Girl Power Clubs Siaya County Emerging Issues Report: Feb-March 2015

Girl Power Clubs in Sigomre has been making slow but sure progress this term.  Due to a nationwide teachers strike that paralysed learning in all public schools in the country, many schools opened well into the new term, in early February. Having begun so late in the school term, the school administrations gave priority to catching up with the school syllabuses and curricula over other needs. Many extra-curricular activities were dropped except for those designated as a must by the Ministry of education. The exceptions were competitive inter-school sports tournaments, debates, science congress and drama. In the hurried and packed school timetables many head teachers were reluctant to assign time for student club activities this term even where these appeared on the timetables. A few of the teachers (thankfully vey few) appear to feel that Girl Power is an additional responsibility they can do without unless they receive compensation.

Mentoring of schoolgirls is almost totally ignored in many communities in Kenya, and although the ministry has included counselling in the curriculum in all schools in most cases it is given lip service and only applied on a case by case basis. In the hurried atmosphere that attended resumption of teaching in schools many teachers would rather give the time to remedial classes or sports. Sports usually wins out especially as the responsibility for this is delegated to a coach or sports teacher. Also parents pay for sports activities and expect value for themir money not to mention the fact that most students love sporting activities.

This term there have been a lot of interruptions that interfered with the seamless flow in Girl Power Club activities. Eleven schools in Sigomre Ward have Girl Power clubs, but three of them have yet to hold a Goal activity, especially the secondary schools. Examples are Tingare Secondary,  Moi Uloma, and Got Osimbo Girls. The first two are sport champions in the county while the second one being the only "girls only" boarding school in the constituency is under great pressure to better its academic performance and has embarked on an exam-oriented regime which has even affected sports. Our tactic in most cases has been to turn up anyway and teach a life skill during the sports session or to deliver more than one topic per session.

Despite this, more and more members of the community are eager that their daughters join the Clubs, especially since the girls are involved in sports activities. They say they have seen a positive impact that the sports and life skills activities have had on their daughters and would wish that the work continues. In fact at one public meeting called by the Chief parents wanted to know when Girl Power would start at their local primary and secondary school. There has also been an increase in the number of girls joining Girl Power and we have had to cap this at a maximum of 50 girls to allow for meaningful engagement, especially as use of English is a challenge especially in public primary schools here which begin learning the language only in Std 4. But our insistence on its use is beginning to bear fruit as more members are using it with improved confidence.

The boys of course are quite jealous and a few of the male teachers also  wonder why girls should receive special attention. Such teachers and headteachers have gone as far as using the Girl Power balls for the boys teams saying they are school property. This is the case in St Ignatius Sigomre Primary and in Ninga Primary. However Rome was not built in a day and the positive influence that Girl Power is exerting is changing the girls into questioning injustices and pushing for their rights. This has happened in Ninga Primary where the girls have insisted they too must be given time to play as a team on the soccer pitch and to use the Girl Power balls.

We are pushing on with the work and hope to have more sessions before schools get down to exams or close the term. We are staying positive as usual, because we are POWERFUL!

Maria Okong'o
Project Assistant
Girl Power Clubs Africa
Ugunja Constituency, Siaya County

Holidays: 17 Thoughts From 17 Girls About The Holidays

#11

NAME: AMEDA MERCY AFANDI

AGE: 14

CLASS: 8

GP: What have you learnt this year?

Ameda: I have learnt to overcome any problems that come through

GP: What has your experience in Girl Power?

Ameda: I have been left alone because of being a good girl and a lot different from other girls.

GP: What would you wish to see in Girl Power?

Ameda: I would like to see many more girls change their lives.

GP: What do you plan to do this holiday?

Ameda:  I am planning to teach my fellow girls how to live in this world.

GP: What are the challenges girls face over long holidays?

Ameda: They are being disturbed by boys, and their family members who do not understand them

GP: How will you overcome that?

Ameda: By taking care of myself, behaving well everywhere, and not roaming around aimlessly.

GP: We now have a Girl Power Office in Kibera, what would you do with it?

Ameda: I would teach many girls know how to take care of themselves and how to control themselves in the streets.

#12

NAME: HELLEN ANYANGO

AGE: 14

CLASS 8

GP: What have you learnt this year?

Hellen: That it is good to take care of myself.

GP: What do you plan to do this holiday?

Hellen: Going to the village and educating the girls over there.

GP: What is the biggest challenge girls face over holidays?

Hellen: Engaging in unprotected sex misuse.

#13

NAME: ODEMBO LUCY AWINO

AGE: 14

SCHOOL: NAZARENE

CLASS: 8

GP: What have you learnt this year?

Lucy: I should have my own beliefs that will guide me.

GP: What would you wish to see in Girl Power?

Lucy:  I would like to see more teachers to guide us.

GP: What do you plan to do this holiday?

Lucy: I plan to teach more girls how they should be.

#14

NAME: DINAH

AGE: 14 YEARS

SCHOOL: NAZARENE SELF HELP SCH

CLASS: 8

GP:  What have you learnt this year?

Dinah: We should practice how to say NO or YES and we should not engage ourselves into bad company.

GP: What do you plan to do this holiday?

Dinah: To form a group of girls and teach them about life style.

#13

NAME: SHARON AKINYI

SCHOOL: NAZARENE SELF HELP

AGE: 13 YEARS

CLASS: 8

Sharon:  I will never walk with bad company

GP: What do you plan to do this holiday?

