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Published: February 14th 2010
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Phenomenal Women Wall
Twiggy at Bavubuka House.. Twiggy is a well known Ugandan MC who will be writing a story for the girls project Well folks is official Maughan has sold me a to a boda driver (motorcycle taxi driver) for $20,000 USD and a small plot on the Nile. I tried to barter in a few goats and a giraffe but he wasnt havent it. I dont know his name because he didnt think that was important but he has graciously taken us twice on his bike without making us pay a mazungo (white person's) prices.... Although this is very true he didnt realize that I had no intention of living in Kampala to be his not first but second wife so he opted for the opportunity to ask me if I would take his first born daughter to Canada to get her a better education... all expenses on me of course.. ha ha
Another week another journey… Overwhelmed and Inspired to say the least! This last week Maughan and I spent in Nairobi with Anena Hansen. Anena first connected me in 2008 after Madeleine from Lunapads posted an article I wrote about my trip to Nairobi and the young women I worked in Kibera on the Lunapad’s blog.
After a brief visit to Mlonongo just out of Nairobi Anena, a
B. House
Regina and her friend while we were playing games at the house writer and business woman, decided to move from the USA to Mlonongo to support young women involved in prostitutions in whatever means she could. Two years later Anena has taken in 3 girls who were orphaned and hosts volunteers to do sports and programming for local schools. Truly amazing!
This was the first time meeting Anena in person as we have just exchanged stories, contacts and supports for one another over the last 2years. I quickly became very fond of her no bull attitude, her dedication and most of all her vision to help young women who are believing that prostitution is the only choice to bringing in an income. (Mlonongo is a trucking stop town where all drivers have to stop in order to continue down the highway; girls from all over come to earn an income very week, including school girls)
Over the course of the week I had the opportunity to conduct workshops for 71 young women of St Augustin’s secondary school who were all at risk for prostitute if not already involved. Thanks to some volunteers and the infamous Brenda Isabel, my amazing friend and life skills leader in Nairobi, we were able to
share my workshops in a fun and impacting way. The guidance counselor Sarah was so impressed that she asked if she could please use my materials at her church and continue the coaching series with her students! Very exciting.. Sarah also took part of the workshops and comments on how she could also use this for her well being which was pretty amazing feedback!
There is so much to say and so many stories to share about the visit to Nairobi and all the wonderful people we met including Austin, a local who played semi professional football and now works to coach young women and boys; he took us on a visit into his home, the slum of Muthare. Muthare is the second biggest slum in Nairobi housing over 580000 people but has an amazing school that also houses its children; a school that has some of the highest ranking educational scores at a primary level in Kenya. The principal an honorable young man named Moses accredited Valley Views education scores to committed staff, a food program, community ties, and the very long hours they put in to ensure the children study hard and avoid the dangers of abuse
Regina and her sister
Playing around with my camera in their homes. Thanks to Austin and his dedicated efforts to training the girls in football they have travelled internationally and have won many trophies.
I can’t you how blessed I am to being on this journey and sharing it with such amazing people. Brenda (who I will be sharing her story at our event on March 6th) and I are going to be working on creating Passion Kenya to support the 7 schools she has been working with on a volunteer basis very month with 80 girls at each school on Rusinga and help her to continue to support young women effected by rape, sexual exploitation, and lack of education. Through Brenda's work she has already decreased pregnancy amongst the students (impregnated by teachers nonetheless) by more than half over 1.5 years. Truly a testament to life skills, sharing the laws, and empowering through choices .. and providing menses pads so girls dont have to solicit sex for them.
This week we are back in Kampala for our final week where I will be training girls at Bavubuka House and helping them glue together some programs, training a group of refugee widowed women and girls coming from
war torn countries and lacking the support to moving forward in their lives, and completing my journey here.
Stay tuned!
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Madeleine Shaw
non-member comment
you rock!
Loretta, this is so incredible, and yet I would have expected nothing less from you. We are all so proud at Lunapads to be connected to the amazing work you are doing. Going to tweet right now to get some more support for you! Big hugs, Madeleine