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!

Girl Power Clubs Africa Celebrates 2017 Menstrual Hygiene Day

Approximately half of the global female population are in reproductive phase and have monthly menstruation. Research shows that in Kenya, only 12% of girls would be comfortable receiving information about menstruation from their mother. On 28^th May 2017, Girl Power Clubs Africa joined organizations around the world in celebrating the annual global menstrual hygiene day. The event was celebrated in Nairobi at Nazarene Primary School with St. Catherine’s and Nazarene Girl Power Clubs. The day was celebrated under the theme ‘Education about menstruation changes everything’ and was facilitated by Sadili staff Joy Akim, Philipa Mtamira, Aurelia Mito and Trizah Mboya.

Discussions during this highly interactive and informative session revolved around: understanding what menstruation is, what menstrual hygiene entails, what a girl needs during her periods, myths and facts about menstruation as well as overcoming taboos surrounding periods. The girls were also given a chance to ask questions and to talk about their personal experiences with menstruation.

“The one lesson I am taking home with me is that menstruation is beautiful, and is not something to be ashamed of,” remarked Roslyn, a pupil at Nazarene Primary school. “I am yet to have my first period but I will be very well prepared for it when it comes.”

Girl Power Clubs Africa is a leadership program focused on providing girls with a chance to learn life skills and learn to make decisions that affect their lives and their communities positively. It strongly believes that that every woman and girl has a right to know the importance of hygiene management during menstruation. One of its focus areas is on providing factual guidance and positive information around menstruation, breaking taboos and traditional practices.

Every year on May 28, Menstrual Hygiene Day (MHD) is celebrated worldwide to raise awareness about the importance of menstrual hygiene management and break taboos for women and adolescent girls.

It was initiated by the German-based NGO WASH United in 2014. 

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.

 

Emerging Issues Busia County March 2015

At last we are in Busia County, North Teso Sub County, Angorai Division, Katakwa Location. This is home to the Teso. They have very fertile land and are a very hard working people. They are farmers and their main cash crop presently is Tobacco. Majority of the Teso people are found in Uganda and they have a king who is referred to as Emormor. As mentioned earlier they are still very in touch with their African ways. This has led to very serious violation of the children and women rights in this community.

My visit to this community was very humbling as I found very friendly people but was also shocked by the information I was getting. I was here to launch the girl power program with assistance from the director of H- WAY (Heal the Women and Youth) a community based organization that we partnered with on the ground. They use sports as a tool for change and development. 

Several issues emerged from this visit. First, there are very many cases of rape, incest and sexual harassment. Girls as young as the age 7 are being defiled by their relatives who should be protecting them. Most of these cases are not reported and for the few that are reported only one is completed and the offender persecuted. The parents and government administrators are highly compromised.

Secondly there are several girls, who have gone back to school and are performing despite the predicaments that faced them. We have girls who have given birth. We applaud these young mothers who have a strong will to make a change in their lives. They really need a lot of guidance, support, and encouragement.  We also have victims of rape and incest  who are in school bravely dealing with stigma, are working hard in school despite all this.

Thirdly is that most girls in secondary schools are sexually active. This has resulted in very many severe cases of sexually transmitted infections. These girls are ignorant and are not practicing safe sex. There are also cases of HIV positive children who need proper care and medication. The number of HIV positive students is not big.

Fourth is high poverty levels have resulted in young girls falling for bodaboda riders (Motorbike riders) who cheat and have sex with them then leave them. This has greatly contributed to these girls dropping out of school due to early pregnancy. On the other hand young boys are also dropping out of school to be bodaboda riders and make quick easy money.

Fifth is a high rate of girls dropping out of school due to lack of school fee, early pregnancies, early marriages, and poverty. In some cases the parents prefer to educate the boys and not the girls. 

The other issue is a high rate of absenteeism for girls in school especially when they are on their menstrual period. This is because they do not have sanitary towels.

There are also several child headed households and this affect their education. There are several causes for this, one the parents are diseased, secondly the parents have moved to town to look for jobs, on the other hand its grandparents who are left in the home and they are too old to fend for the children.    

The girls of this community are very talented and they play sports. This is home to both handball and football national teams. The community also actively participates in sports as noted by the CBO H-WAY.

There is need for us to come up with a boys program in this area that will support the girls directly. We cannot address some of these problems successfully if we do not involve our brothers.

Lastly is that in order for us to make a change in this community we need to address the community as a whole. We need to talk to the mothers, fathers, girls and the leadership. We need to see change in women by women for women. Just as we say you can silence one girl but a nation of girls can’t be silenced. We have a platform to voice out and we surely will till change happens.

April's Story

April is 14 years old and softly but well spoken.  At the start of the day she performed a poem she had written herself about a teenage girl becoming pregnant and being sad about the choices her future held. She is in Class 8 at Nazarene school and her favourite subject is social studies.

“My life in Kibera … it is not good at all but it’s just what we have.  One of my parents has passed away and I do not see the other one.  I live with my guardians who I like very much.  I like school so much also”.

“I came to this school this year, so I joined Girl Power right away.  It has helped me to control myself.  I know how to control myself and I’m strong and I know how to, if someone asks me something I know how to respond and how to stand up for myself.  Girl Power has changed my life, now I know my future. I want to be a pilot and I am working hard to get sponsored to go to high school.  I am searching for a sponsor”.

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