1000 Kibera slum girls empowered to excel

Janet (Not her real name) believes that she is pregnant, she had unprotected sex 3 months ago and hasn't received her periods every since, she is stressed and lost, she sleeps in class and picks up fights with everyone. She vomits in the morning, she is worried and does not know what to do. Maxy is worried, as a Gpende Ambassador she cannot ignore this, people are already talking behind Janet's back suspecting that she is pregnant. 

"Can you come to our school and talk to the girls about how one can get pregnant and what they should do not not annoy everyone if they are pregnant," One Taking Boxes Content reads, its from Maxy, she would like Polycom to help her friend. Talking Boxes are locked up boxes installed in schools where girls are encouraged to write anything they have that thay cannot speak about openly. The contents are collected and assemblies organized to encourage the girls to use the boxes or to respond to issues raised by the girls.

Polycom mentors are up in arms to the school, they liaise with the teacher to organize the girls for an assembly and the girls are ready to listen, They are going to share about pregnancy, questions prepared;

1. How does someone become pregnant

2. What does she feel.

3. What should one do if she suspects that she is pregnant

4. You are not to blame - Taking charge

The girls listened keenly as the mentors shared, the Ambassadors led by Maxy were keenly looking at Janet's reaction, they wanted to be sure that their suspicions weren't true. Janet fell into their trap when she asked her questions after the presentation and they confirmed their fears. After the session, they approached Janet and convinced to come to our office for a talk with the mentors who referred her for counselling. Janet was later accompanied to the hospital for pregnancy test and thank God, she wasn't pregnant.

GPENDE Assemblies have become powerful platforms for speaking on issues affecting girls within their schools, the girls continue to develop their own support structures to ensure that no gircl is left behind.