It has been two months since the deadly Coronavirus landed in our country. While it’s easy to focus on the negative, we must acknowledge that as of today, there have been more than 300 recoveries from the virus. All this is thanks to the frontline healthcare workers who are working day in day out to ensure that the patients are well taken care of and end up victorious.
That being said, the Kotex Kenya annual She Can awards are aimed at celebrating, honouring, and awarding women who break the glass ceiling to achieve their dreams and motivation while motivating others to do the same. This year, the focus is on honouring women who are at the frontline in the fight against COVID- 19. The awards, which are the highlights of the #PeriodOrNotSheCan campaign seek to engage young women directly inspiring them to break barriers that stand in the way of their success and progress.
In line with the campaign theme of ‘Championing Her Progress’, the #PeriodOrNotSheCan campaign was deliberately kicked off in May when the world marks milestones made towards woman’s menstrual wellness and reproductive health.
The 2020 She Can Award Nominations kicked off with Kotex’s first-ever live concert hosted on 14th May 2020 across the Kotex social media platforms, targeting over 10,000 women across Kenya. Hosted by renown performing artist Patricia Kihoro, the event featured riveting performances from upcoming artists including Nikita Kering, Xenia Manasseh, Emma Cheruto, Wendy Kay and influencers like Azziad were also present. The Kotex She Can Online Concert Brought Music Fans Together In The Midst Of The Covid-19 Pandemic
Kotex also launched a new range of Kotex Maxi Pads in the market. The new pads are thicker with a dual cover, fast absorb centre to prevent leakage, with an extra soft and smooth fabric for comfort. The product is expected to be in the market within the next few weeks.
This year’s Kotex “She Can” awards honourees include Environmentalist Liz Mazingira, Doctor Nyachira, Publicist Anyiko Owoko, and visually impaired persons’ ambassador Crystal Asige.
Here is some background of some of the honorees.
Dr Nyachira, who is among the honourees, is one of the first Kenyan doctors to have undertaken a World Health Organization (WHO) training on critical care of Coronavirus. She has been sharing valuable Covid-19 management tips on her YouTube Channel as well as equipping medics across quarantine health facilities and hospitals. Aside from this, Dr Nyachira is a medical professional who is currently a medical officer at Mbagathi District Hospital in Nairobi City County and a medical advisor to the University of Nairobi’s Science & Technology Park.
The phenomenal Crystal Asige is also among the honourees. Crystal, who was crowned as the ‘First Lady’ of Sol Generation Records by her eclectic and zealous fanbase, was featured in some of the biggest Kenyan songs of 2019, including the acclaimed hit “Extravaganza” by Sauti Sol and Sol Generation. But that’s not when her journey began. In 2016, she celebrated her first number-one single ‘Pulled Under’ in a UK-based chart show from her first EP titled Karibia. Since then, she has consistently used the undeniable power of music and messaging to further deflate man-made stereotypes and historical exclusions with her voice. Read Crystal’s story here.
The inspiring journalist Anyiko Owoko is also an honouree this year. In 2018, she was selected by OkayAfrica among 100 women honorees for their #OKAY100Women list for her dedicated work and for being a promising talent within the genre of media. She is also the founder of Anyiko Public Relations, an avant-garde PR Agency providing quality PR and communication services while crafting communication strategies that focus on highlighting African achievement and Africa’s robust cultural scene.
Then there is the passionate environmentalist and climate activist Elizabeth Wathuti, aka Liz Mazingira. She is the founder of Green Generation Initiative. But that’s not where her story ends. Liz received the Wangari Maathai Scholarship Award from The Greenbelt Movement, Kenya Community Development Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. She was also a regional finalist for Africa for the UN Young Champions of the Earth 2019 due to the impact that her organization which nurtures young people to be conscious of the environment while promoting green projects has had.
Christopher Waithaka, Senior Brand Manager, Feminine Care Category – West, East & Central Africa at Kimberly Clark, says, “Every year, we celebrate women who are authentic and pushing limits in achieving success, and despite the lock-down, 2020 is no different. We urge the public to join us in spotlighting phenomenal women, who are making a difference across all sectors of society and especially during this period of COVID -19.”
You too can take part in the nomination process, by nominating yourself or any woman you know who exemplifies the campaign values of being authentic, committed to service, and connected to society. To be eligible for the She Can Award, nominations must be sent through the Kotex Kenya Instagram and Facebook pages from the 15th to 27th of May 2020. All you have to do is write a comment on the relevant Kotex Kenya social media post, saying who your nominee is and why she should be awarded. Tag the nominated person, and add the tag #PeriodOrNotSheCan
Voting for the She Can 2020 Awards will take place from 28th May to 11 June 2020.
Here are the criteria for the She Can awards nominees:
- Aged between 18-35 years.
- Authentic and committed
- Achieved unique success in her field whether in business, arts, and lifestyle, academia, sports, social issues, or public health.
The Kotex She Can Online Concert Brought Music Fans Together In The Midst Of The Covid-19 Pandemic
