<figure class="image image_resized" style="height:auto;width:720px;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1024/768;" src="https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/D4D12AQHcrbViVGZyzQ/article-inline_image-shrink_1500_2232/0/1711473171605?e=1722470400&amp;v=beta&amp;t=lI877JgvD-65qRRFqvn6FZdShtnvXkz0KlGow9l_eHI" alt="" width="1024" height="768"></figure>Grassroots girl-led activism is more than just a concept—it's a transformative approach that places girls at the forefront of change in their communities. For more than a decade, Msichana Empowerment Kuria has been led by the unique perspectives, experiences, and voices of girls, affirming them as capable leaders in driving sustained change for their bodily autonomy, health, and education outcomes, as well as economic opportunities.This blog marks the beginning of a series where we'll delve into our experiences of being a girls' and young women-led grassroots organisation, sharing insights, lessons learned, and exciting projects. Here, we share our experience on girl-led activism, reflecting on our participation in the <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/she%27s-the-first/">She's the First</a> Side event, <a href="https://shesthefirst.org/news-blog-roll/2024/3/13/5-lessons-for-girl-led-activism">"Girl-Led Activism: How to Get it Right,"</a> at UN CSW 68 and giving tips on how to support #grassroots #girl-led activism.<figure class="image image_resized" style="height:auto;width:720px;"><img style="aspect-ratio:940/788;" src="https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/D4D12AQEReXiBI61oSA/article-inline_image-shrink_1500_2232/0/1711470743071?e=1722470400&amp;v=beta&amp;t=TuZ6ed7PHJW8JNWGuxeN8tnyEySCWlY8wk5pLd8kx_w" alt="" width="940" height="788"></figure>For more than a decade, our work has been grounded in girls' leadership, with the belief that we cannot talk about girls without girls leading the conversations at the table. Therefore, right from the start, starting with little certainty (as we were girls ourselves), minimal resources, and gathering wherever we felt safe, we collaborated with girls to establish several key aspects.Firstly, it was to establish a structure that deeply resonated with the girls. Msichana Empowerment Kuria, after various iterations over 4 years we officially registered as a community-based organization in 2015. This meant we continued to be proximate leaders and centred within the girls' communities. Secondly, was to put in place a decision-making framework, we had a girls' steering committee, now a girls’ council, that provides leadership to the organization. At the time of our founding,- the average of our girls was 10 years old.Thirdly, programming around what resonated with girls' realities. For example, in March of 2017, we co-organized the first-ever girl-led march to end Female Genital Mutilation in the Kuria community, with nearly 1,000 girls in Kuria. We walked, sang, danced, screamed, and cried. The culmination of the march was a community gathering where girls, for the very first time, presented their demands. Following this march later in 2017, we co-created the NAWEZA project- meaning ‘I can’, and later got financial backing from <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/frida-the-young-feminist-fund/">FRIDA | The Young Feminist Fund</a>, to build girls' activism, leadership, and life skills.<figure class="image" style="height:auto;"><img style="aspect-ratio:540/326;" src="https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/D4D12AQFRc9BX9QyvfA/article-inline_image-shrink_1500_2232/0/1711470816416?e=1722470400&amp;v=beta&amp;t=5CMwMoMAg7GzrS2oqT26dYb-Uh0gVOwSUaByo_HPhmM" alt="" width="540" height="326"></figure>The March 2017,girl-led match to end FGMThe NAWEZA Project utilised girl-led advocacy and self-affirmation skills to strengthen girls' voices and agency to end child marriage and female genital mutilation. In 2021, we published our report, <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cC0WCJ8oBD4ByUz3vJWaeUFpB7tWRHQ_/view?usp=drive_link">How Girl-centred Design is Helping Shift Social Norms in Kuria to End FGM,</a> drawing lessons from this 5-year girls-led and centred programming. The report describes how the girl-centred design of the NAWEZA project focuses on involving girls (8–18 years old) in all aspects of programming, from ideation to decision-making, and how this enabled them to create an environment that was both safe and empowering for girls to lead their activism.All of the experiences shared above have been instrumental in shaping our experience of grassroots girl-led activism, which we got the opportunity to share in March 2024 in New York, during the <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/she%27s-the-first/">She's the First</a> Side Event, "<a href="https://shesthefirst.org/news-blog-roll/2024/3/13/5-lessons-for-girl-led-activism">Girl-Led Activism: How to Get it Right</a>," at the UN CSW 68. Where we shared insights into how girl-led activism fosters girls' sense of ownership and agency, enabling them to advocate for the ending of violence against girls, improved health and educational outcomes, and economic opportunities for girls.<figure class="image image_resized" style="height:auto;width:720px;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1488/836;" src="https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/D4D12AQE6tpKHAQTRpg/article-inline_image-shrink_1000_1488/0/1711471099029?e=1722470400&amp;v=beta&amp;t=1iv52FaK9NTwvDJEl654Mr7fQHAxllSVbrKdrUAZPns" alt="" width="1488" height="836"></figure>In conclusion, grassroots girl-led activism is about more than just addressing immediate issues—it's about empowering girls to shape their futures and lead with confidence. We've learned invaluable lessons along the way, and we have several tips on how to do that: Tip one, LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN to girls; no one says this better than <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/loveness-mudzuru-134111141/">Loveness Mudzuru</a>, tip two is to resource girls' groups; <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/frida-the-young-feminist-fund/">FRIDA | The Young Feminist Fund</a> gave us a lifeline; tip three is to be patient. It has taken us over a decade of supporting girls every single day through their various stages of growth to see change happen.Stay tuned for our next blog, where we'll delve deeper into our journey and share more insights from our work.

