Penelope P

June 2, 2021 By Penelope P

No Girl Should Compromise her Dignity for Menstrual Hygiene Products

Let’s Talk About Periods 😊
Well, there is a reason as to why I used the above emoji. And I guess its meaning is all displayed on your pretty face when you read the blog title. Frequently, many ladies embrace such a face when this subject is mentioned; and this is most prevalent among teenagers. Why? Because they always feel shy talking about it. And who’s to blame? Well, this is a sensitive question. And I guess you already got some answers running in your mind. I’ll leave it to you to juggle on it.

**Why the shyness when the talk about periods is brought to the table**
The majority of girls, when asked anything about menstruation, they’ll most probably feel psychologically and emotionally constrained to freely talk about it. This goes to the ladies; when you first heard about periods, what was your reaction? Did you try to evade the conversation, or did you chip in the exchange to learn more? I bet the former took the lead. I will share some of my thoughts on this.
And I will sway more on the African lifestyle while discussing this. You see, in most African homes, children are socialized to become independent and learn to stand up for themselves from the earliest time possible. They are taught about social roles; little is taught about their biological functions and how they are supposed to play them. The boy child is taught complex jobs and labeled as the head of the family from an early age. He then learns to behave as per the label attached on in; in psychology, this is called the self-fulfilling prophecy – when one starts to act according to a designation given to him by society. He’s not told that he can impregnate a girl when he hits his teens age. And in occasions where he does impregnate a girl, some applaud him for being a man enough to sire- especially in native African regions.
Now to the subject matter of menstruation, do girls really receive enough information about menstruation while growing up? In the African context, and in pre-teenage, girls are socialized to take up feminine roles and behave as housekeepers. Parents seem not to care much about educating their daughters about menstruation until their first experience. They know little or nothing about ovulation and all menstrual stuff. Thus, initiating such a conversation with them as outsiders will not be openly received because the first socialization agents (family) never gave them any information about periods. And to them, they feel it’s something that should be hidden and kept only to themselves.
The shyness is still perpetuated by some religious beliefs whereby girls are seen as unclean when they’re menstruating. In some spiritual practices, girls cannot step a foot in their worship places, even in this modernism era where civilization has taken the lead.

**Some dismal menstruation facts**
Modernism has saved the human race through the tones of inventions and innovations taking place each and every day. In this regard, the credit goes to all who tried to invent sanitary pads and tampons to ensure girls’ menstrual hygiene. Nonetheless, not every girl can access the said hygienic pads and tampons due to extreme poverty. For instance, in Wajir County, some girls are forced to sit on the sand all day long during their menstruation days because they lack sanitary towels to maintain their menstrual hygiene.
This situation compels them to avoid school for as long as they are receiving their periods. Sitting all day long in the scorching sun, with no one to have a conversation with. This is so disheartening for one to go through in the 21st century where such issues have a remedy. It continues to
Others, where sitting on the sand is not an option, often get sexually exploited by “*Bodaboda*” taxi drivers in exchange for some little money to buy sanitary pads. ( Boda Boda drivers earn a living by ferrying people around using motorcycles). These, among others, are some of the setbacks towards realizing menstrual dignity.

**A call to action**
Nevertheless, it’s not overdue to spread the word about how menstruation is not a thing to shy off and why it’s indispensable to enlighten girls about menstruation soonest possible without waiting for them to have their first experience. Consequently, the practices of marginalizing menstruating girls should seize as this affects girls psychologically to an extent where they abhor themselves for being women because of the mauling they receive from society.
On that account, every menstruating girl deserves a smiley face for being such a beautiful and wonderful creature.

**#Mensturationmatters.**

April 6, 2021 By Penelope P

Part 2:The Trauma Associated With Sexual Assault In Children

The trauma goes a long way, depending on how the case was handled .To some up a few effects of sexual violence survivors ;

Survivor 1 (Name and address withheld to protect them)

The incident happened at age 6 and was committed by a relative, I was never taken to hospital and my mum handled it by telling the relative to relocate and having me taking a shower and promise not to ever talk about it. Am 18 now and I hate being home because I fear it can happen again.

Spring composition with pink flowers and hearts falling from white bucket

Survivor 2(Name withheld to protect them)

The mum shares how she separate with the father of her first child an 8 year old girl whom the father decided to stay with her, but the uncle to the girl molested her. And now the child leaves in shock and that faints very frequently.

The following survivors names are shared because they are talking about their stories in public places to encourage other to get help.

Wahu a kenyan musician

Was molested by a relative at age of 9,her parents handled the situation by beating the culprit up. For her she never got to counselling, now 40years she is vocal about it and her being a public figure, she share that she is now going for counselling and she is very cautious towards parenting her kids.

Nana Owiti a Media personality

Has shared how she was molested at around 8years and the incident was continuous since she was sleeping in the same house with the culprit and on sharing it with her mother ,the mum brushed it off and the molestation continued for several times, she only felt safe at her grandfather’s house. She shares that she never had a relationship with her mum, something which as a mum she has made it her core goal to have a relationship with her kids and also very cautious on who hangs around her kids.

