Nawiri Sisters Foundation had invited us, the volunteers, to take part in a pad donation drive at its partner institutions(Madaraka Primary, St. Aloysius Gonzaga High School and Baraka Za Ibrahim Children Centre).
One of activities that we engaged in was conducting a survey among adolescent girls regarding menstruation. I panicked since I was uncertain about how I’d get the girls to open up and speak freely. The first and the second interaction were difficult, neither was the third.
The girls started expressing themselves freely after a number of interactions with them. I was amazed at the high degrees of knowledge possessed by some of the young girls on menstrual health matters. Some who had begun their menstrual cycles were not as informed as those who had not. From the survey, I learnt that most girls were more comfortable to seek information and help from their mothers and other female relatives especially on menstruation issues.
They were not open to the possibility of reaching out to male parents or guardians and relatives when it comes to menstruation; some girls were ashamed, mocked and laughed at during their menses, by male individuals. This reality occured to me as a huge challenge, as a man. This opened my eyes to a society full of taboos, myths and misconceptions about menstruation and the stigma that comes with it.
On the 2nd May 2020, we visited Baraka za Ibrahim Children’s Centre to not only donate sanitary towels but also have fun and play games with the girls at the home. This was another eye-opening experience because I had never been to this side of Nairobi before. On the way to the home, I noted some of the challenges facing the residents of Kibera, such as poor sewage systems, air pollution and lack of access to clean water.
Baraka za Ibrahim Children’s Centre was among the many livelihoods who suffered from lack of access to water. We were informed that the children came together to contribute fifty shillings to buy a jerry can of water. This was a challenging reality for me to realize the audacity of the girls and boys at the centre to survive.
I observed how united these teens were at the home. Their faces were all filled with joy upon interacting with us. I learnt to strive to be happy no matter the challenges we go through.
These experiences challenged me to be an agent of change, an male individual who is ready to challenge the narrative that exists in a society that is consistently hindering girls and women from attaining their full potential.
I vowed to myself to be part of the movement that shall create spaces for girls to safely undergo their menstruation. I am glad to have been introduced to such environments by Nawiri Sisters Foundation, and I am ready to impact more girls, one at a time.
WE ARE NAWIRI.