Empowering Girls: The Impact of Grassroots Girl-Led Activism from Local to Global

"Msichana" is a Swahili term for a girl who, depending on her place of birth, often faces the harsh reality of having her education, health, and bodily autonomy choices restricted. At the heart of Msichana Empowerment Kuria’s mission lies the belief that girls born today deserve the care, support, and resources necessary to thrive and reach their full potential. For 13 years, we have collaborated with girls and their communities to drive systemic change, empowering girls to lead and ensuring that social change prioritizes their well-being and capabilities.<figure class="image image_resized" style="height:auto;width:720px;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1080/810;" src="https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/D4D12AQGAeJTuyoIOzw/article-inline_image-shrink_1000_1488/0/1715232192908?e=1722470400&amp;v=beta&amp;t=iie04qc_VdKXS7ctaEPjJvozeTsgYhVwHx7Ho-Z5daA" alt="" width="1080" height="810"></figure>Girls during, Msichana's village safe spaces conveningIn this blog, we will highlight four key elements we have identified as essential for programming girl-led and centred programs while working with the most marginalized girls in our communities as key partners. These contribute to effective and promising strategies to enable adolescent girls and young women's leadership in tackling urgent social justice, and political, socio-economic issues facing girls, women and other marginalized groups.First is Girl Protection and Safeguarding; As an organisation working with girls, we have a responsibility to support the protection of girls, and a duty of care to the girls with whom we work. In practice, this means putting in place the right policies and procedures to ensure that programmes, operations, staff, and partners do no harm.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="height:auto;width:720px;"><img style="aspect-ratio:816/816;" src="https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/D4D12AQGfvkiSwIjifg/article-inline_image-shrink_1000_1488/0/1715232244385?e=1722470400&amp;v=beta&amp;t=7N6msegUCv2TTfaYNqIrTHdRhY4mTnVsxjeD51jpmG0" alt="" width="816" height="816"></figure>Second is Finding Her; which looks at the various aspects of ensuring our projects are intentional about targeting the right kind of girls for girl-centred programs; utilising tools like Adolescent Girls Mapping for profiling and segmentation and doing resource can. We created a spin-off of The Population Council’s Girl Roster to find the most left-behind girls and to make invisible girls visible.Third is Listening to Her: During this time, we hold meaningful consultations with girls and build her assets.&nbsp; Our favourite mantra has been “It is not enough to invite girls to the table. The table must be made so that the girls are even interested in sitting there". These girl consultations are a crucial aspect of the listening to her process that helps us understand how to bring girls’ voices and experiences into program design by doing listening activities that are fun and interesting. In practice, these listening sessions should be tailored to girls by age and cognitive ability.One of the lessons we are currently learning is about building girls' assets, a process where we understand what assets girls need and at what stage to reduce risk and increase opportunity, articulate why each particular asset is important for girls to have, and when it’s important to deliver these assets according to their perspective.<figure class="image image_resized" style="height:auto;width:720px;"><img style="aspect-ratio:810/810;" src="https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/D4D12AQFcioEL6iyexg/article-inline_image-shrink_1000_1488/0/1715232365672?e=1722470400&amp;v=beta&amp;t=4KEY_oTU7HCOOy06ctmQG_kNSsdY7cdRGFzBPPfFxfM" alt="" width="810" height="810"></figure>The final element is Designing with Her: This element complements the rest of the elements and allows the program team and girls to be physically involved in the programming, particularly in areas related to social justice and political and socio-economic activities. In practice, it includes a process of Opportunity Synthesis, Brainstorming the Solution and Prototyping.In conclusion, by prioritizing girl-led and girl-centered approaches, including protection and safeguarding, intentional outreach, meaningful engagement, and collaborative design, we can unlock the transformative potential of every girl and effectively advance adolescent girls' leadership in some of the most urgent issues, like tackling violence against girls and women, child marriage, limited access to girls education, and female genital mutilation.&nbsp;This blog has been authored by our founder, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-robi-tingo-6183a2b2/">Natalie Robi Tingo</a>

Girl-led activism; Effective and Promising Strategies and Approaches to Advancing Adolescent Girls

