Sharon's Story

Sharon is 19 and the head girl at St Michael’s Holy Unity school.  “Form four is next year.  My favourite subject is English, I love it. When I finish school I want to be a manager. Any company, any business, organization - provided I am a manager” she says. With such set career ambitions, does Sharon think Girl Power have helped her prepare to leave school? “Yeah sure, they help prepare girls for the challenges girls face after school and they encourage them and they talk about everything. Girl Power is still new in this school of ours, but we will learn more”.

“Girl Power is really a nice organization. Since Girl Power has been around they have really helped girls, it’s been talking about girls’ issues, enlightening them and making girls identify their talents also. They enroll girls in various activities, like sports, knowing about health and knowing about everything that concerns themselves.  It helps them appreciate themselves, take themselves as they are and love themselves more than anyone can think of”.

“I live in Kibera with my Aunt.  I was born here.  I don’t like the situation and that is why I work hard so that I can change the situation in the nearby future.  I want to go to university. I would like to prosper, I hope to pass my examination next year, go to the university of Nairobi, pursue my further studies. I would like our school to perform better as well.  I love my aunt, she is there for me.  I would like to congratulate Girl Power and also thank them for what they are doing.  Reaching out for girls, talking to them, teaching them, it is very hard to find such an organization talking about girls’ issues.  I would like them to continue with the same spirit”.  

Written by Hannah Collins, volunteer at Girl Power

Approved by Dr Liz Odera, director at Sadili Oval Sports Academy

Preckcydis's Story

Preckcydis has just two more years of primary school at Nazarene to go. High school is definitely on her agenda. “I want to be a doctor when I finish school.  I would like to treat people so that they would not be sick and I don’t like to see people die.  I like to play football and be involved with people, and telling jokes.  I like to paint but sometimes I can paint bad or sometimes I can paint good.  I do not know”.

“Girl Power has helped me to know more about football and how I can live and how a girl can protect herself from dangers.  Dangers we face are things like rapes, kidnap”

“I live in Kibera, just down there.  It takes me 20 minutes to reach home from school.  I live with my father.  My mother died in 2005 when I was still little.  I have one brother, who is in form four.  He is finishing his study this year and next year he is going to University”.  We wish you luck achieving your own university dreams Preckcydis!

Preckcydis is pictured on the left with two of her friends.

Written by Hannah Collins, volunteer at Girl Power
Approved by Dr Liz Odera, Director at Sadili Oval Sports Academy

Leornida's Story

“I am in grade 8, the last year at primary school at Nazarene, and next year I am joining secondary school.  I am 14 years, yes” starts Leornida.  “I have been a member of Girl Power since two years.  I’ve learnt that girls have opportunity to achieve education and to achieve what they want in their futures. Before Girl Power, I was wondering how I would manage to get those things.  I’ve seen that people think boys have the right to achieve anything but girls don’t.  Since Girl Power has come, I’ve learnt many things.  I am now healthy, and I have the opportunity to reach for something”.

Of course, boys are always a hot topic. “Yes, we have leant to … those boys, I am just putting them aside while I achieve my studies. Boys will be there when I finish school and I have achieved my studies. I’ll get a handsome one then!” she laughs. “When I am finished school I would like to be a journalist.  I would like to stay in Kenya, but I would like to be able to visit some countries as well.  To help some girls like me, they way Girl Power has helped me, that would be good”.

“Here in Kenya, I am a girl whose parents have died. I am staying with my grandmother who is disabled. My grandmother is sick and I help her with some chores in the house. Some nights we go to sleep hungry, but I still thank God.  Many people have volunteered to pay for my school fees, they have helped me and I like being there among them.  If I finish primary school, they can help me get to high school and they can see how hard I am working” Leornida says with pride. “I just take the courage to come to school and I thank God for everything that I have”.

 Written by Hannah Collins, volunteer at Girl Power
Approved by Dr Liz Odera, Director at Sadili Oval Sports Academy

Girl Power In Everyday Life

As Girl Power Clubs Africa moves forward and grows, it is useful to remind ourselves WHY we are doing this.  This week we spoke with some of the girls from the schools in Kibera to ask how Girl Power has helped them and why they like being involved.

Lavender from Nairobi Day School is one of these girls. Lavender is 17 and as she puts it, has had "five years of being empowered" with Girl Power!

"The best thing about Girl Power is being able to go there and talk about the issues that affect girls and overcome them" Lavender says. "Sometimes we learn activities and we go to different areas and meet with other people and discuss what is going on".

With the Girl Power office in Kibera re-opening this month, it will mean an even closer space for the girls to meet and discuss what is troubling them.  "I think the best thing you can do is just empower girls. I feel OK because I learn things that can help me and I can learn to help my fellow friends" says Lavender.

Stay tuned for more stories from the girls in Kibera and Girl Power Clubs Africa.

Written by Hannah Collins, Volunteer at Girl Power Clubs Africa

Approved by Dr Liz Odera, Director at Sadili Oval Sport Academy

Girl power opens Kibera offices!

The weekend past saw Girl Power Clubs Africa reach another landmark in their efforts to empower young girls in Nairobi. A team of Project Assistants and Girl Power Club members from surrounding schools, visited the re-furbished offices, in Kibera, armed with paint, water and a lot of determination.

The insides of the offices were given a makeover to match the bright blue of the outside. On the inner walls, slogans of empowerment and dreams were painted to remind everyone what they can achieve - anything is possible as long as you feel it!


The re-opening of offices in Kibera will mean the girls who go to school in the area will have an established place to meet for girl power activities in their neighborhood.

