INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2012

Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures”

It was indeed an International Women’s day as women from all corners of Coast Province gathered at the Tononoka Grounds to mark a day that is very significant to them. In Kenya the day was used to celebrate the success of the women’s impact on their respective communities especially in ensuring that girls’ issues were properly adressed. And as this year’s theme “Connecting girls, Inspiring futures” touched on girls, they danced the event away as they give respect to women who have played a big role in ensuring that they are indeed connected to a bright future.

Coast Women In Development- CWID in collaboration with the Pwani GBV Network could not miss such a significant day as it brought together stake holders that work towards the betterment of the women and children’s welfare. Local political women leaders, women aspirants, school girls, representatives of women organizatons and even women working in government institutions were present to inspire the girls that they can really achieve what they aspire to be regardless.

The day couldn’t get any better when the Mombasa County Gender office awarded individuals and institutions that have been on the forefront to ensure women and children’s rights are adhered to from institutions to the grassroots in the region. CWID was proud to have one of her staff’s, our field officer Mr. Tom Ng’ar awarded as one of the three recognized gender warriors in the Mombasa County. The Pwani GBV

CWID’s field Officer Tom Ng’ar receiving the

Gender Warrior certificate.

network whose mission is to prevent and respond to all forms of GBV in Coast Province, and whom CWID is the secretariat was also recognized for the great work it has done in reaching out to communities and helping the GBV survivors get help at the hospitals, police and even at the courts.

Among the guest speakers was CWID’s Betty Sharon who emphasized on the need for providing a better environment where our girls can be nurtured towards a prospective life. She challenged the women political leaders and aspirants to give priority to girl child education during their terms as it is the only key to a brighter future.

Girls especially in Coast region face a lot of challenges being a tourist destination, most of them are exposed to commercial sex working, child trafficking, customary early marriages and drug abuse. Sharon therefore challenged the parents, specially the mothers to engage themselves in income generating projects that will enable them to be economically empowered and be able to keep their children in schools.

CWID’s Betty Sharon giving a speech.

She informed the public that CWID has identified one of the unspoken reasons why girls drop out or miss their school days is their menstruation, CWID has therefore initiated a project of buying sanitary towels as a pilot project which through training will later be transformed to communities making local sanitary towels that will be easily accessible to the girls especially in the rural areas. And one way of getting resources to maintain the project is by sending short message ‘DADA’ to 2084, the amount charged is Sh. 20 which will go to the sanitary towel kitty. At teminute CWID is identifying needy schools in the rural areas that will be given a priority.

All in all the day was a great success!!!