Written by Natalie TingoIn a world where girls' needs and perspectives on menstruation are not at the forefront, the onset of menstruation can be a very challenging process. In some communities, it becomes the end of their childhood when they are married off, while in others, it unfortunately leads to shame and, in extreme cases, the loss of life. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-49661658">In 2019, a teenage girl lost her life in Kenya through suicide after experiencing period shaming</a>. Across the rural and cross-border communities that Msichana Empowerment Kuria works with, more than 80% of adolescent girls have experienced sexual exploitation, physical, and emotional abuse due to period poverty.&nbsp;However, we know that menstruation is not merely a biological process; it's a fundamental aspect of their health and dignity. The title "A Girl-Centred World is a Period-Friendly World" encapsulates the essence of a crucial paradigm shift, where we prioritise girls' experiences and pave the way for a society where menstruation is not shrouded in shame or stigma but is understood, respected, and accommodated.<figure class="image" style="height:auto;"><img style="aspect-ratio:286/176;" src="https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/D4D12AQHtuB8UTahUJg/article-inline_image-shrink_1500_2232/0/1716902652692?e=1722470400&amp;v=beta&amp;t=bLzXrTkGAoppGuv-pNPj8EYsz41LFjqP0XaGTZmrfwk" alt="" width="286" height="176"></figure>Understanding the Importance of Girl-Centred Approaches to Menstrual Care.When we talk about menstruation, we're not just discussing bodily function; we're addressing a complex intersection of biology, culture, and social norms. In many societies in developing countries, such as India and other Southeast Asian countries, menstruation is surrounded by taboos and misconceptions, leading to discrimination and exclusion of girls. However, by placing girls at the center of the conversation, we acknowledge their unique experiences and challenges, fostering an environment where they feel empowered to manage their periods with confidence and dignity.<figure class="image" style="height:auto;"><img style="aspect-ratio:225/225;" src="https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/D4D12AQFtVXpgvlII4g/article-inline_image-shrink_1500_2232/0/1716904860150?e=1722470400&amp;v=beta&amp;t=BjN0Uz_HIt01hCB7JKWoiG_JuPY_7qFImvd2n2H3Fo0" alt="" width="225" height="225"></figure>Breaking the Silence: Education and Awareness.One of the most powerful tools in creating a period-friendly world is education. By providing spaces for comprehensive menstrual health education in schools and communities both offline and online, girls acquire the knowledge, skills, and support they need to understand their bodies and navigate menstruation with confidence. This education must be inclusive, addressing the needs of all girls, regardless of socioeconomic status or cultural background.Access to Resources: Ensuring Equity for All.In a period-friendly world, access to menstrual care products is not a luxury; it's a basic human right. Yet, far too many girls lack access to affordable and hygienic menstrual products, forcing them to resort to unsafe alternatives or miss out on essential activities like school or work. A UNESCO study found that one in 10 girls in sub-Saharan Africa missed school while on their period. In Kenya, it is estimated that girls lose an average of four days of school a month, which costs them 165 learning days over four years of high school. To address this issue, we must ensure that menstrual care products are readily available and affordable for all girls, regardless of their circumstances. This includes initiatives to provide, safe menstrual care facilities, high-quality biodegradable, reusable, free, or subsidized menstrual care products in schools, communities, and public spaces.<figure class="image image_resized" style="height:auto;width:720px;"><img style="aspect-ratio:848/565;" src="https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/D4D12AQF7bd-PMRtVSQ/article-inline_image-shrink_1500_2232/0/1716903845270?e=1722470400&amp;v=beta&amp;t=dqQ8QZMy79gdLzSBOY_wFirnMgzeW7LvF0c5uQgzAg4" alt="" width="848" height="565"></figure>Creating Supportive Environments: Empowering Girls.Empowering girls to advocate for their own menstrual health is crucial in creating a period-friendly world. By providing platforms for girls to share their experiences, voice their concerns, and drive change, we can ensure that policies and programs are tailored to meet their needs effectively. This empowerment should extend beyond menstruation itself, fostering a sense of agency and leadership that transcends all aspects of their lives.<figure class="image image_resized" style="height:auto;width:720px;"><img style="aspect-ratio:1488/836;" src="https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/D4D12AQGStUXueQeiMA/article-inline_image-shrink_1000_1488/0/1716908424724?e=1722470400&amp;v=beta&amp;t=5zNc1eJ7gUgnnmLajqf2CW-b8zL7FvyUVdkugrchVvA" alt="" width="1488" height="836"></figure>Girl-Centred Menstrual Care in ActionTo date, Msichana Empowerment Kuria has provided over 500,000 menstrual care essentials to 12,000 adolescent girls in rural and cross-border communities in Kenya. Through our walk-in and mobile school-based &amp; village menstrual healthcare banks, we have developed an elaborate support and provision system where girls in Migori, Kisumu, and Homabay counties in Kenya can access safe menstrual care products and girl-friendly information during their menstruation. As a result, we have seen a direct impact on girls' retention and improved performance in school, which has contributed to other outcomes like a reduction in teen pregnancies and child marriage.In conclusion, a girl-centred world is not just a utopian ideal; it's a tangible goal that we can work towards together. By prioritising girls' needs and perspectives, we can create a world where menstruation is no longer a source of shame or embarrassment but a natural and celebrated part of life. Through education, access to resources, and empowerment, we can build a future where every girl can manage her period safely, with confidence, and with dignity, contributing to a #PeriodFriendlyWorld.<figure class="image" style="height:auto;"><img style="aspect-ratio:225/225;" src="https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/D4D12AQEa4Yl3TGShtg/article-inline_image-shrink_1500_2232/0/1716909221670?e=1722470400&amp;v=beta&amp;t=HMDMfKNIzxSJTSG9YQYnQM0G5hB9VAclGgkqOdlR8rU" alt="" width="225" height="225"></figure>

