Women face many challenges growing up and among the issues they face is the issue of periods. For some women periods are ok and they have no issues to deal with as they have no pain and pads are available to them. But for many girls getting their periods every month is a trial, they either get bad period cramps or they do not have pads to use so they stay out of school during their periods. These can affect their confidence.
I think this is part of the reason Always has launched the stand up campaign to encourage girls to become all they can be. There is no reason for girls to stop dreaming and stop believing that they cannot achieve what they put their minds to.
Always now have brand ambassadors to encourage girls to be all they can be. One of these ambassadors is Elizabeth Marami, who is Kenya’s first marine pilot. The other is Kenya’s basketball captain Silalei Owour. The two will work together with Always to encourage girls to be all they can be. They will be sharing their stories with girls and encouraging girls to share their #AlwaysStandUpKe stories.
The campaign aims to encourage and empower girls to work to achieve their dreams. Mr. Evanson Mwaniki, the Always Brand Manager says that many girls feel pressured to hide their beliefs, and take fewer risks because they are girls. This initiative will help Always refocus their efforts to ensure that girls stand up for what they want to be and also be able to set goals for them to achieve.
Ms. Marami who is Kenya’s youngest marine pilot and the first female to be a marine pilot is excited to be a brand ambassador for always and to be able to help girls gain the confidence they need. She said she is proud that her mother stood up for her and that is why she ended up pursuing her dreams. She said that is why she ended up pursuing her dreams and excelling in her field even though there were very few women in the profession.
Ms. Silale who is the Kenya Basketball Captain says that no girl should be made to feel like she can’t stand up because of her gender. She should be able to play basketball or be able to socialize with other people. It is important for girls to have confidence and self-belief so that they can be able to do whatever they set their mind to. Ms. Silale said that girls should be encouraged to take part in sports and sports should not be seen as an area in which only men should take part
Always started the global #LikeAGirl campaign in 2014 and it highlighted how the phrase like a girl had become a negative phrase. This year the next phase was rolled out and this was the creation of the Always Global confidence teaching curriculum which will benefit millions of girls around the world. The curriculum incorporates confidence building for girls and the program has been co-developed by Always, education thought leaders and experts. The curriculum will reach up to 20 million girls in 65 countries per year. TED, which is a non-profit dedicated to spreading ideas, has also committed to support the campaign to teach young girls to be confident.
Check out the inspiring stories of Marami and Silalei here . You can also share your story and tell us what you are stood up for by telling your story on the Always Girls Facebook Page.
