Kate, an Australian woman doing the women's empowerment program and I got picked up at around 9:30 by Evalyne president for of the group. We walked about 25 minutes deep into the slums for the group's temporary building/room. When we got there, a handful of women were sitting around in a one store/crafts room. With big smiles, they all introduced themselves. Evalyne begin to tell us about the business they run when 4 other muzungus (white people) walked in. The mother of the muzungus knew PWG since 2005, a year after they were created. Elizabeth, another PWG member told all us muzungus the 10 year story about the HIV positive women that started this business in 2004.
The group started because all these women needed a support system from the intense stigma attached to being infected with HIV/AIDS. Their husbands left them, they could not find a job, and the ignorance of how HIV is spread prevented any help from family and friends. So they learnt how to make crafts, bought a "building" and the rest is history. Today, they have 15 women making classic Kenyan and African souvenirs such as jewelry, jewelry made out of recycled products beaded products (made popular by the Massai people), bags, scarves, and other kinds of souvenirs.
The room they have had 3 small closet-like rooms, one a kitchen, one a storage room, and one a bathroom with a toilet. This is all taking place in a slum and they have a toilet. Not just a whole in the ground, an actual western toilet for the women, volunteers, and customers. Crazy.
Other volunteers have already done a lot to help. PWG has a Facebook page, a website, brochures, and business cards. Other volunteers have helped teach the women how to be healthy, what the food groups are, and they also started a water challenge that teaches the women to drink two bottles of water a day.
After 10 years of hard work, the women purchased the room next door to cut it in half to make a day care and a salon. The day care is for the mothers so they can have a place to send their children so they can have a job. The hair salon is to train women and give them a skill to get a job.
Their big dream is to start smaller groups in the women's rural villages throughout the country and have the big power women's group in the kamai slum as a "mother" business. Most of the women moved to the Nairobi area to find a job, but Evalyne believes their job can be done anywhere. By having a this job in rural Kenya, it allows women to stay in their village and become independent by having their own business.
As for health, the women get their medication for free in the slum donated by the US CDC.
Now, for my day-to-day plans. My first idea was to make some sort of inspirational video informing the viewer of what the Power women's Group is. However, one volunteer that just left, a guy from Japan, also made a video. Evalyne still suggested I make the video because his video might not get to America and who knows if he will actually make the video or not.
I am also going to try and connect the HIV/AIDS awareness club at Binghamton to sell some of PWG's products. Maybe also find a jewelry store in Boston to sell their products.
This program is so incredible and I am so blown away by the drive and business skills these women have. It seems they've got everything figured out, they just need more volunteer so help publicise them to grow bigger to help more people.
Here is the website of power women group: http://www.powerwomen-kibera.or.ke/
The group started because all these women needed a support system from the intense stigma attached to being infected with HIV/AIDS. Their husbands left them, they could not find a job, and the ignorance of how HIV is spread prevented any help from family and friends. So they learnt how to make crafts, bought a "building" and the rest is history. Today, they have 15 women making classic Kenyan and African souvenirs such as jewelry, jewelry made out of recycled products beaded products (made popular by the Massai people), bags, scarves, and other kinds of souvenirs.
The room they have had 3 small closet-like rooms, one a kitchen, one a storage room, and one a bathroom with a toilet. This is all taking place in a slum and they have a toilet. Not just a whole in the ground, an actual western toilet for the women, volunteers, and customers. Crazy.
Other volunteers have already done a lot to help. PWG has a Facebook page, a website, brochures, and business cards. Other volunteers have helped teach the women how to be healthy, what the food groups are, and they also started a water challenge that teaches the women to drink two bottles of water a day.
After 10 years of hard work, the women purchased the room next door to cut it in half to make a day care and a salon. The day care is for the mothers so they can have a place to send their children so they can have a job. The hair salon is to train women and give them a skill to get a job.
Their big dream is to start smaller groups in the women's rural villages throughout the country and have the big power women's group in the kamai slum as a "mother" business. Most of the women moved to the Nairobi area to find a job, but Evalyne believes their job can be done anywhere. By having a this job in rural Kenya, it allows women to stay in their village and become independent by having their own business.
As for health, the women get their medication for free in the slum donated by the US CDC.
Now, for my day-to-day plans. My first idea was to make some sort of inspirational video informing the viewer of what the Power women's Group is. However, one volunteer that just left, a guy from Japan, also made a video. Evalyne still suggested I make the video because his video might not get to America and who knows if he will actually make the video or not.
I am also going to try and connect the HIV/AIDS awareness club at Binghamton to sell some of PWG's products. Maybe also find a jewelry store in Boston to sell their products.
This program is so incredible and I am so blown away by the drive and business skills these women have. It seems they've got everything figured out, they just need more volunteer so help publicise them to grow bigger to help more people.
Here is the website of power women group: http://www.powerwomen-kibera.or.ke/
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