girl Power Clubs) and male body (for Ushindi Boys Club), the importance of being in school, entrepreneurship and health & fitness. After this, elections were held where each school had a chance to vote for its leaders.

Albert Ekirapa Secondary receives a new computer

One of the schools that has Girl Power Clubs programme steadily running, Albert Ekirapa Secondary School, received a brand new computer. The new computer is meant to boost Girl Power's mentorship programme in the school. It was donated by Girl Power Clubs supporters Ronald Pothuizen and Tessa Van Der Heiden, as well founder Dr. Liz Odera.

Girl Power Clubs Africa is a leadership program that provides teenage girls with a chance to learn life skills and learn to make decisions that affect their lives and their communities positively. Ushindi Boys Clubs on the other hand is a men's leadership programme that initiates teenage boys through various stages of growth into young men.

Bishop Sulumeti Secondary School

Aedomoru Secondary School

Ushindi Boys Club induction

Changara Secondary School

Albert Ekirapa Secondary School

Katakwa Primary School

Kaujakito Primary School

Katakwa Secondary School

Ushindi Boys Club discussion group

Girl Power Clubs Leadership Workshop a Success despite Low Turnout

On Saturday, 28^th January 2017 Girl Power Clubs Africa successfully held a leadership workshop at Sadili Oval grounds. The 3 hour workshop came just 2 weeks after elections of new Girl Power Club leaders had been carried out in all schools in the programme in Nairobi. It was aimed at discussing with the new leaders, among other issues, what is expected from them in their new roles. During the previous week, Sadili’s Social Educators had visited all Girl Power Clubs in Nairobi discussing with them leadership skills. 

The workshop was attended by 4 Girl Power Club leaders from Karama Academy, 7 Sadili staff and 2 guests - both students at Catholic University of Eastern Africa. 

In a fun and highly interactive manner, various topics were covered during the workshop. They included: the history of Girl Power Clubs Africa and its role in training girls to become positive agents of change, personal hygiene as well as menstruation. These topics of discussion each had short breaks in between for games sessions. We all played soccer and other fun games.

Despite the low turnout, everyone seemed positive about the workshop’s success. “We had hoped the number would be bigger, but despite that we are happy that everything else happened as had been planned and that the girls have enjoyed their time with us,” said Everlyne Sigilai, one of Sadili’s social educators. 

 “It was a little intimidating for me at first to see so many staff and just a few of us, but they have been very friendly and I have enjoyed interacting with them. I hope to be here again for more of such activities,” Said Melvin Awino, one of the pupils from Karama Academy.

Girl Power Clubs Africa is a leadership program focused on providing teenage girls with a chance to learn life skills and learn to make decisions that affect their lives and their communities positively.