Powering young girls to take action

Polycom is a women’s empowerment and girl child welfare organisation, which started in response to the sexual violence and exploitation faced by young girls in the Kibera informal settlement in Nairobi. It aims to empower young women in Kibera informal settlements through access to education, sports activities and sanitation so they are able to manage their lives positively and develop a voice to influence policy and decision makers on issues that affect the lives of girls. We spotlight stories of how Polycom is powering young girls in Kibera and shaping them to be advocates in their own communities.

Terry Moraa is a mentor at Polycom Development Project and currently pursuing her degree at Kenyatta University in Nairobi. At 23 years old she wants to make a difference in the lives of young women and girls in Kibera informal settlements. She believes the future is promising for young women and girls and they have the power to make a difference in their communities. 

She first encountered Polycom in 2019 through her younger sister who was a beneficiary of their mentorship programmes in primary schools within Kibera. ‘’I was impressed by their school outreaches and decided to join the organisation as a mentor just after I had finished my secondary school education,’’ she says.  

Terry is part of the She Leads program- a joint consortium between Polycom, Plan International, FEMNET and Terres De Hommes Netherlands that seeks to empower young women and girls to speak up for their rights and lead change within their communities. In addition, she also worked previously as a project assistant for the teen mums’ program which held several outreaches targetting pregnant teenagers in Kibera at the height of the Covid lockdown in 2020.

This program: ‘Boresha Binti’ was anchored on hope and restoring dignity to young school going girls who had become pregnant and dropped out of school during the pandemic. We did outreaches and also catered for their basic needs such as food.

Her motivation to become a mentor emanates from her experience while growing up as an adolescent. She didn’t have support to walk through her menstrual cycle journey particularly in navigating what would be a heavy phase in understanding her body. ‘’Menstruation is quite a lot to take in for the first time as an adolescent and I found myself just stumbling upon it with so many questions such as how to use a sanitary towel. I feared asking my mum these questions, ’’ she says. Through Polycom, Terry resolved to make a difference in the lives of young girls living in Kibera informal settlements as a mentor. 

She identifies lack of access to menstrual health products as a real barrier preventing many girls from pursuing education. Menstruation for many of these young girls simply means dropping out of school as they navigate vulnerabilities made worse by poverty, discrimination and accessing basic services. ‘’These young girls need support in menstrual health and hygiene while managing their cycles in a dignified way,’’ she adds. 

As a mentor she speaks of mental health as a challenge that she encounters. Mentors are expected to connect and share experiences with young girls while also offering a safe space where they can be vulnerable and receive support through affirmation and guidance. Often, this has come at the cost of pouring out and running the harm of not focusing on self-care and well-being. ‘’Polycom has been intentional on self-care and even introduced a session for mentors,’’ she says. 

Her proudest moment as a mentor is when she encouraged Winnie Muyam to go back to school at a time when she felt the odds were stack against her and there was no hope of continuing with education after falling pregnant.

It really melts my heart every time I see her walking to school. I actually made a difference in her life.

She sees herself as a reproductive health rights advocate and will continue to champion menstrual health hygiene to the very end. ‘’In my country, condoms are free and can be accessed in any health facility. Why can’t we have the same standardised for sanitary towels and have them recognized as essential products?’’ she asks. 

Terry envisions a gender equal world where everyone will uphold women’s rights and where all women and girls will take their rightful seat at the table. ‘’ We all have a responsibility in creating a gender equal world for young women and girls. This can be only possible if we are intentional and move from paper to action,’’ she says.