What it is
In Kenya, despite laws and policies that uphold sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), many Women and Girls and girls still lack access to accurate information, supportive services, and platforms to share their lived experiences. Studies show that significant gaps in SRHR awareness limit Women and Girls’s ability to claim their rights, resulting in increased unintended pregnancies, unsafe practices, and barriers to accessing essential care. For example, knowledge about reproductive health rights remains low among Women and Girls and girls, particularly on topics such as menstruation, contraceptives, safe abortion, and gender‑based violence—hindering their capacity to make informed decisions about their bodies and futures.
Who this serve
Women and girls whose experiences are often unheard or stigmatized; including survivors of gender-based violence, teen mothers, and women navigating menopause or chronic health conditions.
Why it Matters
Across communities, many women and adolescent girls carry experiences that go unheard, not because they lack a story, but because stigma, silence, and social norms have kept them invisible. These experiences cut across identity, age, health status, and circumstance, shaping lives in ways that are often misunderstood and rarely acknowledged.
Survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV)
Gender-based violence remains a pervasive challenge. Globally, an estimated 1 in 3 women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence in her lifetime, often at the hands of an intimate partner. In sub-Saharan Africa, prevalence rates are even higher, with many cases going unreported due to fear, shame, or lack of support systems.
For survivors, telling their story isn’t just personal, it’s political. Speaking out can mean confronting social stigma, risking community rejection, or navigating systems that aren’t designed to support healing. Yet, silence keeps cycles of abuse unchallenged.
Teen Mothers
Adolescent motherhood is more than a statistic; it’s a lived reality for millions of girls. According to WHO, roughly 12 million girls aged 15–19 give birth each year, and complications during pregnancy are a leading cause of death for this age group. Many of these girls face stigma from families and communities, are pushed out of school, and are denied support services.
Without platforms to share their experiences, teen mothers are isolated, and their unique needs remain invisible in policy and service design.
Women Navigating Menopause and Chronic Health Conditions
Conditions like menopause, Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) (polycystic ovary syndrome), and chronic reproductive health issues are often ignored or trivialized. Menopause affects every woman who reaches mid-life, yet research shows that many health systems lack appropriate services, and cultural silence around menopause leaves women to navigate physical and emotional symptoms without support.
Similarly, Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) affects up to 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, yet awareness is low, symptoms are normalized or dismissed, and diagnosis is frequently delayed by years. For women living with chronic health conditions, the burden includes misinformation, healthcare fatigue, and a sense of isolation
Why These Voices Matter
When women and girls are silenced, societies lose critical knowledge and understanding. Experiences of violence, teenage motherhood, hormonal and chronic conditions are not individual “problems” they are rooted in social norms, health system gaps, and informational barriers. Ignoring these stories means policies, programs, and support systems continue to miss the mark.
The Cost of Silence
- Untold stories often translate into untreated trauma, depression, and anxiety.
- Without shared experiences, others delay seeking care or normalize symptoms.
- When experiences aren’t documented or shared, community and national policies do not reflect real needs.
- Silence reinforces myths e.g., that menopause is “just aging,” that teen pregnancy is a moral failure, or that violence survivors should “move on.
What We Do
- Digital Storytelling Training: Equip women and adolescent girls to document and share their real-life experiences online, transforming personal stories into tools for education, advocacy, and community awareness.
- Safe Storytelling Spaces: Create safe and supportive spaces where women and girls can share their stories on their own terms, without fear of judgment or reprisal.
- Story Documentation & Showcase: Capture and showcase experiences through film, photography, storytelling circles, and community dialogues, making real-life experiences visible and relatable.
- Advocacy & Policy Influence: Partner with local and national advocacy networks to amplify women’s and girls’ stories, using them as evidence to inform policies, influence community norms, and drive social change.
Real result
Women and girls feel seen and heard, stigma decreases, and their stories drive awareness, advocacy, and policy change.
Why It Matters
Many vulnerable women remain unheard, and their lived experiences are rarely documented or used to influence change.
Our Impact
- Produce 50 short films or visual stories annually that capture the lived experiences of women and adolescent girls,
- Host 10 community meetings per year in 5 counties, reaching at least 500 community members, and facilitate post-screening discussions to promote understanding, reduce stigma, and spark local action.
- Train 100 women and adolescent girls annually in documentation and storytelling techniques.
- Share stories through social media, partner media stations, and policy forums to reach at least 10,000 people annually, ensuring key decision-makers and community stakeholders engage with the narratives to influence policy and social norms.
What Your Support Covers
- Increased access to affordable housing and safer living conditions
- Strengthened financial literacy and income-generation capabilities
- Enabled women to access grants, cooperative funding, and startup resources • Fostered economic independence and resilience
Funding Goal
Invest $15,000 annually to document and share 50 powerful stories from women and adolescent girls to influence policy and community attitudes.