As we leave a Trump presidency where the truth mattered absolutely nothing, causing worldwide
misinformation every which way, Girl Talk Kenya is hoping in 2021 we can try to turn the tide back to
where the truth matters. During these crazy 4yrs, Girl Talk Kenya came into existence and has been at
the forefront of having meaningful and hopefully impactful conversations on issues affecting women
and girls surviving the patriarchy. Some of the talks we had revolved around positive sexuality and
mental health existing as women in a world that constantly belittles and beats us down, where all our
lives are meant to be lived in service of men. We also held a webinar within the covid-19 pandemic
period in 2020 where we spoke on self-care as women surviving two pandemics at once (patriarchy and
covid), and how to keep ourselves safe and sane within it.
Organizing for these talks was truly an exciting albeit humbling endeavor since we could all feel the
tremendous necessity, importance and impact of having them would be. Finding panelists to have these
conversations was however daunting since the women doing great work exploring and inventing new
ways to commune as we dismantle the patriarchy are NOT far or few in between. This was a joy knowing
but a pain to choose who to work with and who to hold off on. Having to lock out some participants
from the huge outpouring of responses from women wanting to be part was just as hard which is why in
subsequent Girl Talks, we decided to start streaming live on YouTube just so everybody that had access
to us online wouldn’t feel left out. We plan to broaden this reach in 2021 even when we resume physical
in person talks by streaming them live with consent because ALL women need to be heard and seen
However, we have a similar more prevalent and deadly epidemic of lies from our politicians foreboded
as Kenyans anxiously await a general election come 2022, where we will be electing a new president for
the next 5yrs. This has left a country with its most vulnerable minorities even more susceptible to
exploitation and abuse. With this in mind, we at Girl Talk Kenya will be taking these minorities back to
our roots in a bid to find out who we truly are from our histories. I boldly embody this since as a single
queer mother, I carry several minority tags under my belt and looking around at the most affected by
volatile political situations, it is women like me, the disabled and the poor who pay a truly heavy price.
We don’t have to look much further than the current pandemic where we continue to suffer neglect and
gas lighting tendencies just so those in power can keep the status quo. A perfect example is the utterly
useless but popular BBI report being shoved down Kenyans throats in a valiant attempt to contravene a
constitution that is barely- if ever- respected let alone enforced.
Toward our goal stated above, we will over the course of the year be speaking to different minority
groups on various topics that affect us/them, in a bid to show how all our current realities stem from the
same misinformation we have been receiving time immemorial in a bid to keep the patriarchy fed,
armed and stronger than ever. We do this in a hope that young girls and women will learn some agency
of thought at the very least as we enter 2022, when we shall be called upon to exercise our democratic
right. We are hoping to create some fortitude within ourselves where no matter the gas lighting that
happens, we will still have the power to decide and change our lives toward doing what our hearts truly
desire. We hope to show our women and girls their individual greatness no matter how minor society
has deemed us. So, like I keep telling my daughter, let’s all tell the truth and tell it ever no matter how
hard it is to. The consequences lies beget are generational and not worth the effort they take.\
Nyambura Gachahi
Program coordinator
Girl Talk Kenya
