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A WOMAN BELONGS TO HERSELF AND NO ONE ELSE!

Jan 28, 2018
4 min

A WOMAN BELONGS TO HERSELF AND NO ONE ELSE!

This story was written by Tessy Aura from KENYA. In my culture a woman belonging to herself is rarely tolerated, let alone celebrated. When a girl is born she belongs to her father or her brothers, and when she is of age she is given away to another man, her husband who is now responsible for her. Growing up I remember hearing countless stories about women being evicted from their matrimonial homes and returning back to their birth homes, just to be rejected there as well. I

DO NOT BE AFRAID TO STAND UP FOR YOURSELF!

Jan 25, 2018
3 min

DO NOT BE AFRAID TO STAND UP FOR YOURSELF!

This story was written by Mitchell Khandenje from KENYA. My very first lesson that girls have no place to prosper was in high school. Despite the normal public system where the majority of schools are ‘single gender’, I found myself in a mixed school. At first, I took no notice of any differences – we were all brothers and sisters, just like in primary school. But with time, things changed. The population of boys was nearly three times the girls population, so the boys almost

SEXUAL HARASSMENT HAPPENS TO MEN TOO!

Jan 21, 2018
5 min

SEXUAL HARASSMENT HAPPENS TO MEN TOO!

This story was written by Duncan Muhani from KENYA. I grew up as a responsible young man, with good moral and sound Christian values. My mother always dedicated her time in educating me about every aspect of development, including sex education and personal responsibility. She believed that sex education would always help me make safe and correct decisions during my involvement in sexual activities and relationships, protecting me from any sexual abuse, exploitation, sexually

SOCIETY PUTS INVISIBLE STANDARDS ON GIRLS BODIES!

Jan 19, 2018
3 min

SOCIETY PUTS INVISIBLE STANDARDS ON GIRLS BODIES!

This story was written by Marion Mbiyu from KENYA. I feel like the older I have become, the more aware I have become of my shame. I find myself constantly scrutinizing and doubting myself in a lot of things, especially when it comes to making personal decisions. I also find myself more embarrassed about the most mundane things. For instance, I try to say less than I used to because I might say something stupid. It is as if there are invisible standards that I am trying to con

I'M NOT MY WOUNDS; I'M TRANSCENDENCE OF THEM

Jan 14, 2018
6 min

I'M NOT MY WOUNDS; I'M TRANSCENDENCE OF THEM

This story was written by Aisha Habiba from KENYA. They say when we deny a story, it defines us; when we own the story, we can write a brave new ending. Cognition and knowledge are not necessarily dependent on how many pleasant or unpleasant experiences you have been through, but how you can view the same thing in different ways and from different perspectives. When I was younger, my understanding of events and people was simple – everything was either black or white. As I gr

MY BODY IS THE RIGHT TYPE!

Jan 11, 2018
2 min

MY BODY IS THE RIGHT TYPE!

This story was written by Moore Lione from GHANA. As a model I have had to deal with a lot of rejection and feelings of shame. Earlier this year I had a runway fashion show to do. It was a three day fashion show but I had five days to rehearse and do a dress fitting with the designers. After four days of rehearsal and dress fitting, guess how many designers I had to ‘walk’ for? None. Not even one. Reasons: my butt was too big, my breasts were too big. None of the designers

YOU AND I MAY BE DARK, BUT THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT!

Jan 7, 2018
4 min

YOU AND I MAY BE DARK, BUT THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT!

This story was written by William Dekker from KENYA. In a family of five siblings – two older and two younger – I resemble no one, dark and black. This is my story: In those childhood days, the majority of us were too naïve or innocent to think of what set us apart. We mingled together with little or no regard to colour, shape or size. Until maturity set in. On my first Saturday in college, I auditioned for a play that was premiering the next month. At the end of the day, sev

WHAT OTHERS THINK DOES NOT DEFINE WHO I AM.

Jan 4, 2018
2 min

WHAT OTHERS THINK DOES NOT DEFINE WHO I AM.

This story was written by an anonymous contributor from BURKINA FASO. Seven years ago, when I was not yet 16 years old, I went to a boarding school in a different country for the first time in my life. I am from Burkina Faso but would be studying in Paris, France. I was excited about the experience and saw it as an opportunity to make new friends. But when I got there, things took a different twist. I was given a room to share with three other girls. We did not get along bec