"It's a safe space for the girls to express themselves" said Hazel Wamuyu, a student of Malezi School, who came down to help paint the Kibera offices. "If we get time we can also come down and use these offices, but it will depend on school" she added.

"Anyone in Girl Power will be able to use it, hopefully they can teach some of the girls to be Girl Power Champions in this office" says Chizi Mutsumi, another of the girls from Malezi.

The materials to build the offices was supported by the Netherlands Embassy, through partner organisation, Women Win, while the  structures were erected by local residents of Kibera. The washrooms were originally built at the site through donations received by Dr. Liz Odera from teaching tennis classes at a local country club. Special thanks goes to Otieno for helping to build the offices and also to his family who generously provided lunch for the girls.

 Written by Hannah Collins, volunteer at Girl Power
Approved by Dr. Liz Odera, Director at Sadili Oval Sports Academy

To see more pictures from this day, head over to our Facebook page!

MY CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY PLANS #1

# 1

Leslie Atieno

16 years

Nazarene Self Help School

Class 8

Girl Power has taught me various things. I have learned how to overcome stress and how to live with people. Also that we should respect ourselves so that we can respect those who are older than us. I have experienced many challenges. Including a company of friends who knew nothing about a girl’s dignity. They are peer pressured into doing many things. In order to overcome these challenges, there is abstaining and having confidence and also dignity. I would like to see many things happen in Girl Power. Like supporting girls in many activities, a girl is a great source to the world. In the new Girlpower office in Kibera, I would like to see activities take place there, so that I have lots to do!

.

TERM THREE 2012, LETTER TO SCHOOLS AND CLUBS

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Girl Power Clubs Africa

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Email: girlpower444@yahoo.com

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Website: http://girlpowerclubs.blogspot.com

                                                                                              Facebook: ‘’Wanjiku Girlpower Kenya’’

                                                                                                                                                                                                          Sadili Oval Sports Academy,

                                                                                                                                                                                                           P.O.Box 8477-00100 Nairobi, Kenya

Dear Members and Patron

Girl Power Club,

___________________________ School

3 September 2012

RE: Activities For 2012 And Closing Debate

We hope you all had a great time during the August holidays!

It has been a great year with lots of fun and learning between us, we are grow bigger and better together thanks to all of you! This year our major activities have been:

1.       Girl Power Leaders workshop, 27^th of January, where girl leaders from different clubs in attendance were equipped to some Leadership Skills

2.       I Have A Ball- ‘’You have the right to know yourself’’ Workshop , Medical Camp and Competition, in which winners in various categories were, Huruma Girls, Nazarene Primary, Malezi Primary, Langata Barracks and Olympic High School and a special song presentation by Parklands Arya.

3.       Sisterhood World Cup 2012, took place in May and June, together with sexuality and HIV-AIDS Workshops, assisted by Liverpool VCT. The event attracted radio at Venus FM and Radio Jambo, presented by members from Olympic High. Winners of the Cup were, Olympic High School.

4.       Voting on the Code on Abuse on both Radio Shows and in Girl Power Schools.

5.       This year, we also welcome new Girl Power Clubs: Langata Barracks & Nairobi Day.

6.       Muslim Academy has been doing well in their business project, while Kenya High School has reported to carrying out visits at a children’s home, which is good!

7.       Olympic High School, Girls football team, became national champions at the KSSSA Ball Games in Mombasa, and represented Kenya at the East Africa Championships. Well done girls!

8.       Nazarene Primary School presented 15 topics on “I Have A Ball” and “Girls Speak Out!” Superb work girls!

9.       We now have a Girl Power Facebook account up, running and active! We welcome individual club pages, and so far, two clubs have submitted their page names, Malezi High (Epic Girls) & Huruma Girls (Hugzville Gal Powa).

10.    The Girl Power Website/Blog is now up and running with your stories and events, please find them here: http://girlpowerclubs.blogspot.com

This Term

We would like to welcome you back to Girl Power’s end of the year 2012 activities!

Saturday 15th September 2012 – Girl Power Debate

8.30 a.m. – 12.00 noon

There will be three topics debated on:

1.       Should There Be Extra Tuition In Schools?

2.       Should Girls Wear Uniform?

3.       Beauty or Knowledge: which one would you choose?

Please confirm your attendance by filling the Girl Power Debate entry form and also be kind enough to inform us early for the sake of logistics.

For more information please email girlpower444@yahoo.com or call our Project Assistant Ja Young N. Margaret on +254 715 684 846.

Kindly remember to submit your Term One and Two Girl Power Report Forms if you haven’t already done so urgently to ensure that you are included in the debate!

Yours Sincerely,

Dr. Liz Odera

Director,

Girl Power Clubs Africa,

Sadili Oval Sports Academy.

www.sadili.com

GIRL POWER OFFICE IN KIBERA IS COMPLETE

Finally, a newly refurbished safe space for girls! The new Girl Power Africa Office based in Katwekera Village, Kibera in Nairobi, received a new boost as refurbishments took place, ensuring that it can host more than 200 girls of different ages and ethnicities who learn important lessons on Life Skills. It acts as the best spot for reaching out to girls who live within the slums, as many do not get a chance to travel far.

The vicinity of the office is embroidered with a tank that holds clean drinking water used by the community. Clean toilets and bathrooms are also available, serving more than 60 households and in a way reducing the transmission of waterborne diseases hence improving livelihoods.

This wonderful project was sponsored by the Embassy of Netherlands in Kenya, through Women Win.

Top two rooms (new addition)

Shows the lower half of building 2, with 2 toilets and 2 bathrooms (refurbished)

Original Building 1, with an additional room on top (new) of old room