Friday, March 27, 2015

Emerging Issues Nairobi County: Feb-March 2015

Certain issues have come up during this quarter, which we are reporting on here:

The topics in the Goal book do not have enough information on certain areas, so its important to get additional support information. For example, the HIV-AIDS topics do not have information on the stages of HIV, symptoms and what the diet of an infected person should be. These are questions that are often asked.

Older girls in the community are reluctant to be seen attending sessions at our Girl Power Clubs Offices in Kibera. This is as a result of complains from the community members that another organization would take girls and get them impregnated.

Some topics like First Aid and Menstruation need more technical support mainly because the girls ask very many questions and some have real health problems that need support.

We have been under pressure from some men who are trying to intimidate us at the Girl Power Office in Kibera, claiming that we are teaching girls how to reject their advances. One man even came and urinated openly on our entrance to show us what "useless women we were".

However, with the opening of Girl Power Offices in Kibera, many members of the community have been very pleased and are sending their younger daughters to come and spend time and "learn something about life". We hope to work with the community to know more about issues that they want tackled jointly, to help their girls.

We also received a visit from Winston Salem State University students who were really shocked and upset about the conditions of living in the slum, and lack of adequate health care.

Shilla, Mueni and Carlcy
Girl Power Clubs - Nairobi County

No comments: