Sunday, August 31, 2008

How safe are we?

Hey girls,
This week we will be blogging about women and safety.It is a very interesting topic and I can’t wait to read your posts.
This being the last week of the BAWo project,I would like to encourage everyone to make a post and comment on others posts.Thanks.
The question that I am asking myself is: How safe are we as women?Can we walk on the streets at night or even during the day and still feel safe?
Unfortunately,we cannot and if you are one of thise women who never experienced harrassment ,then count yourself as lucky.We are indeed the “weaker sex” but only weaker in terms of physical strenght but in all other areas we are the best ,fully mature and strong.We may be weak physially but we can find ways of protecting ourselves,many times we depend on other people to do things for you,we rely fully on them but what we must learn is that “people always leave"and we need to learn how to protect ourselves.
I don’t have much to say but I think I have said enough.

Look forward to your posts.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Young mother!!

Hey guys,
Please forgive fror not blogging sooner but the internet connection at my school is really bad and often overcrowded.
Teenage/early pregnancy is a something that we hear, see every single day.Its is something that so many young women go through in this day and age.I Cannot take sides on this argument because its a verysensitive issue.If you get pregnant when you are young, one has two choices either to bear the “shame” of having a baby while not married or to abort.Yes I said its a very sensitive issue.I know one thing for sure that we all make mistakes but what matters is what we learn from the mistakes we have made and how to move on in a way that we can avoid making the same mistake.I am notbeing judgemental,I am being real.ai have a few friends who at thismoment are proud mothers and there is one thing i admire about them thier strenght to carry on.It is beautiful I must add.I also have a couple who have gone tthe other direction and when they have the heart to talk about it ,they draw feelings of regret and anger.I have never been there but one thing I know for sure is that motherhood is beautiful ,whether young,old,I respect all motheres because they have shown that they are ready to make this world a better place.
I miss you all. 

Friday, August 29, 2008

Young Motherhood

“Too young to be called a mother and jus too old to be called a girl”

Thats the term I always refer to when I think about young mothers. It is a struggle, a debate, a fight with time and often time of confusion. Even for married women motherhood is quite overwhelming. For a young girl with no support she looses herself....in an instance you are no longer your mothers daughter but someones dependant or in addition someones wife. How many of us are supportive of young mothers? Not financially but emotionally. Sometimes all that one needs is a shoulder to lean on, a hand to hold and a voice to tell them everything will be okay.

Young mothers are put down and often led to believe that they have failed and are doomed. I believe they have the right to smile, to dream, to love and to dance. Its a long way coming but there needs to be structures that offer support emotionally to young mothers. Not to say that it is okay to have unprotevted sex but that if it has happen let us move on and better our lives, move mountains and shake the world!

It has come to a point of despair in our country the rates at which girls and young women are falling pregnant. We need to fight this battle and help young women and girls learn the need to be assertive enough to negotiate for safe sex without feeling intimidated....

Cheers!

Monday, August 25, 2008

Teenage/early Pregnancy

Early Pregnancy is one issue that has affected both young girls to day; with consent or not it has been a major issue in our Countries. We have witnessed a generation, where girls at tender age are engaged in risky sexual behaviors with all of us in the community watching. Statistics have shown that most of these girls are engaged in sex with much older men, risking their chances of being infected with HIV/AIDS.
As a young women advocate, the issue of girls engaging into sex early have been my areas of focus.

Ignorance has contributed a lot to girls engaging into sex. A large proportion of adolescent girls and boys have no access to sexual reproductive health information and services. Their important Live Teachers i.e. parents and school teachers offer little or no information at all. Most of the adolescents are left at mercies of their peers and media, who/which magnify sex and belittling the consequences or effects of the Act (sex).

Poverty is another cause of early pregnancy that we cannot ignore. This year I have got an opportunity to work in two slum areas (Mukuru and Mathare)
Before our sessions we always talk of our experience during the week. I asked one 16 year old and this what she said (Hey! last night it was horror! there is this neighbor of mine who brings girls to his room ALL times. I’m USED of him having sex, but last night it was too much) that’s how far I can go with this story for today.
The look in her eyes, I couldn’t help but sympathies with her. Most Families in Slum areas live in iron sheet house or cartoons depending with how rich they are. All are partitioned with cartoons or iron sheets, in that you can see (peep) or hear everything that happens in the neighbors house.
The question is how can we successfully promote abstinence in this environment where sex is seen and heard by our young ones?
Where in a single room, Parents sleep on the bed while the kids sleep under the bed?
Where rape I the older of the day?
Where there is no dignity of sex?

There is need to safe guard the lives of our girls. We need to deliver our citizens from esteem poverty, construct descent houses and uphold family morals and values for us to reduce teenage pregnancy.
Institutions of education need to integrate sexual and reproductive health education in school syllabus so that Young people can be equipped with SRH, livelihood and life skills at tender age, grow up knowing the right and wrong and be able to make informed choices .
The government need to reinforce all those bills that protect adolescent girls form sexual abuse and exploitation

As a community, our role is clear, let teach our young boys and girls SEX. If we don’t a bad guy will.
Change starts with us. Me and You.

teenagers/ early pregnancy

hi everyone
todays topic is kind of interesting because we all pass through that age(teenage age). ok in this case the people who are affected mostly is the ladies. lets talk about school, you find that when a girl go ahead and have sex the she is likely to be pregnant, when this happens the person to drop school is the girl coz she has to go to give birth and in many cases she doesn’t continue with the school. again this girl she is still very young and that is very insecure to this girls life bcoz she is still very young to start giving birth or she may decide to do abortion on which is very risky to her live. you know is a tragedy when you mess your life when you were still young. then in the future you came to regret when the right time finally comes. so lets watch out and lets not try practicing it no matter what the temptation also lets teach the young ones not to try it, till marriage

TEENAGE\EARLY PREGNANCY

HI everyone its yet another week good to hear from everyone,when you are pregnant its good but at the right time being a teenage is very good you enjoy every bit of it but you have to be very careful many obstacles come your way and you have to be strong .when you get pregnant at teenage you face many problems when giving birth also taking care of the baby coz you are still young .many girls have been pregnant at teenage and they boyfriends leave them they face many problems every teenage girl should be careful and do the right thing at the right time.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

A Diversion: Young Kenyans at Risk Speak Out Through Blogs and Photos

Sorry for breaking the flow of this week’s discussion. I received this from a mailing list I belong to about young kenyans participating in a blogging project, a little similar to BAWo and thought you might be interested in reading about it.

Ore

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AdvocacyNet
News Bulletin 153
August 20, 2008
*****

Young Kenyans at Risk Speak Out Through Blogs and Photos

August 20, 2008, Nairobi, Kenya: A pioneering initiative by an Advocacy Project (AP) Peace Fellow is using the Internet to bring the voices of disadvantaged youth in Kenya to the world.

Peace Fellow Kristina Rosinsky is volunteering this summer with the Undugu Society of Kenya (USK), an AP partner that works with children who live and work on the streets, and with vulnerable youth. Ms Rosinsky has helped USK start a Digital Storytelling Project, which she is using to teach blogging, photography and computer skills to 17 young people who live on the streets or in informal settlements.

The project seeks to change negative stereotypes about these children and advocate for the issues they raise. USK plans to hold a national conference at the end of this year and develop a plan of action around the issues explored in the students’ blogs.

“The public can learn that these students are intelligent members of society that have something to contribute to debates on issues affecting the country,” Ms Rosinsky said. “The public’s stereotypes of children living on the streets do not reflect reality.”

The students’ blogs cover topics ranging from issues like the environment and post-election violence to stories about their personal lives. So far, 19-year-old Amina Kombo has blogged about discrimination she faced as a Muslim, the death of an elderly man that she witnessed during a post-election riot and a friend who was shot in the streets of Nairobi. Her photos include portraits of a young boy getting high on glue.

“The project was very fun from beginning to end,” Ms Kombo said. “I truly love blogging for I get to share most of my ups and downs with other people.”

Of the 17 students in Ms Rosinsky’s workshop, nine were chosen from USK’s Education and Training program, which helps poor youth get an education and learn vocational skills. The other eight were chosen from USK’s Street Children and Youth Associations, which are groups of young people who live and work on the streets. There are thought to be 250,000 such children in Kenya, and approximately 60,000 in Nairobi alone.

The project received funding from the Jessica Jennifer Cohen Foundation, a US-based charity that contributed $1,600 toward the costs of digital cameras, memory cards, Internet fees, and travel expenses.

Classes began with an introduction to blogging and photography. Although just two of her students had used a computer before, and only one had used a camera, Ms Rosinsky said the children got used to the technology quickly, and impressed her with their writing.

“I figured that the kids I would be teaching would be uneducated, high and generally hard to teach but… these preconceived notions were wildly off the mark,” Ms Rosinsky wrote in her own blog.

Beginning in September, the 10 best students will be trained to teach other students the skills they have learned. Additionally, the top two students will be trained to run the project once Ms Rosinsky leaves Kenya in November. The plan is for a new group of students to start classes in January 2009, taught by Ms Rosinsky’s current students.

AP is helping USK to raise funds for this next phase of the project. To help, please visit their donations page.

* See the blogs and photos of the Digital Storytelling Project
* Read the blog of AP Peace Fellow Kristina Rosinsky
* Learn more about the Undugu Society of Kenya

AdvocacyNet is a service of The Advocacy Project (AP) that is offered to advocates working for human rights and social justice at the community level. AP is based in Washington, DC. Phone +1 202 332 3900; fax +1 202 332 4600. For more information visit our website (http://www.advocacynet.org/) or email us.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Sports???

I am not really a sports person but onre thing that i do know is that it is good for me and you as well.I haven’t done much sports but I am a pretty active person and to me sports does’nt neccessarily mean a field,balls and all that.I can say dancing is a good sport and I do tat very often and I am not claiming to be fit but lets just say that if a crocodile(I really fear crocodiles infact, reptiles for that matter) showed up at this precise moment i could run for my life.Obviously,I dont have to say much to say about sports so I will sign off.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

WOMEN AND SPORTS

One of my highlights for high school was playing volleyball and I would start looking forward to practice at breaktime which was about ten to after classes at four when trainning started! The volleyball field was a place for me to unwind and shout and just be myself.
It is true that not many women,compared to men,are involved in sports and this is very sad.Sports enhances unity through teamwork;it creates a forum for interaction and as a result people are able to learn from each other and the most beautiful thing is that exercises are great for relieving tension and stress!
Most women are usually involved in many activities that they hardly have time to do other things like sports.I think in such situations,women can take up jogging in the morning or evening for at least half an hour as this is better than no exercise at all.This is an interesting topic but im afraid I havent much to say about it.
(Lost my grandfather and will be travelling.Will catch up as soon as I return.)

Monday, August 18, 2008

Women & Sports

It’s been great to read all your posts and comments in the last few weeks, though I have not been able to participate much. Last week, my organisation hosted a technology camp for high school girls and although technology was a major focus and I spent a good part of my day in the computer lab, I did not have much time to check email and go online.

Anyway, this is a great time to talk about women and sports, with the Olympics going on and us seeing so many fine examples of women in sports. I have never been very good at any sports though I love walking and going to the gym.

The benefits cannot be over-emphasised. Sports help teach the value of teamwork and hard work. And of course, you feel and look great afterwards. The ironic thing is that many young girls I know (and even women) do not really like sports. For some, their reasons are that it messes up their hair and makes them get all sweaty. Many even think that fitness is something to be indulged in only when trying to lose weight. These ideas tend to be easily passed from mothers to daughters.

Along with doing sports or participating in fitness, should be the attention to a healthy diet. This is another big problem, especially here in Nigeria as starchy and oily foods are among the most common. These unhealthy diets are also passed on from one generation to the next. Women have a big role to play in creating healthier ideas about diet and fitness.

I admire sports people, as I think their determination, hard work and sense of purpose is something to be emulated. 

Women and Sports

I am one Person inspired very much by the Olympics this year. I have created a habit of watching the games once a day. What really coughs my eyes is the beautiful women form all over the world participating in the event. Women have shown that, what men can do, women can do. Women are breaking records, registering a win over men. I’m proud of one of our own Catherine Ndereba.

Sport for women serves both social and economical purpose.
Women have participated in sport to socialize, expand their networks, leisure and creating awareness. Here in Kenya we are witnessing adolescent girls getting involved in football as players, a game once dominated by Male.
I’m happy for this girls as they invest their time well, hence avoiding risky behaviors that might lead to HIV infection, teenage pregnancy and crime.

