Inspite of difficulties experienced countrywide as a result of the mammoth teacher's strike, Girl Power Clubs Siaya County remained resolute and used every moment to get involved in projects and educating the community. Here is our report:
August: There were no direct Girl Power
activities in August as all schools had closed for the holidays. However, the
Parish Games organized by the Catholic Church were held during the month. All
youth in the ward were involved and the games proved very popular in the
community who made time to come and watch their favorite teams. Many of our
Girl Power members participate actively in sports and so were an integral part
of the various teams. The Girl Power coach Florence Owino was in great demand
to help coach some of the teams. The winners were Sigomre Parish team followed
by the Ukwala Parish team. Twelve girl teams were involved in the games playing
soccer and netball. 
September:
All public schools stayed closed throughout September and
the first week of October owing to a countrywide teachers’ strike. In September
Girl Power activities took place in only one school. This was Oasis Academy
which is privately owned. Interestingly some of the parents decided to move
their children to Oasis Academy over the strike period on a temporary
basis. Many of the younger girls at the
Academy should interest in joining the sporting activities and so were
included. It was fun times all round as the girls covered issues such as
personal hygiene and communication skills. Flo and I also visited the
entrepreneurship projects being run by Girl Power members at Sigomre Primary,
Ugana Primary and Asango Primary. We noted that the girls were taking care of
them well despite the teachers strike.
October:
Public schools reopened in the second week of October after
the teachers strike collapsed. The challenge that Girl Power faced at first was
having space to carry on the program in the overcrowded curriculum that most
schools adopted in order to catch up with the syllabus after the strike. The
earlier demands by some patrons that they be “motivated” to carry on with the
Girl Power initiative was heightened by the fact that their salaries for the
month of September were withheld by the Teachers Service Commission. This was
especially so in Tingare Secondary School and at Uloma Secondary School, whose
patrons said they did not plan any further involvement in the Girl Power
program as they need “motivation” to do so.
The Ywaya Primary School is however back on board with a bang, even
ensuring the selection of a senior female teacher to be the new patron. Teacher
Rose is a breath of fresh air as she understands the challenges faced in threat
area of Sigomre Ward, chief among them being high primary schoolgirl dropout
rates due to early marriage, pregnancy and cultural norms. This year alone
there were four dropouts from the school, one of whom was a Girl Power Club
member. Teacher Rose wishes to be included in any future capacity building
training.
Sigomre Secondary Girl Power Club stood out once again, with
their members being invited to participate in the Mashujaa Day (Heroes Day)
activities. They gave a great rendition of their now famous Girlpower
Rap song to tumultuous applause by the guests who included the
Sub-County Assistant Commissioner and ministerial staff, the Sub-County
Administrator, the Chief, assistant chiefs, police officers, miji kumi chairpersons and the public.
The Sub-County Assistant Commissioner asked the area Girl Power program
assistant Maria Okong’o to tell the gathering what the program was doing in the
area and its importance. Members of the public who spoke later were of the
opinion that this was a great way to ensure that the girl child benefited from
education, sports and leadership skills. They demanded that the program be
spread to other schools in the ward as its positive benefits were quite clear
in the short period it had existed in the area.
Also during the last week of October the Girl Power endline
survey was carried out. The data will be analyzed by the head office in
Nairobi.
Way Forward
Both Uloma and Tingare are in an area where both girls and
the community would be influenced positively through the Girl Power programme.
The demands by patrons for “personal motivation” should be nipped in the bud; the
beneficiaries are the girls and the community in which they live. The parents
and girls in the area wish the program to continue and so we need to remove
leadership control from such teachers. One way of doing this is by building the
capacity of the girls to lead so they can run Girl Power themselves with the
help of the project assistants and skilled volunteer mentors /advocates who
share the Girl Power vision. It is our hope that the Girl Power Workshop for regional coordinators to be
held this month will come up with ideas to actualize this.
Maria Okongo
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