International Day of the Girl Child

Attempting to take selfies with Lady Laimani (top), Hon. Wamalwa (left) and Hon. Odinga (right).

This day was commemorated at the Hilton Hotel, Nairobi. The guest speakers included Hon. Ida Odinga, Lady Laimani Bidali and Caroline Mutoko among others. The Standard Group, Eve Sisters, Mothers & Daughters, Alabastron, Coca Cola and The Kenya Dairy Association are among the partners who made this day a success.

The purpose of the event was to celebrate the girl child in Kenya. This was seen through the invitation of different girls’ schools: primary and secondary. Different women university leaders were in attendance. Filled with pomp, colour and the splash of pink and purple, it was certain that this indeed was a girl’s event. The seating arrangement was strategically organized in dinner tables where 6 young girls from primary or secondary sat together with 4 ladies. I think the main aim for this was to encourage conversation between the different age sets.

The MC, Njeri Karuoya open the event by inviting performances from the different schools that were 

represented. The schools showcased pieces of song, poetry and choral verses that speak of the plight of the girl child in Africa. From poetry about FGM, abortion and sexual abuse to songs appreciating the beauty and the brains of the girl child.

As the speakers took the floor, their main emphasis was motivation creation and the importance of speaking out about issues affecting the girls; for example, the loss of value in the Kenyan girl child and the need for older, more successful role models to come up and guide the girl child. A lot was emphasized on the lack of priorities with regards to the superficial achievements seen in skin color and the size of the behind. This has become a rampant trend in our society,where the pressure to stand on a pedestal of perceived beauty for the acquisition of depreciating assets rather than acquisition of appreciating assets.

Another thing that was mentioned by the very candid Caroline Mutoko, was the message that the media was pumping out to the masses. What is considered attractive is what the media says it is. This creates a sort of cognitive dissonance that sets a high bar for the society especially the females who have to keep up with the likes of Kim Kardashian. The conversation hence shifted to the older woman: mothers, aunts, grandparents, guardians and teachers, the ones who have an obligation to teach and guide. They have supposedly failed in educating the young girl on the challenges of youth, and gifts of motherhood. Many young girls look up to disgruntled mothers and learn from them how lackluster life is which leads to an increased number of children with absentee mothers. The older women were urged to listen to their younger girls. After all, how are the girls to grow into their best selves without support and guidance?

There are instances where we are told we can be anything we want in the world but we fail to get an audience from our "well-off "mothers in the society to help mould our ideas or even mentor us. Young girls seek audience sometimes and they fail to get their mothers attention for one reason or another: goes to show the disparity in communication and information. Older more successful women  in the society refuse to take up responsibility in developing the younger generation, but are quick to point out their evils when they get this information from the media.

I enjoyed the event immensely and managed to get an audience with the guest speakers and VIP to talk about the 10003 Warrior Project. I got advice on who I could approach with regards to propelling the project. I must admit it was quite intimidating sitting and having lunch with the likes of Hon. Yvonne Wamalwa, Hon. Ida Odinga, Lady Laimani Bidali, Doreen Mbaya and Njeri Karuoya.

On my end, the event was a success. Not only because I got to speak to the big “wigs” (pun intended), but because I got to surround myself with young girls from different high schools and learn more about the challenges they are facing. Being able to connect and recall my high school and primary days was invaluable experience. How far I have come from being that shy soft spoken girl, to a very confident out spoken young woman, is such an amazing journey. Of course all has not happened overnight. Instead, I have cultivated simple daily steps and experiences that have helped to expand and grow me to the blooming flower I am.

More selfies, now with the young girls.

However I feel it will only be remembered by the large turn out and beautiful choral verses. I feel the 

young girls, those in my age group especially, still cannot bring themselves to ask for assistance from the older well established woman. A serious case of the fear of being inadequate and the worry of possible rejection. Moreover I also feel the more established woman maybe a little unapproachable to the young woman. Not because they are, but because that’s how they carry themselves, in my opinion. This gap between the two women maybe our undoing. I’m afraid if each of us don’t play our roles and meet each other halfway, we will always have events of commemoration without actionable objectives that will see the Kenyan woman bogged down instead of being uplifted.

Love Life!

Lea.