Afrigirl

I have been thinking to myself, why is it that there are kids as small as 5 years, who can stand before a multitude of people and deliver a speech without butting an eye? Take the case of Mutula Kilonzo's grandson during the late Senator's burial service. The small guy gave a speech in tribute to his grandfather, without fear and even cracked a joke. Why is it that may people find it hard to talk when in crowds or in the midst of people they are not used to? I will answer my question by asking you this question - What did your parent do in your childhood to ensure that you developed confidence in yourself, at an early age? In the same context of confidence, meet 10 year old Zuriel Oduwole, the youngest interviewee on the famous Forbes Magazine. She is an award winning documentary film maker and writer. That's not where it stops, Zuriel has also held interviews with leading African personalities, including eight current African Presidents, Africa’s

At 16, Laeticia Mukungu is the founder of the Women's Rabbit Association - a rabbit breeding enterprise. Proceeds from the enterprise fund a small salary for its 15 members as well as a micro-finance bank covering their children's educational needs; and personal micro-business ventures. She is young yet a blessing to many. Read more about the project and Laeticia on this blog .

Apparently, this is what some of our primary school girls believe. I had the great honour and opportunity to attend this year's Ikolomani South Zonal Educational day which took place at Eregi Girls' Boarding Primary School. The annual event normally details presentation of the previous year's K.C.P.E (Kenya Certificate of Primary Education) examination results and trophies to pupils and schools with exemplary performance.  Just before giving my talk (I didn't consider it much of a speech), I decided to carry out a small survey where I gave out questionnaires to 3 anonymous girls. I asked the following questions in the questionnaires:     1.    Why are you in school?     2.    What would you like to become in future (career wise)?     3.    What qualifications do you require for you to become (your answer to 2)? I would like you to take a moment and ask yourself what answers you would have given at the age of 12. Here are the answers I got:

Kakenya Ntaiya did what most girls would consider undoable….she traded a part of her body in order to be granted the chance to go to school. She agreed to undergo the infamous Female Genital Mutilation (FGM - which we all know is against the law and a big health risk to those who undergo it) only if her dad would let her go to High School - he agreed. Like many other girls from the Maasai community, Kakenya was betrothed at the age of 5. That meant that she already had a 'husband' in waiting and she only had to wait till her initiation (as soon as she reached puberty) which would now mean that she had now become a woman - ready for marriage to her 'fiancé' from since when she was 5. Deep down her heart she always knew that she wanted to study, she wanted to become a teacher. She wanted to dress in nice clothing and wear high heeled shoes. She didn't want to stay home and be a wife and mother, as that is the role of girls who attained puberty. All this inspiration