Joyce Wanjiru: Bring boys on board for gender agenda success

In 2019, Joyce Wanjiru participated in the ninth edition of Mr and Miss Kibera Leadership Contest. An annual event held in Kibera, Nairobi, it recognises young leaders and seeks to stimulate change in the community. After she was crowned the winner, she started her organisation, Beyond the Scars. She shares her story with Nation.Africa.

What inspired you to start Beyond the Scars?

When people think about Kibera, the first thought that comes to mind is destitution and hopelessness. However, this community, through collective effort, sponsored me through school and I was able to study up to college level. After school, I volunteered in many community organisations, which exposed me to the gaps that still exist, more so in sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) and gender-based violence (GBV) within families. When I won the Miss Kibera title, I decided to give back by providing a safe space for members of my community where they could also access opportunities within and outside my neighbourhood. Through Beyond the Scars, I wanted to send the message that despite the trauma arising from various challenges, everyone can rise beyond the struggle to achieve their goal. 

Which are some of the empowerment programmes in your organisation?

We are a one stop shop. We run  a range of programmes, including mental health awareness and sustainable development involving individuals in income-generating activities. We also link survivors of GBV to services and offer life skills training for the youth, SRHR focusing on menstrual health, and sessions with parents to tackle abusive and toxic parenting.

Lessons you have learnt while running your organisation…

In the beginning, I was overly focused on girl child empowerment, but I soon realised that I was fighting a losing battle. Yes, I would provide these girls with SRHR education, as well as sanitary towels and hygiene packs, but many of them would still end up pregnant. The women we were empowering economically were also continually facing domestic violence in their homes at the hands of their husbands. Moreover, I realised that boys, like girls, were increasingly facing sexual abuse. 

Which are the strategies Beyond the Scars is employing to include boys and men?

We are bringing the boys and men in different forums to be able to understand their vulnerabilities, challenges and talents. A number of those we see suffer from mental health challenges emanating from societal pressures and we are able to link to mental health support from counsellors. We also sensitise them to GBV, how to spot and be active responders when they witness it. In addition, we link them up to economic opportunities because poverty remains a big driver of GBV, which has cyclic and far-reaching impacts on children (both boys and girls) across generations. 

What are some challenges you face in your line of work?

When tackLing defilement and rape, the biggest challenge is the justice system. Many known perpetrators are able to get away with their crimes because of insufficient evidence gathered and/or intimidation of survivors. Another challenge that I face is the inability to sustain my volunteers, this being a non-profit organisation. This makes the work more difficult as I have to shoulder a lot of it given that they come and go.

What are you most proud of?

Firstly, the fact that I kept my word and have not given up on Beyond the Scars is enough reason for me to be proud. Thanks to the Miss Kibera crown, in 2020 at the height of Covid-19, we were able to mobilise water, food and soap for six months for 500 families at a time when they could not access work. Over the years, we have reached many lives through the programme, directly and indirectly. We have facilitated eight young mothers to go back to school. A number of youths and persons with disabilities have also accessed employment through our networks and partnerships and are doing well for themselves.

What is your hope for the future?

I hope that many of the community and non-governmental organisations will collaborate in a better way to ensure greater impact. Well established organisations must realise it is not a competition and instead support upcoming ones because there is still so much work to be done. I believe in partnerships over donations, and if we worked together even without enough resources we can be able to achieve community transformation.

Parting shot…

It is time to rethink our empowerment strategies more so in informal settlements. Empower girls and boys equally because harmful acts like GBV are not selective. When all community members operate on a common understanding and ground, the impact created will be long-lasting.

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