Nothing melts my heart like seeing adolescent girls and young women thriving and soaring in various ways.

Early 2020, I was excited to be part of the YWLI team that trained young women from Kinango constituency, a rural area in Kwale County, Kenya. I looked forward to the virtual training to strengthen the young women’s skills in communication, media and leadership. 

This training changed my mind on young women’s engagement in the online platform due to poor internet and network connectivity, access to smartphones, computers and laptops. I thought we could achieve 20%. I was amazed that we reached 75%! Poor network and internet connectivity is a common reason young women in the rural setting are left out of such engagements, especially with Covid19. Even though we managed the number, there were challenges such us some dropping out of the sessions due to the above mentioned challenges. We kept encouraging them to join back. 

Using the zoom platform was exciting and a learning experience for both me and the participants. This was my first training on zoom as a facilitator. It was interesting using Swahili language. I actually realized I was good in Swahili. The young women also played a great role translating some vocabulary that I didn’t know in Swahili for instance hostility, Uhasama”.

My team and I took a week to guide and answer questions in the WhatsApp group before we could begin the training on zoom which turned okay. The excitement and appreciation from the young women was priceless. It was an opportunity for all of us to reconnect with others during these difficult times perpetuated by COVID 19 with social distancing and lockdowns. Social media has been the only way people are communicating, reaching out to their loved ones, advocating for human rights and influencing for positive change. This is the same platform where young people have been trolled, abused and people posting wrong information about COVID-19 that can cause depression for young women especially for those who are not aware of the situation and how to take a break from the internet. The training therefore came in handy as they brought young women together for a better cause.

During and after the training I felt the young women’s urge to learn and engage in the online platform. This is from their questions, online posts and requests to continue the training. My wish is to have more virtual engagements during this time and to create more platforms for more young women from rural settings to amplify their voices, visibility and influence.

Finally, here is one lesson learnt and I’m happy about…support for young women to participate in different spaces is vital. Young women from all over the world can learn and engage in online platforms with support despite the hindrances. This means that it is possible to involve all women when you provide resources and alternative ways to engage. I’m happy to work in an organization that believes and supports adolescent girls and young women without question to access spaces!