Article Details


Article


Lights


| |

CARE PARTNER PROFILE: SUPERB COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION


Date: 17/03/2021


CARE WORKS WITH MANY INCREDIBLE LOCAL PARTNERS AROUND THE WORLD TO HELP DELIVER PROJECTS THAT HAVE MEANINGFUL, LASTING IMPACT ON INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES. SUPERB IS ONE OF OUR WOMEN'S VOICE AND LEADERSHIP PARTNERS.


WHAT DOES SUPERB DO AND WHERE ARE YOU BASED?

SUPERB is a feminist women’s rights organization led by young women based in the informal settlement of Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya. SUPERB works towards creating safe spaces for women and girls living in the underserved communities to be persistent, empowered, resilient and bold. We envision an inclusive society that values and supports the full engagement of women and girls in development.

To achieve our objective, SUPERB has been conducting several activities that include: weekly safe spaces mentorship sessions, online advocacy campaigns, urban farming, "artivism" (dance, skits, poetry), virtual learning, community library, school program, soap making, community outreach, feminist talking circles, learning exchange program, feminist organizing and convening, training and workshops, facilitation of menstrual hygiene products and rapid response. SUPERB is also involved in advocacy and lobbying. We have engaged in social media advocacy and radio and TV advocacy.

HOW DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION PARTNER WITH CARE CANADA?

SUPERB is a beneficiary and implementer of CARE’s Women’s Voice and Leadership project in Kenya, supported by the Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW) through CARE Kenya and Global Affairs Canada.

WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN IN YOUR COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF HOW THE PANDEMIC HAS AFFECTED WOMEN SPECIFICALLY?

During the pandemic, women and girls in the informal settlement of Kibera have experienced increased violence, loss of livelihood, lack of social cohesion and interaction, stigma and discrimination, exclusion, femicide, loss of income, loss of family ties, loss of social mobility, school dropout, teenage pregnancy and lack of professional development. It has also made the existing gender inequalities for women and girls worse and this has impacted how they receive treatment and care.

The majority of women are low-income earners. Many manage to make ends meet by running small-scale businesses or casual jobs like household chores and laundry. They find it hard to access decent work after movement restrictions were put in place in the hope of preventing further spread of the virus. This increased the risk of sexual exploitation and abuse, and made accessing support service more difficult.

HOW HAVE WOMEN RISEN TO MEET THESE CHALLENGES?

Women have helped to recruit other women and girls into organizations and groups that are working towards advancing women’s rights and have built up their social networks. They are creating and supporting leadership systems and mentorships and engaging their communities. Women are referring survivors of gender-based violence to support groups, organizations and services and are advocating and lobbying for policy change that protects and supports women and girls.

HOW IS SUPERB WORKING TO EMPOWER WOMEN TO LEAD OVER THE LONG-TERM, BEYOND COVID-19?

SUPERB is working to empower women to lead over the long-term, beyond COVID-19 by:

1. Providing opportunities and improving the access to information on sexual and reproductive health, leadership and governance, entrepreneurship, financial management among women and girls living in Kibera
2. Supporting and empowering women and girls to develop and grow self-confidence, leadership skills, communication skills and life skills so that they are able to make informed decision pertaining their body and life.
3. Connecting them with their peers, so that they can learn from one another, share ideas and experiences they face and come up concrete recommendations and solutions to address the challenges.
4. Giving them the opportunity to deliberate on the challenges they are facing and coming up with solutions.
5. Establishing a social feminist movement that works towards promoting the rights of women and girls.
6. Bridging the intergenerational gap
7. Providing basic necessities, for example menstrual products, with an aim of boosting and restoring their dignity.

HOW CAN WE (AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A COLLECTIVE) ENSURE THAT WOMEN EVERYWHERE CAN LEAD IN CREATING A BETTER WORLD FOR US ALL?

1. By ensuring we have created an enabling environment for women and girls to live in dignity.
2. By advocating for gender-just policy frameworks and ensuring full implementation and protection of women and girls’ rights.
3. By supporting local and grassroots women’s rights organizations
4. By fostering partnership and collaboration with other like-minded organizations
5. By empowering women to realize their full potential
6. By challenging the existing layered oppressive structures that violate the rights of women and girls.
7. By dismantling the patriarchal system to achieve gender equality.