A Girl-Centred World is a #PeriodFriendlyWorld

Female genital mutilation (FGM) in Kenya continues to cause death and unending suffering of especially women and girls. According to the World Health Organization, female genital mutilation is defined as all procedures which involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia and/or injury to the female genital organs, whether for cultural or any other non-therapeutic reasons. The procedure can be incredibly painful, and it can also lead to harmful side effects such as excessive bleeding, genital tissue swelling, fever,infections, urinary problems, and even death. The need to end this practice is urgent. &nbsp;While the practice of FGM isn’t limited to Kenya, a report by UNICEF stated that 30 million girls are at risk of being cut within the next decade, like 10 year old Boke Chacha from the Kuria community many girls her age have already been subjected to FGM/C and the pressure to be cut in school and home is mounting every day. The century’s old tradition is deep rooted in culture it’s often believed that cutting of the female genitalia preserves her chastity and a sense of social obligation fuels the continuation of the practice. For the most part genital cutting is done by traditional circumcisers with razors, knives that are rarely sterilized. &nbsp;More than 125 million girls and women alive today have been subjected to FGM/C in the 29 countries in Africa and the Middle East in which it is concentrated. For some the health complications especially during childbirth can be life threatening. This statistic shows how common the practice of FGM is in Kenya Because of this, it is necessary to highlight the role young people can play in totally eradicating the practice of FGM in Kenya. &nbsp;<h3 style="margin-left:0px;">1.Speaking out loudly and clearly</h3> &nbsp;Although the Prohibition of FGM Act has been in action since 4th October, 2011, many communities still practice this painful act. Because young people are predominantly affected, they can help end this practice by engaging in aggressive awareness campaigns in rural communities, where cultural beliefs and societal pressure to conform to existing traditional practices force parents to let their girls go through this excruciatingly painful and medically unnecessary procedure.Highlighting the harmful health implications of FGM to parents and traditional leaders in communities where it is practiced, and explaining that a girl who does not undergo FGM grows up to be healthy woman and no less female!!!! Than a girl who undergoes FGM, would go a long way is changing the mindset of communities that still practice FGM. And encourage girls and women, boys and men speak out loudly and clearly and announce they want this harmful practice abandoned. &nbsp;<h3 style="margin-left:0px;">2.Engaging cultural and religious leaders</h3> &nbsp;FGM/C is a violation of a girl’s rights to health, well-being and self-determination. To end FGM in Kenya, young people must engage with those who can sway communities. Young people should engage with cultural and religious leaders to speak out against FGM. In these communities cultural and religious leaders are given enormous respect and weight in Kenyan society. Based on the respect they carry, it would be easier for cultural and religious leaders to convince parents and the community to stop the practice of FGM.SchoolsAdditionally, young people should go directly into schools especially in rural areas and talk to students, especially girls, about the dangers of FGM. Since it is girls who are affected, such visits should be led by a young woman, or perhaps even a female victim of FGM who could share her personal experience. &nbsp;<h3 style="margin-left:0px;">3.Seek government support!!</h3> &nbsp;The need for Government support and strong political commitment to push for serious implementation of the Anti FGM Act will go a long for young people to end FGM in Kenya in one generation. This will be a step in the right direction as Goal 5 of the new sustainable development goals (SDGs) seeks to achieve gender equality, empower all women and girls, with a key target of ending FGM and all other harmful traditional practices. Young people should therefore seek to lead the way in participating in development, gender, and health issues, and they can lead the way to ending the practice of FGM as well as hold the Government to account on the implementation of the post Development Goals

How can Young people help in ending FGM in Kenya?

The Kuria community is located in the South Western part of Kenya which borders Tanzania. Administratively, Kuria forms part of the larger Migori County. Although it has been the policy of Kenya government to initiate development projects for the purpose of empowering rural communities, such government efforts have been constrained by a number of factors in Kuria land. Sixty six years after Kenya gained political independence, Kuria community has among the highest numbers of child marriages due to retrogressive cultural practice of female genital mutilation (FGM). &nbsp;Consequently Kuria leads in the number of school drop outs and the educated unemployed. Cumulatively, these conditions have contributed to a vicious circle of poverty. Most households within Kuria land cannot afford one dollar for their daily survival thus making the required food per capita for a healthy population not only unaffordable but also inaccessible. &nbsp;It is within the social and economic context of the above realities that the idea of The Maclyne community library/center was conceived as a remedy to the prevailing social and economic conditions. As a community resource Centre, The Maclyne is a center where both children and youth can develop their reading and comprehension skills, we currently host up to 500 children below the age of 12 who attend the Centre every afternoon after school to participate in the various activities at the Centre. &nbsp;We are providing a safe space for community dialogues being that it’s a neutral ground on pertinent issues of peace between the clans, issues affecting women and girls and in turn change their behavior and mindset about these oppressive practices. We have hosted two community gatherings in our grounds over the past few months. &nbsp;The center doubles up as a Gender based violence, rape and FGM rescue Centre for young girls who have run away from circumcision and women who are seeking refuge from violence. This year’s circumcision will be held in November and December and we are making the necessary arrangements to able to support as many girls as possible with the help of our supporters.Msichana Empowerment Kuria also runs other monthly girl and women empowerment programs that provide informal training and mentorship in the Centre in education, farming, sexual and reproductive health, maternal and infant health, women’s rights, leadership and political participation. &nbsp;This has been possible because of the great support from our volunteers, supporters and the community. Thank you all so much. This also means that there is still a HUGE space to come in and be part of the community, we can’t hardly wait to have you onboard.

How our community center is changing the lives of our community

"Worldwide, 200 million women and girls have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM). Many countries outlaw the life-threatening practice, but it still continues due to long-standing cultural traditions and deep rooted gender inequality." In this article by <a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/learn/author/miranda-cleland/">Miranda Cleland</a>, 12 innovators and project leaders in Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Tanzania share their personal approaches towards the fight to end FGM in their own communities.Some of the approaches shared are: &nbsp;"We equip girls with livelihood skills to enable them to make wise decisions in life and protect the rights of the girl child in a way that will not alienate her from her community." — Leonard Lenina, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi8scrJ2aLvAhVoxYUKHRGEAcMQFjAAegQIARAD&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fnenkashe.org%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw2B3VfX0FE5Xlq24fqlYOYo">Nenkashe Education Centre</a>:"We do village home visits coupled with door-to-door campaigns against FGM. Additionally, we support the rescue of girls in our safe shelter while providing direct support in terms of essentials through direct cash transfers to girls, menstrual care, and linkage to health and justice services to more than 600 girls in our network." -- Natalie Robi Tingo, <a href="https://twitter.com/MsichanaKuria">Msichana Empowerment Kuria</a>"Popular education. Our method trains young people how to teach each other about the dangers of FGM and why families should not cut their daughters. Young boys and girls work together to transform their communities and take a stand against FGM. We have made a promise to ourselves that we will end FGM in this generation."— Dr. Grace Mose Okong’o, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi52Mz02KLvAhVU9IUKHaeAB4UQFjAAegQIARAE&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hopefaw.org%2F&amp;usg=AOvVaw0x_k_K5itMEKgpOxuFEai2">Hope Foundation for African Women</a> &nbsp;Read the full article <a href="https://www.globalgiving.org/learn/listicle/fgm-innovators/">here</a>

12 Innovators You Should Know In The Fight Against FGM: Global giving feature

International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated every year on March 8th to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Under the annual theme Choose To Challenge, communities, networks, organizations and groups have commemorated <a href="https://msichanakuria.wixsite.com/msichana/blog/hashtags/IWD2021">#IWD2021</a> by championing their own <a href="https://msichanakuria.wixsite.com/msichana/blog/hashtags/ChooseToChallenge">#ChooseToChallenge</a> campaign.&nbsp;At Msichana Empowerment Kuria, we celebrated various women in our community and network with an 8 day countdown on our social media platforms, with our own running theme of 'Women and girls leading change'.&nbsp;Happy International Women's Day!! Who are you celebrating this month and how do you <a href="https://msichanakuria.wixsite.com/msichana/blog/hashtags/ChooseToChallenge">#ChooseToChallenge</a>. Comment below

International Women's Day (#IWD2021)

Women's rights activists from Kenya and the world over celebrated on 17th March 2021 The High Court of Kenya's ruling to uphold the ban on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). This follows the constitutional petition to strike down the Female Genital Mutilation Act filed in 2017 by Dr. Tatu Kamau who argued that prohibition of FGM forbids willing adult women from practicing per their culture. [<a href="https://www.kelinkenya.org/tag/petition-seeking-to-legalize-fgm-in-kenya/">Read article</a>]&nbsp;With survivors' testimonies considered by the bench, “We are not persuaded that one can choose to undergo a harmful practice. From the medical and anecdotal evidence presented by the respondents, we find that limiting this right is reasonable in an open and democratic society based on the dignity of women,” Justices Lydia Achode, Kanyi Kimono, and Margaret Muigai said in their ruling.&nbsp;“The upholding of the anti-FGM law is a definite boost for campaign to end FGM,” said Felister Gitongo, programme manager for End Harmful Practices for Equality Now.&nbsp;Now more than ever we appeal to you to donate towards our programs to ensure sustainable change in our community and the end of FGM. Click <a href="https://t.co/m2Jp5HwGjY?amp=1">here</a> to donate and share widely.

PETITION TO LEGALIZE FGM DISMISSED

The young people got the rare opportunity to learn how to incorporate storytelling in their activism, create impactful stories digitally, and share them to accelerate action to end child marriage. We caught up with some of the young people, and here are some of their sentiments.Margret says that after the digital training, she can now create awareness on the effects of child marriage and FGM around her community while being mindful not to worsen the situation (using the do no harm approach). She adds that she is now able to report cases effectively and provide support to survivors. The digital story making session made her realize that every one of us has a story of pain, triumph and overcoming odds. All these stories are important to encourage each other. She learnt that while writing or recording stories, one should ensure the stories are short and clear and that we should never forget there is reciprocal connectivity between listening and talking, both being very important.She fondly remembers the prototype campaign they made and the lessons that followed. She notes that since the training, she has been trying to think outside the box for campaign methods or new and uncommon ways to pass messages as she had learnt in training. She concluded by saying that child marriage needs to end because of many reasons. The main ones for her are to ensure girls get a chance to improve themselves through education and reduce the cycle of poverty from generation to generation. &nbsp;Lawrence says that the training gave him a rare opportunity to interact with other young people keen to better their communities, which is rare. He says the 5 days were packed with sharing experiences and learning from each other this motivated him immensely. He notes that since the training, he can now articulate himself and what he stands for boldly and without fear. He is also creating digital stories that adequately capture his message. Furthermore, he says that the training taught him on copyright issues and going forward, he can create stories without infringing on the creatives’ copyrights. Finally, Lawrence concluded that the training gave him new zeal to end child marriage because he noted he is not alone, and together, child marriage will end. &nbsp;Moses says that the forum made him realize that he can change his community through small gradual steps if he does not give up. He also notes that the training built his confidence; he is more than grateful for the opportunity to learn and share with other young people.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1171/896;" src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/74415a_35501406518846e68a9006b4b1f50a1d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_1171,h_896,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/74415a_35501406518846e68a9006b4b1f50a1d~mv2.jpg" width="1171" height="896"></figure>&nbsp;Jackline says that the training was personally encouraging, especially the sessions where young people shared their stories about child marriage. She says that peoples’ stories indeed encouraged her, and she learned every person has had their ups and downs, but it is within us to rise past our troubles and do better to improve our situations. As a result, she has gotten new energy to encourage young people to rise past their challenges and better our communities. &nbsp;Norah notes that after the training, she can now organize small campaigns with her neighbours and discuss the harmful effects of Child marriage and what can be done to stop the practice. She says that she learnt the ideal methods to use when organizing a digital or in-person campaign. She concluded by stating the reasons child marriage should end. Here are some of the reasons;<ul><li>Child marriage is a violation of human rights.</li><li>Child marriage exposes children to gender-based violence and promotes the cycle of poverty from a generation to another.</li><li>Despite child marriage being an issue affecting both girls and boys, girls are still the most affected, jeopardizing their status in the community.</li></ul> &nbsp;Igayi notes that the training gave him the courage to work with the community despite his limited resources. In addition, the training taught him that, ‘Neutrality helps the oppressor, not the victim, and being silent encourages the tormentor never the tormented’ He vows to never stay silent on any form of violence. &nbsp;Moronge quickly noted that the training equipped him to select who to partner with and work within the community. He adds that having a partner or a consortium of people who share your vision will make your efforts more impactful and meaningful. &nbsp;Boke concluded that she has been able to conduct peer to peer conversations on the effects of child marriage since the training. She adds that the conversations have been impactful as her peers understand the impacts of child marriage and the need to stop the practice. She notes that while making our digital stories, we should not over edit them because they could end up being unreal and thus water down our powerful stories. From the training, she says that everyone’s story is essential because we all represent huge demography of young men and women who need to feel represented, encouraged, and inspired by our individual stories. She concluded by encouraging all the young people to own our stories with pride. &nbsp;The young people learnt how to make digital stories, and from here, impactful digital stories that bring change in our communities and more digital campaigns are in the works. I cannot wait to share stories and pass the knowledge on to other young people as a young person.NO SMURF LEFT BEHINDMORE LIKE NO GIRL LEFT BEHIND.‘DIGITAL GENERATION. OUR GENERATION’<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IDG2021?src=hashtag_click">#IDG2021</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InternationalDayoftheGirl2021?src=hashtag_click">#InternationalDayoftheGirl2021</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DayOfTheGirl?src=hashtag_click">#DayOfTheGirl</a> &nbsp;**This blog was developed in partnership with youth activists in Kenya- Margaret, Lawrence, Moses, Jackline, Norah, Moronge and Boke**&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

TOGETHER FOR GIRLS, STORIES OF HOPE FROM YOUNG PEOPLE TOWARDS ENDING CHILD MARRIAGE IN KENYA

The 9th of July 2021 marked the beginning of a 4 day youth activism training for a group of 40 young people gathered from all the corners of Kuria (Yes the East and the west). This was supported by the accelerator project by <a href="https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/our-partnership/member-directory/msichana-empowerment-kuria/">Girls Not Bribes</a>, funded by the players of People's Postcode Lottery and implemented by Msichana Empowerment Kuria (MEK) in Kenya and Children's Dignity Forum (CDF) in Tanzania. &nbsp;The project uses the accelerator approach to help inform more effective and community driven interventions to address the ending of child marriage and other harmful practices, prioritizing youth engagement as a key part of community engagement.The Accelerator Approach builds on existing work of national movements in countries, providing a tailored programme of support that is designed to support the members’ developing capabilities, unlock the potential of a wide range of partners and stakeholders, and encourage increased effort and collaboration to end child marriage. Through this approach, we are keen to demonstrate that accelerated action on ending child marriage at scale is possible.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1215/832;" src="https://festinekt.s3.amazonaws.com/6d3d8fe566253d5166f8fcd6d385263ce652a3b57f2976c5e36a66ac1a879c2c" width="1215" height="832"></figure>&nbsp;&nbsp;The 40 young people ranging from the ages of 20 ~28 years old, convened to share their experiences, learn and form a network of young persons in the region to spearhead the ending of child marriages and other harmful practices.The session began with the young people expressing their expectations and setting ground rules (even Aristotle also knows the importance of house rules)&nbsp;The session then extensively discussed:<ol><li>Child marriage: causes and prevention</li><li>SRHR (Sexual Reproductive Health &amp;Rights)</li><li>Sex and gender</li><li>Advocacy strategies</li><li>Finding your voice and power</li><li>Power of partnerships</li><li>Monitoring &amp; evaluation</li></ol>From the discussion, various aspects came out clearly:<ol><li>We are the generation to foster and bring chang</li><li>Change is gradual- Rome was not built in a day.</li><li>The four elements of SRHR: information, access, privacy and confidentiality have to be assured and maintained at all times</li></ol>&nbsp;On sex and gender, sex is the biological difference between men and women while gender is the social and cultural differences between men and women. The latter is different for various communities, for example in the Maasai community women are the builders of homes while in the Kuria community, women building houses is unheard of. From this we learnt that gender roles/ norms are not cast on stone, they can change- we can change them.It was interesting to note that even sex nowadays is changeable, the world isn't as rigid as it was a few years back, Sex is fluid these days. As such we young people should be ready and willing to interrogate our ways and cherry pick what works for the good of our communities.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1261/782;" src="https://festinekt.s3.amazonaws.com/859b993fc46d89f9fb44cc9bd980e1eae3d252900afa68895a7c90d12f9a1028" width="1261" height="782"></figure>&nbsp;The four day training had intense and interactive sessions which brought forth various norms that needed to be challenged, for example the Nyumba Mboke.&nbsp;Nyumba MbokeThis is an arrangement where an older woman who has not given birth to a son marries a younger woman so that she can deliver male children for her. This arrangement has disadvantaged young children who fall victims to this arrangement due to difficult economic times.&nbsp;The sessions were great learning ground and the young people vowed to make their communities better- FGM and child marriages will end when we work together, create awareness and be willing to challenge some of the traditions propagated by our communities. This can be achieved only when young people create strong units that have far reaching impacts in the larger Kuria community. It was very inspiring to see how willing and ready young people are to be part of the change. &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1281/954;" src="https://festinekt.s3.amazonaws.com/57de1c29129b508ab6cf0c11e8557c7b16e5b4f7f2de6553c566d72100117cea" width="1281" height="954"></figure>&nbsp;Moses, one of the trainers shared that being an activist had put him in an uncomfortable position with his family because he protested against them marrying a young girl from his deceased cousin. He added that it is a difficult position to be in because the community observes keenly to see how an activist will speak on the wrong committed by his or her family. He concluded by saying being an activist means standing against any wrongs regardless who is committed them.&nbsp;Natalie the Msichana ED concluded the sessions by reminding the trainees to always stay safe, work with other young people because activism could turn ugly within minutes.&nbsp;The session was a much needed push for young people to continue fostering change in their individual communities and protect our girls from child marriage and FGM.&nbsp;&nbsp;

2021 YOUTH ACTIVISM TRAINING

CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL <a href="https://msichanakuria.wixsite.com/msichana/blog/hashtags/IDG2021">#IDG2021</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InternationalDayoftheGirl2021?src=hashtag_click">#InternationalDayoftheGirl2021</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DayOfTheGirl?src=hashtag_click">#DayOfTheGirl</a>&nbsp;Every October 11, we commemorate International Day of the Girl to recognize the achievements, opportunities and challenges impacting girls and young women everywhere. We continue celebrating this year's International Day of the Girl (IDG), whose theme is Digital generation Our generation. We look back at conversations with young girls on ending harmful practices in our communities. To commemorate the <a href="https://msichanakuria.wixsite.com/msichana/blog/hashtags/IDG2021">#IDG2021</a>, we partnered with girls from Nyatira village in Migori County for a girl-led dialogue to end child marriage supported by <a href="https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/">Girls Not Brides </a>and funding from the Players of People's Postcode Lottery.The discussion was really interactive. From the forum, poverty, GBV from family members, FGM, and school dropouts were the community's leading causes of child marriages. The need for quality education, gender equality between the sexes and openness between parents and their children was seen as critical steps in preventing child marriage.&nbsp;This girl-led dialogue was supported by youth activists trained on the Girls Not bride's <a href="https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/learning-resources/resource-centre/stand-speak-out-trainer-manual/">Stand up Speak out youth activism tool kit</a> to end child marriage. They encouraged the girls when they shared their stories of defying odds and triumph despite everything. The session was indeed one of a kind. The girls demonstrated bravery as they shared their experiences and commitment to continue speaking out to end child marriage in their communities through girls’ movements that Msichana Empowerment Kuria supports.&nbsp;In September, we had the much-anticipated cross border training for young activists from Tanzania and Kenya. The training was to reinforce the efforts made by young people to end child marriage and strengthen their skills in digital storytelling. The training was facilitated by <a href="https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/">Girls Not Brides</a>, funding by players of People's Postcode Lottery and implemented by Msichana Empowerment Kuria in Kenya and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cdf_tanzania/">Children's Dignity Forum </a>in Tanzania.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1431/953;" src="https://festinekt.s3.amazonaws.com/29abc472f67ccc62b60e42cffabc2d247d31b382605587c6108318642ba608ae" width="1431" height="953"></figure>&nbsp;The young people got the rare opportunity to learn how to incorporate storytelling in their activism, create impactful stories digitally, and share them to accelerate action to end child marriage. We caught up with some of the young people, and here are some of their sentiments.&nbsp;Margret says that after the digital training, she can now create awareness on the effects of child marriage and FGM around her community while being mindful not to worsen the situation (using the do no harm approach). She adds that she is now able to report cases effectively and provide support to survivors. The digital story making session made her realize that every one of us has a story of pain, triumph and overcoming odds. All these stories are important to encourage each other. She learnt that while writing or recording stories, one should ensure the stories are short and clear and that we should never forget there is reciprocal connectivity between listening and talking, both being very important.She fondly remembers the prototype campaign they made and the lessons that followed. She notes that since the training, she has been trying to think outside the box for campaign methods or new and uncommon ways to pass messages as she had learnt in training. She concluded by saying that child marriage needs to end because of many reasons. The main ones for her are to ensure girls get a chance to improve themselves through education and reduce the cycle of poverty from generation to generation. &nbsp;Lawrence says that the training gave him a rare opportunity to interact with other young people keen to better their communities, which is rare. He says the 5 days were packed with sharing experiences and learning from each other this motivated him immensely. He notes that since the training, he can now articulate himself and what he stands for boldly and without fear. He is also creating digital stories that adequately capture his message. Furthermore, he says that the training taught him on copyright issues and going forward, he can create stories without infringing on the creatives’ copyrights. Finally, Lawrence concluded that the training gave him new zeal to end child marriage because he noted he is not alone, and together, child marriage will end. &nbsp;Moses says that the forum made him realize that he can change his community through small gradual steps if he does not give up. He also notes that the training built his confidence; he is more than grateful for the opportunity to learn and share with other young people.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1171/896;" src="https://festinekt.s3.amazonaws.com/cdef95f81121c58e2cdc2997f7dbe219ee9a66f91b8faa9e62afa214462ad07e" width="1171" height="896"></figure>&nbsp;&nbsp;Jackline says that the training was personally encouraging, especially the sessions where young people shared their stories about child marriage. She says that peoples’ stories indeed encouraged her, and she learned every person has had their ups and downs, but it is within us to rise past our troubles and do better to improve our situations. As a result, she has gotten new energy to encourage young people to rise past their challenges and better our communities. &nbsp;Norah notes that after the training, she can now organize small campaigns with her neighbours and discuss the harmful effects of Child marriage and what can be done to stop the practice. She says that she learnt the ideal methods to use when organizing a digital or in-person campaign. She concluded by stating the reasons child marriage should end. Here are some of the reasons;<ul><li>Child marriage is a violation of human rights.</li><li>Child marriage exposes children to gender-based violence and promotes the cycle of poverty from a generation to another.</li><li>Despite child marriage being an issue affecting both girls and boys, girls are still the most affected, jeopardizing their status in the community.</li></ul> &nbsp;Igayi notes that the training gave him the courage to work with the community despite his limited resources. In addition, the training taught him that, ‘Neutrality helps the oppressor, not the victim, and being silent encourages the tormentor never the tormented’ He vows to never stay silent on any form of violence. &nbsp;Moronge quickly noted that the training equipped him to select who to partner with and work within the community. He adds that having a partner or a consortium of people who share your vision will make your efforts more impactful and meaningful. &nbsp;Boke concluded that she has been able to conduct peer to peer conversations on the effects of child marriage since the training. She adds that the conversations have been impactful as her peers understand the impacts of child marriage and the need to stop the practice. She notes that while making our digital stories, we should not over edit them because they could end up being unreal and thus water down our powerful stories. From the training, she says that everyone’s story is essential because we all represent huge demography of young men and women who need to feel represented, encouraged, and inspired by our individual stories. She concluded by encouraging all the young people to own our stories with pride. &nbsp;The young people learnt how to make digital stories, and from here, impactful digital stories that bring change in our communities and more digital campaigns are in the works. I cannot wait to share stories and pass the knowledge on to other young people as a young person.NO SMURF LEFT BEHINDMORE LIKE NO GIRL LEFT BEHIND.‘DIGITAL GENERATION. OUR GENERATION’<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IDG2021?src=hashtag_click">#IDG2021</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InternationalDayoftheGirl2021?src=hashtag_click">#InternationalDayoftheGirl2021</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DayOfTheGirl?src=hashtag_click">#DayOfTheGirl</a> &nbsp;**This blog was developed in partnership with youth activists in Kenya- Margaret, Lawrence, Moses, Jackline, Norah, Moronge and Boke**&nbsp; &nbsp;

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