Redefining Gender Norms, and Cultivating Leadership Through Menstrual Advocacy: One Refugee Woman’s Quest in Kakuma Refugee Camp

Sudi, whose own life has been marked by displacement and uncertainty, is on a mission to advocate for menstrual hygiene and leadership. Read about her journey, her initiative and the support she needs.

By Sudi Omar Noor as told to Grace Bosire

I was born in Somalia in 1999 during a time of civil unrest. The violence kept escalating and with each passing day our future in our country was becoming uncertain. My family and I persevered until we lost some family members to the civil war. That is when my mother decided that we needed to leave. It was a difficult decision — leaving behind our home and everything familiar, but the hope for a safer and more stable environment for me and my siblings pushed us make the journey

It was 2008 and I was 9-years-old when we arrived in Dadaab Refugee Camp with my mother. While we had left the uncertainties that come with waking up to war everyday — we faced new challenges: we started facing backlash from our relatives and the wider Somali community on my education.

Most girls my age were staying home and doing household chores or being married off, unlike me. However, I was enjoying going to school.

We felt so much hostility — it made us uncomfortable.

My mother knew she wanted us to go to school, so she decided we would move to Kakuma Refugee Camp in 2012. This was a good decision — it brought us relief as we were no longer surrounded by the same societal pressures and stereotypes.

We settled into the camp, and I continued my education. The experiences I had had so far made me realise that I wanted to make a difference in the lives of young refugee women who may face similar challenges like me, but may not have the familial support that I did.

Changing the Narrative: Empowering Girls Through Menstrual Advocacy

In 2021, I was pursuing a Youth Sports Facilitator course with Jesuit Worldwide Learning. This is where I encountered a distressing situation that would shape my future.

The classes used to take place in one of the primary schools in Kakuma after 2pm. One day I was in the washroom where I met a girl who was crying because she had just had her first period and didn’t know what to do. I approached her and reassured her that starting her period was normal and nothing to be ashamed of. I then gave her an extra sanitary pad and patiently taught her how to use it, sharing my own first experience to comfort her. This encounter left me wondering how many more girls go through this, especially the first time, and motivated me to support and educate more girls in similar situations. By the end of our conversation, the girl felt more at ease and grateful for the support and guidance.

For the next few days, I thought alot about the little girl and others like her who struggle to manage their menstrual hygiene, due to the misinformation and stigma associated with monthly periods. Moreover, managing periods in refugee camps is challenging due to

• Limited resources and the high costs of sanitary towels, whether disposable or reusable.
• Lack of comprehensive education on sexual reproductive health
• The lack of clean, private restroom facilities make it harder for women to maintain proper menstrual hygiene.
• The scarcity of resources and healthcare infrastructure leaving refugee women with insufficient support for managing their periods.

Launching the Girl Power Action Initiative in 2021 — amidst COVID-19

I wanted to make a meaningful difference, so I decided to change my initial personal interest project(PIP) which was with Amala Education to initiate ‘The Girl Power Action Initiative’ in October 2021. The initiative aimed distribute reusable sanitary towels to women in the camp. This is especially helpful for school going girls as well as more sustainable.

With this initiative, we go beyond just providing reusable sanitary pads. We aim to empower girls with essential skills and information to navigate their menstrual cycles confidently. We do this by partnering with organisations in charge of schools like Lutheran World Federation and Finn Church Aid in the camp and Kaloboyei settlement and holding workshops and sessions. Each cohort of girls that participates in the workshops goes through a monthly program where they learn essential skills and information, culminating in a graduation that signifies newfound confidence and empowerment.

The journey has not been easy. I have faced backlash from the community when I started the project because this is not a subject that is spoken about. However, what matters most is that I know through this, generations after will be empowered, and the stigma surrounding periods will be a thing of the past.

At the beginning, I conducted the workshops for the Girl Power Initiative (GPI) with my co-founders. As time went on, we recruited volunteers to accompany us. Together, we have conducted activities in 10 schools in Kakuma and 6 schools in Kalobyei camp, positively impacting over 1,500 girls.

However, it was only last year in November 2023 that I managed to officially register the initiative. The government’s temporary stall on registering Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) caused a delay in the process, which required a registration fee. I am grateful to the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK) for sponsoring the registration fee and providing legal advice, as well as to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) for offering guidance throughout the entire process. Their support significantly eased the registration process.

Their support significantly eased the registration process.

Building Networks and Expanding Initiatives for Women’s Leadership

There are many barriers to scaling initiatives that several Refugee-led and community-based organisations face.

Beyond registration issues, I faced financial struggles as I was not able to afford reusable sanitary towels for all the girls. I also lacked the appropriate networks at that time to assist me in getting donations and funding. Fortunately, my work and passion caught the attention of two well-wishers whom I met while carrying out the workshops. One of them was Dr Sahra Ahmed who donated the first 500 reusable sanitary towels and the Fieldready Organisation who also donated another 500.

I have been able to gain support and resources for our initiatives. with the networks I’ve been able to establish through conferences, meetings, and other events as the founder of GPI.

Founding WomenRise in 2024

I often attended meetings and conferences with other refugee leaders and founders of Refugee-led Organisations (RLOs). Most of these tend to be male-dominated with very few women in leadership positions.

Working with young girls and women over the years has made me realise the need for broader support and representation of women in leadership roles within refugee camps. Coalition building is the key to supporting girls and women everywhere.

So along with a friend, Conzana, we co-founded ‘WomenRise’ in 2024 to offer capacity-building initiatives and networking opportunities for women in the camps. With this initiative, we aim to build a strong community of women leaders. We have since added six women with their initiatives in Kakuma to the WomenRise Founders Circle.

We are soon launching our LinkedIn and Facebook pages for WomenRise aimed at showcasing the incredible women and their projects, fostering virtual meetings where they can discuss their work and collaborate on capacity-building and support. These platforms will not only amplify their voices but also create a space for meaningful connections and growth within our community.

This vision extends beyond Kakuma. Women everywhere need to have a seat at the table where their voices and contributions are valued and impactful.

My message for all the girls in my community is that every challenge is an opportunity to make a difference — just be at it.

My message to the humanitarian world is to invest in women and one of gratitude for the support we’ve received thus far in delivering menstrual hygiene education and resources to girls in refugee camps.

However, we are constantly seeking additional funding, donations of sanitary pads, support and collaboration to expand our reach and provide more comprehensive menstrual hygiene education to girls in refugee camps and surrounding communities.

Together, we can make a significant impact and ensure that every girl in refugee camps has access to proper menstrual hygiene management.”