For economical purposes, a good number of women earn their living through sport. They meet their daily bread through sport.
Sporting for women is a is a live time activity for women of Great Spirit. I admire their zeal and determination.
It’s a spirit we all should admire and be a part of.

I working on getting back to sporting, the ACT and ART of great women. YOU have to join me.

women and sports

hi everyone. honestly today’s topic is kind of tricky and hard but anyway we will try to talk about it briefly. ok as we all know if there was’nt any women in the world then there could not be any person in the world. and well sports make us feel great when playing it also is part of exercise and is healthy for our health. atleast today women are given a chance to play different games unlike those old days they were not given any chance at all. today is different since we can see women playing in the fields and that is a great thing don’t you agree?. well i think..his we women and sports thing is a great thing since is a good and also healthy thing for us to do. 

women and sports

Hi everyone,

I get so excited when I see young women on the track, in the field or on the pitch. As women we have come a long way in getting many young women to participate and exploit their talents. I think as young people we should encourage and celebrate those women who have made it in sports and those who promote it. I have come to realize with the work that I do that sports can not be used for social change. It is important that we encourage young women and girls to participate in various healthy activities that work to better their lives and promote healthy living through exercise.

I am proud to say that one of our facilitators, Carol is one or the great sports women in our country. Carol lease continue the great work that you are doing with young women and girls in our country.

Have a great day and I look forward to reading your post and comments.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

GENDER EQUALITY

I wonder why it is that when we speak of gender equality the first thing that comes to mind is women,yet gender is the social meaning attached to being male or female.Maybe its because women experience discrimination from the word go.In many African communities,the celebration that will occur when a female child is born is nothing compared to the jubilant celebration that ensues when a male child is born.As female children grow they are introduced to the world of domestic chores as the male children are involved in seemingly muscle needing activities.It was and still is a big issue taking girls to school as there was-as people thought-no need for them to go to school,after all,they would be married and gone,of course,after the parents got ‘paid’ for taking care of the child until marriage.In marriages,men seem to think that they own the women,atfer all,they paid dowry,didnt they? There are very many cases of gender based violence the most common being domestic abuse,and women and children are the most vulnerable.Women are physically,psychologically,sexually and economically abused all over the world,day in,day out!
Women have come a long way and it is good to see many women now involved in many activities that were previously dominated by men.However,women are still discriminated on when job searching and some go through gruelling situations before they are employed.Participation of women in formal jobs is affected by such factors as religion,race,age and marital status.
Jayne I do agree with you;development programmes focused on women benefits the whole community! It could be that women take care of their own and can be very selfless when it comes to their families and friends..I dont know,what do others think?
I have not really experienced discrimination-apart from being told I could not play some games because I was a girl!!! the nerves! trust you me,I proved them wrong!-but have seen women being discriminated on.I have seen men batter their wives without mercy,heard of women denied work because they refused to sleep with the male boss,seen the lifeless eyes of female children raped by men,hard of women who struggle to feed their children while their husbands rot away in drunken stupor and therefore dont lift a finger!.........the effect of all this,sadness(why,oh why?),determination(you wait,i will show them!),hope(something can be done,right?)
Definately,gender equality is something to be fought for!!  Society should be educated on need for gender equality and women treated as equal beings,legal measures should be taken,women empowered and customs that make men think women are their property,changed.
Women are very important in the society and should be treated thus.

Monday, August 11, 2008

blogging about Gender Equality

Hello to all other bloggers, and I’m glad to already see strong feelings expressed about gender equality.

Anything relating to gender roles and gender quality is not an easy subject to blog about. Despite the reality that women are affected in far greater numbers by poverty, climate change, lack of health care, unemployment and lack of education, there are many who will claim that women’s discrimination is not really a problem. How does that make you feel, to hear people deny that women are discriminated against?

Another reality is that many development programs, when focused on men, improve the health and quality of life for men, but when these programs are focused on women, the health and quality of the entire community—men, women, children, the elderly—is affected positively. Why do you think this is? Why do you think focusing on women’s equality actually ends up helping everyone?

Finally, can you talk a bit about your own experience regarding gender equality—when you have observed discrimination based on gender, when you have experienced it yourself, and how it has affected you?

I will answer these questions as well, for myself, but first I would like to hear from others. And if you disagree—speak out!