 Women and men must work together in order to tackle the great
challenges of our times. However, we know that half of the
population endures multiple and unique forms of oppression
in the face of such hardships as poverty, war, religious fundamentalism,
and lack of education and adequate healthcare. While many women
around the world are victims of violence, exploitation, and
exclusion, they are also resilient, resourceful, and, given
the opportunity, capable of transforming their own lives, and
others.
H4H has been listening to and working with strong female leaders
and their families in Central and South Western Kenya to set
up or to support existing sewing, beading, and knitting cooperatives
to develop and enhance women’s knowledge and skills,
provide them with sustainable income to support their families
and their communities, and address local environmental issues.
There are perhaps no other H4H initiatives that better encapsulate
our motto, “linking hands through action” than
our women’s cooperatives. The projects have been very
successful, due to the passion and commitment of our partners
in Kenya, and the students, teachers, and other volunteers
in Canada who have donated their time and creative talents,
making this a genuine cross-cultural exchange of knowledge,
skills, and collective organizing.
Washable Sanitary Pads
 Menstruation is an often overlooked, yet extremely important
issue related to women and development. While women’s
relationship to this biological process is complex everywhere
in the world, it poses particular difficulties for women living
in poverty, who are unable to purchase sanitary products, and
who also lack access to clean water and sanitation facilities.
Consequently, many girls, having only t-shirts and rags at
their disposal, opt to miss school for the duration of their
period, which results in high rates of absenteeism. While this
issue alone does not explain why in Kenya fewer girls than
boys complete primary school, and far fewer graduate high school,
it is certainly a contributing factor, and therefore one we
felt needed to be addressed.
Donating a bulk amount of store-bought, plastic sanitary products
was not the route we wished to take, as these would be neither
economically nor environmentally sustainable. Washable sanitary
pads on the other hand, we determined, would lessen the impact
on the environment, ultimately cost less than the commercial
products, as they could be reused for several years if cared
for properly, and presented an opportunity for women to earn
an income while gaining practical skills.
In 2008, H4H’s director travelled with over 100 washable
sanitary pads, designed and sewn by a group of women from Gravenhurst,
Ontario, to the three Kenyan communities of Ewaso Ngiro, Maragua
District and Dandora, where she introduced the product, and
built on the concept of the existing “merry-go-round” to
help establish a cooperative. “Merry-go-rounds” consist
of small groups of women who gather together on a daily or
weekly basis. Each woman will contribute a set amount of money
when the group meets. At the conclusion of the meeting, one
woman will be given the total amount of monies collected to
purchase whatever she needs to support herself and her family.
It was decided collectively the women would sew, market and
sell the pads, as well as make a personal, financial contribution,
to ensure the project was both sustainable and profitable.
As the women demonstrated great enthusiasm and support for
the idea, H4H purchased Singer sewing machines, sergers, sewing
accessories, and other materials needed to support the development
of the project in the three communities.
H4H has also facilitated information exchange and training
between these and other communities, to promote cooperation
and the sharing of successful models. One such model has emerged
out of the Maragua District, where the women have recently
filled an order of 1,000 pads to be distributed to women living
in refugee camps.
In-Country Partner, Leila Juma, coordinates the cooperative
in Dandora, where she applies a portion of the profits to funding
a community centre that addresses sexual violence in that community.
While this group has faced some challenges, Leila continues
to work with our other partners and incorporate their lessons
and wisdom in order to improve and sustain the project.
In Ewaso Ngiro, despite the women’s belief in the Washable
Sanitary Pad project, harsh living conditions, as well as cultural
and familial pressures on Maasai women, have brought the initiative
to a temporary halt. The women continue to take part in a beading
cooperative, and it is our hope, and that of the community,
with more time, training and support, the women will be able
to resume the Pad project.
Beading
 The
Maasai are widely recognized and characterized by the colour
and intricate patterns of their beaded jewellery. Maasai women
will sit together between their daily tasks of looking after
the children, milking the cows, cooking, and constructing homes
and animal pens to sit together and make the beaded ornaments.
Beadwork is an important means through which women demonstrate
their social understanding and creative capability. (www.maasaieducation.org)
In 2007, H4H’s director returned with a collection of
beaded jewellery given by the Ewaso Ngiro women as an expression
of gratitude for the building of Oleleshwa Primary School.
These gifts and the women of Ewaso Ngiro would serve as the
inspiration for various student and teacher led beading groups
in three Ontario schools. Over the last two and a half years,
young boys and girls at Pine Glen Public School, Macaulay Public
School, and Gravenhurst Public School have gathered during
recesses, after school, or throughout the summer, to create
and design: “zipper pulls”, bookmarks, bracelets,
wine charms, and “zingers” from an assortment of
coloured glass beads and costume jewellery. A devoted group
of retired teachers and skilled artisans oversee the student
beading groups and regularly arrange opportunities to sell
their wares.
Profits from the sale of these beaded items are currently
supporting the building of Oleleshwa Primary School but they
are also serving to support and to expand the women’s
beading co-operative in Ewaso Ngiro, Kenya. We are indeed linking
hands through action!
Knitting
H4H donated knitting, crocheting needles, and wool to women
in both Ewaso Ngiro and Maragua District, to help them develop
a marketable skill, in addition to beading and basket weaving,
that would generate income for members of the cooperative,
as well as support community projects, such as the building
of Oleleshwa Primary School. The women have all invested some
personal monies into the start-up of the knitting cooperatives,
ensuring ownership and accountability.
One idea, which came about once again through a cross-cultural
collaboration, was to knit bags, applying a special technique
to make the wool more durable, in order to help the community
move away from its dependence on plastic. The women have also
discussed the possibility of producing and selling pullovers
for school uniforms.
We continue to collaborate with our partners in Ewaso Ngiro
and Maragua District to come up with innovative and sustainable
ideas that support women’s learning and livelihoods,
while helping meet the needs of their communities. H4H is currently
researching a model whereby we can provide women with microloans
to support business development and to ensure self-sufficiency.
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