Binti Pamoja (Daughters United) Center

In the summer of 2002, two college students from the USA partnered with CFK to create a reproductive health and women's rights project for teenage girls, which was named Binti Pamoja ("Daughters United") by its 12 participants. The group, consisting of girls from varying ethnic backgrounds, met 3 to 5 times per week in a donated classroom at Kibera Primary School. The Binti Pamoja curriculum was not pre-set, but, rather, was determined by the questions, concerns, and issues raised by the young women in the group. The first assignment was a writing project called "A Day in the Life of a Young Woman in Kibera." The girls were asked questions such as: What is a typical day like for you? What are some of the duties you have to perform that your brothers don't? What do you like and dislike about your life? What would you change? How? Why? A second assignment was entitled "Reproductive Health Issues."

The first issue the group raised was violence against women. Other discussion topics included sex, contraception, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and ethnic conflict. To address some of these issues, the group took a field trip to the Coalition on Violence Against Women, a local NGO that provides counseling and advocacy on domestic violence. In addition, a reproductive health nurse from the Family Planning Association of Kenya visited a group meeting to speak about contraception and STIs.

To complement these group discussions, members were given simple point-and-shoot disposable cameras and assignments that paralleled discussion topics. Most of the young photographers had never before held a camera. Once the photos were developed, the group used them as a tool, together with role-playing and drama, to discuss sensitive issues such as rape, prostitution, and HIV/AIDS. The use of photography as a medium was intentional; the idea was that girls could remain detached from their own experiences when asked questions such as, "What would you do if you were the girl in the picture?" This strategy was designed to allow them to explore alternatives and potential solutions to problems that they were likely facing themselves.

The summer culminated in a photo exhibition in Nairobi that drew over 300 people, ranging from the girls' friends and family to members of the CFK Board of Trustees, and representatives from local women's rights NGOs. Each girl chose 4 photos to be enlarged and displayed and wrote an essay to accompany each photo. These photos and essays may be viewed on the Binti Pamoja website. Two members also spoke at the reception and each girl participated in one of 3 short skits reflecting the issues discussed throughout the programme. The photos and essays have also been displayed in several cities in the United States.

As a culmination of this project, in June 2006 a printed book LightBox was launched, which CFK describes as "a powerful visual and narrative exploration into the lives of young women in Kibera." The book includes photographs taken by Binti Pamoja members over the course of two years. All the proceeds from LightBox go to The Binti Pamoja Center Scholarship Fund, which helps Binti Pamoja members attend high school.

Since the first 2-month project, the Center has continued, hosting monthly speakers and field trips, community service projects, family events and peer education programmes designed to further empower the girls and provide an outlet for them to educate their communities through drama, a newsletter and youth forums. According to organisers, a new group of girls is recruited into the Center each year, and after two years they graduate into the alumni group where they take on leadership roles in the Center and start new girls groups in the community.

Girls, Women, Reproductive Health, Domestic Violence, Rape.

Reuters' Africa Journal aired a documentary segment about Binti Pamoja, and various organisations expressed interest in funding a book developed from the girls' photos and essays. A number of photo exhibitions have also been held in the United States of America to raise awareness and funds for the programme. Exhibitions consisted of over 70 photos taken by Binti Pamoja members and their accompanying essays.