Tabitha Wothaya

Tabitha Wothaya, now a mum of two share how she has been molested continuously from a young age by her step dad and uncle at continuous intervals, and her mum never took action. She is now living with health complications, she can not hold urine ,since she was never taken to hospital or counselled. She also does not have a relationship with her mum but she wished to have one .She also chose to be a lesbian because her past experience made her hate men and sex in general. Tabitha narrates how the stepdad and uncle took advantage of her by telling her that she doe not belong to their land and that if she tells anyone ,they wont educate her. She now writes a book and is seeking to publish it ,to her this is a way of talking to victims and parents to victims out there.

Seeing how adverse the effects of sexual assault can be to a child ,let us be vigilant and be open for change, report and seek both medical and mental help. Get healed by wounded Healers will walk with you through the process at no cost.

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April 6, 2021 By Penelope P

The Trauma Associated With Sexual Assault In Children

In as much as majority believe a Child’s memory fades with time, that is not the case when it comes to sexual violence. Many grow up with the memory of the assault wishing the situation was handled differently. Others blame themselves for being targets of the pedophiles.

According to the survey conducted by the Kenyan government, the researchers spoke to more than 2000 children and young adults from all 47 counties in Kenya between December 2018 and January 2019. The survey named The 2019 Violence Against Children Survey (VACS) .The key findings revealed:

Half of young women (52 percent) and young men (51.5 percent) between the ages of 18 and 24 witnessed violence at home as a child.
Almost half of girls (48.2 percent) and more than two out of five boys (41.7 percent) aged 13 to 17 had experienced violent discipline like corporal punishment in the 12 months prior to the survey.
It is not common for children to report violence or seek assistance. Only 12.5 percent of young women who had experienced sexual violence as a child sought help and only three percent of young men.
Of the women who did not seek help, more than half (53.6 percent) said it was because they did not think the abuse was a problem.
Many children think violence is to be tolerated. More than half of girls (50.5 percent) and almost half of boys (47.3 percent) aged between 13 and 17 indicated it was acceptable for a husband to beat his wife.
Physical violence was the most common type of violence experienced as a child, reported by 38.8 percent of young women and 51.9 percent of young men aged 18-24.
Nearly one in six young women (15.6 percent) aged 18 to 24 experienced sexual violence as a child, compared to 6.4 percent of young men, with intimate partners the most common perpetrators.
Around a third of boys (32.2 percent) and girls (34.3 percent) aged 13 to 17 experienced emotional violence – such as being told that their parent wished they had never been born – in the 12 months before the survey was conducted.

The statistics are worrisome showcasing a high number of assault cases happens in homes and schools, places where the kids are confined and that the abuser is well known to the family and the society hence the case may not be handled at the favor of the child rather the favor of the adults to protect their image.

April is sexual assault awareness month, the Wounded Healers International seeks to create awareness to anyone who has a child that is assaulted or anyone who was assualted as a child now an adult and never got help, to contact us and get free counselling we shall work with you to ensure you get the healing you deserve at no cost.

Applaud to the Kenyan celebrities who are coming out to speak about their assault experiences when they were younger, and how till date they have leant to take caution as they raise their kids and are openly sharing tall free numbers and government offices to get help. Lets emulate their courage and reach out to us for help.

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March 9, 2021 By Penelope P

Celebrating International Women’s Day In A Unique Way

Wounded Healers foundation marked the International Women day in in a unique style. The foundation joined other women-based organizations in Nairobi area, who in return planned for a walk that was aimed to raise awareness on organizations that empower women as well as talks encouraging women in leadership since that was the theme.

On Friday the 5^th of March of 2021, women and organizations that support women gathered outside Kasarani police station where participants of the event took a walk and organizations represented where introduced to the people and the vicinity.

The women representative of Nairobi county Honorable Esther Passaris graced the event. As a woman leader she too participated in the walk and in her speech, she delivered links on where women can get help that are under her leadership. She also shared opportunities that the county government has set aside to empower women.

She concluded by highlighting the rise of sexual violence on girls under the age of 18 which has led to high numbers of school drop outs due to early pregnancies as well as living with the trauma. A sector that the Wounded Healers organization has a call to end sexual violence in Kenya.

Other organizations opened up on how they support women be it promoting women businesses by giving them loans and grants for the women groups to stand to feet. Others that offer shelter to violated females as well as lawyers were made known to the public that day.

The international women’s day was important to us as an organization because we got to link up with other organizations that are in line with our work of duty. It opened windows for our organization to leverage its activities for the betterment of the female in Kenya.

We would wish to reach out to many girls who have been sexually violated as we provide free counseling and our future goal is to put the survivors to safer homes. If you skip your coffee today, one cup of coffee will enable us get one girl’s sanitary towels for a month. Kindly donate to our call, your contribution will help a girl get a healing and stand back to their feet.

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