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The thought of being mutilated sends shivers down my spine. As I read the stories online and see the young girls cry and wince in pain, I can only cringe in pain with them. This is immeasurable pain. This is gruesome cruel pain. I can only imagine the cries of the young girls who have to go through this heterogeneous practice.

Sometime back, I did not understand what FGM was but I met someone and she explained to me the different types of mutilation that our women and girls go through. Her description was horrendous. On further query she says that most cultures that practice it, say the woman is not meant to enjoy coitus.

Then I asked her, what will happen at birth, honestly, won’t this woman feel pain giving birth naturally? We stare at each other in disbelief. Maybe because she has not thought about that or she has the answer but she cannot explain further.

Years later, I build up the passion of engaging adolescent girls and women from Kibera informal settlements.  Some of the communities that reside in the slum actually practice female genital mutilation as a cultural requirement. When I glance at all these young beautiful faces, I can only decipher what some have faced. That is, if they have undergone FGM.

We as an organization have offered extensive mentorship to our adolescent girls within 50 primary schools. We have focused more on sexual reproductive health and rights. However, we have never encountered an adolescent girl willing to share her experience. This may be either for fear of stigmatization or fear itself.

According to UNICEF Data, at least 200 million girls and women alive today living in 31 countries have undergone FGM. The exact number of girls and women worldwide who have undergone FGM remains unknown there has been an overall decline in the prevalence of the practice over the last three decades, but not all countries have made progress and the pace of decline has been uneven.

Amongst the 17 commitments made by the Government of Kenya at the Nairobi Summit on ICPD25 was the elimination of female genital mutilation (FGM) in Kenya by 2022, ahead of the global target of 2030.

With the support of partners including the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the government through a multi-stakeholder approach has made progress on this commitment, including the training of over 4,000 law enforcement officers and community leaders on FGM prevention.

This is a great commitment by the Government towards using a multi-Sectoral approach. However, the Government needs to note that the urban areas need this form of advocacy and lobbying. We noted that most girls once they close school for long holidays often go to their rural areas to undergo the ‘cultural rite of passage.’

The question is how far has the Government of Kenya gone towards ending FGM? 2022 is just around the corner, have we managed to influence the mindset of that rural woman who still strongly believes this young girls need to be cut? What about those in urban centers who still believe in following their culture to the latter despite their harmful practices?

A friend of mine once said, some cultures in Kenya will not marry a lady who is not circumcised. I looked at her in disbelief.

According to WHO, Female Genital Mutilation comprises all procedures involving the removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

On average girls are subjected to FGM between birth and age 15. FGM is not prescribed by any religion and has no health benefits. On the contrary the practice can cause life-lasting physical and psychological trauma.

Immediate consequences of FGM include severe pain and bleeding, shock, difficulty in passing urine, infections, injury to nearby genital tissue and sometimes death.

When giving birth, the scar tissue might tear, or the opening needs to be cut to allow the baby to come out. After childbirth, women from some ethnic communities are often sown up again to make them “tight” for their husband (re-infibulation). Such cutting and re-stitching of a woman’s genitalia results in painful scar tissue.

In addition to the severe pain during and in the weeks following the cutting, women who have undergone FGM experience various long-term effects – physical, sexual and psychological.

We need to speak out as a country as a community as women as adolescent girls. We need to end this violence against women and girls.

Silence only allows FGM to continue. We must speak out and let our voices be heard. We can lead the change so that everyone walks with us.

#TowardsZeroToleranceonFGM

#EndFGM

#TheMarchContinues

#ICPD25+1

As the world marks the day on February 6, 2021, From commitment to action should be our focus as Civil Societies, Government and the Community.

FGM has to end.

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“We are so proud that POLYCOM DEVELOPMENT PROJECT is an active member of the Global Giving community.” A statement from Micheal Gale from global giving.

In 2020, Polycom Development

Raised

$ 6,033

on Global Giving to fund our vital work, at least $1,710 of which was raised by the Global Giving team through corporate partnerships, gift card redemptions, and/or our marketing efforts

Polycom Development Activated

58

donors to support our work on Global Giving.

Raised an average of

$52

from each donor this year

Polycom Development Raised

$1,111

in recurring donations from 8 monthly donors

Polycom Development Participated in

2

Global Giving campaigns and contests

We look forward to a more giving 2021 from all our partners and friends.

 

 

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COVID 19 has had a major impact in the economy of Kenya. The pandemic has largely affected various sectors and most affected is health. Kenya is ranked a middle-income country albeit its dwindling resources. The country suffered a heavy blow due to its unpreparedness in handling a pandemic. In this line, various hospitals such as Mbagathi District Hospital was converted to a COVID 19 response unit. This greatly affected the other services offered by the hospital and one critical area was the maternal and Neonatal clinic.

This resulted to many pregnant adolescent girls and mothers from Kibera area affected by the lack of such essential services within Nairobi. To survive, the women had to look for alternative service providers. Unfortunately, most resorted to giving birth at home for fear of contacting the disease. Most of the mothers avoided hospitals and preferred using mid-wives.

This posed a great risk for the mother and the unborn baby.

Various Organizations, working in Urban informal settlements have converged together to form a coalition that will voice the concerns of maternal health and neonatal health risks within Kenya. Through this coalition, maternal health as well as neonatal health will have a strong voice and base for championing the rights of women, adolescent girls as well as children in Urban informal settlements.

Polycom Development project, an NGO working in Kibera has gracefully joined the other civil societies. Together we believe that our voices will have a stronger effect and will push the agenda for the sake of our mothers and children.

This process has been supported by E4A Mama Ye and Options Consultancy. E4A-MamaYe catalyzes change by bringing together groups (including government, civil society and health practitioners) to use existing information and resources to:

1. Identify the reasons why women and babies are dying.  
2. Agree on how available resources can be used most effectively to address these reasons.  
3. Advocate for the changes needed.

As a result, government and health practitioners are better able to respond appropriately to the issues causing unnecessary deaths and injuries. This means women and children have better access to improved quality health services, more women having safe births.

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The third Global grassroots women’s congress commenced on January 26^th and ends on January 28^th 20201. This is a platform where network members meet to collectively share and reflect on their achievements during the previous year and make important strategic decisions for collective action in the year. Polycom Development has been at the forefront championing for the empowerment of women in a world where the voices of women often go unheard. This year we focus on highlighting the plight of women as we strategically align all the activities for a more liberated woman.

 

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Polycom family wishes you a successful 2021

2021 is a year filled with many prospects. 2020 provided a different avenue through which we saw our program activities from a different perspective. We look forward to more engagement with you as we strive as an organization to ensure a community that has empowered liberated women.

We look forward to more powerful engagements.

Thank you for showing your encouragement in our projects and funding them. We look forward to work harder and touch new heights.

Best wishes from Polycom family

The 16 Days of Activism is a no Violence against Women and Children Campaign which takes place annually from 25 November (International Day of No Violence against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day).

Womankind Worldwide has been at the forefront striving to end violence against women and girls, advancing women’s economic rights, strengthening women’s participation and leadership

Polycom girls were privileged to host the Director of Policy and Communication Dinah Musindarwezo of Womankind Worldwide during the 16 days of Activism. On the second day of the Activism, Polycom girls were taken through a self defence session where they were taught how to defend themselves against perpetrators.

Young women experience sexual abuse and harassment daily, unfortunately, part of their daily routine. As a result, women are constantly on guard, fearing everything from the routine groping they suffer on public buses, to far more violent assaults like marital rape and domestic violence. This has not only eroded their self-confidence but also added to a layer of constant fear forcing them to structure their entire lives around protecting themselves and their children.”

Gender Based violence has serious, immediate and long term consequences on the sexual, physical and psychological health of survivors.As an Organization stemming the vice is our major concern especially those metted towards adolescent girls.

We appreciate the work Womankind Worldwide has enabled Polycom project achieve. We are much obliged to the Organization and their willingness to see women and girls are empowered to step up and stand up to their rights.

Womankind Worldwide has been at the forefront striving to end violence against women and girls, advancing women’s economic rights, strengthening women’s participation and leadership

Polycom girls were privileged to host the Director of Policy and Communication Dinah Musindarwezo of Womankind Worldwide during the 16 days of Activism. On the second day of the Activism, Polycom girls were taken through a self defence session where they were taught how to defend themselves against perpetrators.

Young women experience sexual abuse and harassment daily, unfortunately, part of their daily routine. As a result, women are constantly on guard, fearing everything from the routine groping they suffer on public buses, to far more violent assaults like marital rape and domestic violence. This has not only eroded their self-confidence but also added to a layer of constant fear forcing them to structure their entire lives around protecting themselves and their children.”

