This month's visit to the girls was not just like any other. As you may have been aware, every second Saturday of the month has been dedicated to this program in Mukuru slums where Aurora Bible Centre (aurorabiblecentre.org) mentors over 100 girls in Mukuru slums. In October, we couldn't manage to meet on the second Saturday but the third one.
Having consulted with our point person at the Hope Centre, Ms Antonia on Friday, she confirmed that she had more than a hundred girls lined up for mentorship, plus a few more that had called Pastor Maurice Orimba to say they were getting ready for our program. This confirmation brought in a feeling of joyful sorrow because I knew more girls were going to benefit, yet my hands were a little too full for this task. I had all along envisioned a session of personal therapy to a few girls at the end of the training but had fewer ears to listen to the challenges girls face in the slums. Last month, we had spoken about the challenges of womanhood and how one ought to overcome them. A major way to achieve this is to share their challenges with someone ready to offer a listening ear without being judgemental.
This month at the program, we invited two professional counsellors who confirmed their attendance at the Aurora Mukuru Girls Empowerment Program (AMGEP) by Friday the 15th of October. Among them was one of my former lecturers, a friend and a mentor, who serves with maliza umaskini initiative. She agreed to teach the girls about womanhood. It was scorching hot, too bright and the dust came from the neighbourhood as if ushering in the sun's presence. However, Madam Vusha Canaam overlooked the tantrums from the weather and kept talking to the girls. She talked about her upbringing in a slum in Eldoret, that captured the girls' attention. One important thing she told the girls was that they had the power to choose to live in the slums and the slums to not live in them. This was by choosing to walk above the current limitations. Some of the challenges she addressed were peer pressure, drug abuse, early marriages, financial challenges and psychological challenges among others.
The other guest we hosted was Wambui Kahaki, a mentee who has expressed her love for counselling. She took us through a session on self-awareness. She spoke about self-realization that enables good choices and enhances personal confidence in a woman. See the photo below.
We received a visitor too, Mr Antony who has been born and raised in the slums, and having grown up as an only child was able to see how life can be tough. He encouraged the girls to take advantage of the challenges they were facing in life and transform them into opportunities. He feeds several families in various spaces and would be willing to do some kitchen soups or porridge for the very vulnerable girls in the area. Antony comes from Kasarani.
We had a short session of personal therapy through counselling at the end of the training. Girls needed to talk to someone, but with only less than five people to do this, work has been overwhelmingly much, and we trust that God can touch more people to tag along for this noble task.
As always, for any work to have an impact, you always have to have the right people on the ground. Pastor Maurice Orimba has been working closely with parents and pastors in Mukuru slums to ensure that other girls benefit from our programs. We owe him a lot for being so supportive and giving his time for free for over four years. Below from left to right is Ms Vusha Canaam, Pastor Maurice Orimba and Wambui Kahaki.
We also thank Antonia and Flo' and the entire management of the Hope Centre who made the event a success by availing the space and the girls for mentorship to take place. We are forever grateful to Claris who in absentia connected us with the Hope Centre Reuben for our labour to be effective.
Last but not least, we thank everyone who after hearing about the plight of the girls in Mukuru slums encouraged us through their few or many coins to enable 5, 10 or fewer girls to access the sanitary towels in this region.
We continue to appeal for more ladies of character and men who can offer their time voluntarily to help us shape our future leaders. To volunteer with us for counselling, you can contact us through our cell phone: 0724766620.
Our sanitary towels box is also half-empty and in need of refilling. You can make your donations through our Mpesa Till Number: 5230763.
God bless and multiply you in every way and may his will be done in the young girls who we mentor every month!
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