Sharon: To teach more girls about a good life style

#14

NAME: OLALA JANNESSAR AWOUR

AGE: 14 YEARS

SCHOOL: NAZARENE SELF HELP SCHOOL

Olala: I plan to help my parents and visit children's centers

GP: What are the challenges that girls face over long holiday?

Olala: Many girls get married and many of them get raped.

GP: W now have a Girl Power Office in Kibera, what will you do with it?

Olala: Visiting everyday.

#15

NAME: OHOTH DORCAS AKINYI

AGE: 14

SCHOOL: NAZARENE SELF HELP

CLASS: 8

GP: What have you learnt this year?

Dorcas: Girls should know their principles and stand strong

GP: What has been your experience?

GP:  What would you wish to see in Girl Power?

Dorcas: I would like the members of to go all over the country to teach other girls

GP: What are the challenges that girls face over long holiday?

Dorcas: Cases to do with rape and forced to early marriages.

GP: How do you overcome them?

#16

NAME: OWINI SHARON ATIENO

AGE: 15YRS

SCHOOL: NAZARENE PRIMARY SCHOOL

GP: What have you learnt this year?

Sharon: We as girls we should know the type of friends we have and be careful with what we do.

#17

NAME: EUNICE AKOTH

AGE: 14YRS

CLASS:7

My year has been good. I was enjoying it because of football. In Girl Power we have learning how girls use sports to protect themselves.

During this holiday I would like to join a Girl Power team so that i can train with them. During holidays many girls face some problem such as being raped because the way they dress is not good

If you plan to overcome dangers, you are needed to protect yourself well. You need a Safe Space.

If we had a Girl Power Office in Kibera, I would use it well. It would be my safe space.

#18

NAME: BELINDA AUMA

AGE: 13 YRS

CLASS: 6

I will like to help other girls prepare for their future, teach them how to take care of themselves and how they should be active when they have a ball.

#19

SCHOOL: ST. MICHAEL'S HOLY UNITY ACADEMY

NAME:  MY NAME IS MILLICENT ATIENO

AGE: I AM 12YRS OLD

CLASS: I AM IN CLASS 6

GP: How as your year been?

Millicent: My year has been very exciting,  I performed very well in school because I listened to Girl Power.

This holiday,  I plan to help my parents at home and after that I play football, and stay away from bad company.

#20

ST. MICHAELS'S HOLY UNITY

My name is Jemmy Musyoka. Age, I am 13 years old. I am in Class 8.

I want to be a great footballer. Girl Power taught me that I can me anything I want to be if I have discipline and I am ready to work hard.

#21

NAME: FAITH

SCHOOL: HOLY UNITY

AGE: 17 YRS

This year, I learnt to play football well. Over the holidays, I am planning to visit my sick sister in Kenyatta Hospital. I want to be a policewoman. I like them because they are always smart and strong and I admire their uniforms

#22

ST MICHAEL'S HOLY UNITY ACADEMY

NAME: CYNTHIA OMBETE

AGE: 12 YEARS

CLASS: STD 6

Cynthia: I have learnt how to play football and to be careful with boys. I hope be a Girl Power coach in the future.

#23

SCHOOL: HOLY UNITY ACADEMY

NAME: MIJORO WINNY

AGE: 14 YEARS

CLASS: STD 6

GP: If you had a Girl Power Office in Kibera, what would you use it for?

Winny: I use it for having fun with my freinds

GP: What would you like to be when you grow up?

Winny: I would like to be a psychologist

#24

ST. MICHAELS HOLY UNITY ACADEMY

My name is Brendah Awour. I am 15 years old and I am in class Eight. This has been a good year because God has guided me with His blood from January up to now. In Girl Power I have learn how you can avoid peer pressure and how you can avoid bad company.

In this holiday, we have a tournament at Maringo and I plan to go there. Sometimes, during holidays you visit your friend at their home and you can find them with bad people who are dealing with drugs and they can convince you to take some.

I plan to overcome the dangers by continuing to play football. As a candidate have worked very hard so that I can achieve my goals by passing the coming exams. I want to be a surgeon.

 #25

NAME: PHIONA AKINYI

AGE: 12

CLASS: SIX

SCHOOL: ST. MICHAELS'S HOLY UNITY

GP: If you had a Girl Power Office in Kibera, what will you use it for?

Phiona: To call some girls and give then good advice not to walk in dangerous places.

#26

NAME: ESTHER AMWAI

AGE: 15 YRS

CLASS: 8

SCHOOL: ST. MICHAEL'S HOLY UNITY

I am a candidate and plan to get a good job in my future life. I want Girl Power Office to pay for me school fees, so that I can go on to secondary school.

#26

NAME: SHARON ODERO

AGE: 15 YRS

CLASS: 8

SCHOOL: ST. MICHAELS HOLY UNITY

I plan to visit my grandmother in the country side during the holidays. That way, I will avoid the boys who like to come and abuse me so that I can join them. I plan to go very far, like to USA and many other places, so that I don’t get abused, one day.

#27

ST. MICHAELS HOLY UNITY

My name is Millicent Atieno. I am 13 years old and i am in class six.

My year was good because I was healthy and God guided me all year. I learn more about Girl Power. They taught us how to behave yourself and know how to play football.

I plan to go and enjoy this holiday with my relatives and do more about football.

There some girls are also doing dangerous things during the holidays, they go and meet with boys but this time I am going to telling them to be careful.

If we had a Girl Power Office I would us it to practice my music. I will like to be a musician because I have a talent in singing.

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