Gender Based violence has serious, immediate and long term consequences on the sexual, physical and psychological health of survivors.As an Organization stemming the vice is our major concern especially those metted towards adolescent girls.

We appreciate the work Womankind Worldwide has enabled Polycom project achieve. We are much obliged to the Organization and their willingness to see women and girls are empowered to step up and stand up to their rights.

Polycom Development was privileged to host one of the project donors who visited Kibera slums and to engage with the community during the pandemic. “It is always a privilege to visit my friend Jane Anyango from Kibera and to see the tremendous work she is doing for the women and adolescent girls within Kibera, Daria says”.   Together with mentors from Polycom, Daria visited four schools, within Kibera slums distributing masks as well as sanitary towels.  Furthermore, she had an educational talk with Polycom staff members on breast cancer awareness. In these, she pointed out on the need to know self- extermination to detect early signs of breast cancer. Her presentation highlighted on the need for a healthy lifestyle of exercise, proper diet and reduction of stress. Together with Polycom team Daria held a friendly match with women from Kibera, winners were given an array of tokens as an appreciation.

 We thank you Daria for promoting sports for peace within our community. You are always welcome.

In her visit, Daria visited various schools within the country promoting peace through volleyball, visited various homes giving goodies and bonding with the children. Furthermore, Daria visited clinics within the Kendu Bay area donating glucometer, facials and bandages among other items to the hospital.

Daria Mejnartowicz is the President at Salveo Medical Care Rehabilitacja Warszwa with a strong humanitarian passion. She lives in Warsaw-Poland.

Thank you, Daria we look forward to another great visit to Kenya.

In partnership with Global Call to Action, Polycom Development engaged with locals in marking the World Cerebral Palsy day.

World Cerebral Palsy Day, which occurs annually on October 6, reminds us that there over 17 million people impacted by this disorder. CP is one of the most common physical disabilities affecting the most vulnerable among us — children. Additionally, CP occurs over the span of a child’s entire lifetime with no cure. 

Cerebral palsy is the most common childhood disability, yet around the globe, there’s a broad lack of knowledge of what it is and how it’s caused, even in the medical field.

In addition, many children and adults with cerebral palsy are at increased risk of abuse and neglect, and in some parts of Kenya, murder, as communities fail to offer people with CP love and quality of life.

There are media instances whereby a mother is reported to have tied their CP child at home and gone about her business. This is inhuman, but upon further questioning, the mother said it protects her child from having injuries when she is not around. She further cited that since the child was born he was violent and she did not know how to treat him and could not understand what was wrong with him.

Through World CP Day we can build awareness of what CP is, how it’s caused and how early detection and intervention is the key to improving outcomes for people with CP.

When it comes to those living in the slums, these cases are dire as there are no affordable specialized care for CP children and as depicted earlier most medics are not trained well on handling such cases.

Stella shyly draws a map on the ground as we inquire on whether she knows about the International Day of the Girl child. She shyly tells us upon further prodding that the day focuses on the girls and anything to do with empowering the girls.

Every year on 11 October, the International Day of the Girl, UNICEF launches an annual campaign with girls to amplify their voices and stand up for their rights. This year, the theme is, “My voice, our equal future”.

In line with this year’s theme, Polycom Development organized a well-attended event that has seen the girls address issues that have affected them during the pandemic.

“The virus affected my going to school, I can’t study at home, there is also a lot of peer pressure and sometimes I feel like giving up”. Achieng lamented during the discussion.

The other adolescent girls raised issues ranging from idle time, loss of income by their parents, sex-extortion, early teen pregnancies and increased hunger due to lack of food.

Activities leading to the day

Tree planting-Polycom engaged with the community to ensure e that Kibera has a clean environment. As a build up to the main day, the girls were taken through the importance of tree planting and a safe environment for women and girls

Polycom Girls have further engaged in extensive zoom meetings with adolescent girls as they discussed ‘my voice my future’ theme. Among the issues raised was that girls voices need to be heard by policy makers, the Government and civil societies who champion for the rights of the girls. Our future as women in this country depends on how we are treated as girls.

Further to this, the Director Polycom Development engaged with Family television in discussing the voice of girls from Kibera as well as highlighting the plight of women and girls who live in Kibera.