Part of being a WISH woman for Daraja students (a Woman of Integrity, Strength, and Hope) is learning about issues that impact their world. As global citizens and leaders in their communities, learning about issues that affect themselves and their communities is vital. During the month of July, Daraja students learned about the importance of Self Defense.

“The techniques are useful to many girls who may meet problems and then they are able to protect themselves from unwanted sex, HIV, and pregnancies,” Winnie, Form 1, explained in regards to Self Defense.

To expand their knowledge about issues around unwanted intimacy and violence, Forms 1 and 2 attended a workshop this past weekend to learn about sexual assault and domestic violence. Volunteer, Jordin, who works at Community Violence Solutions in California as a Sexual Assault Counselor ran the awareness based program here on campus.

In the workshop, the girls debunked myths about sexual assault, learned about the different types of assault, including domestic, and recited various response actions among other activities. After the educational and awareness-focused portion of the workshop, girls were given the opportunity to make their own Traveling Postcards.

A traveling postcard is a unique, hand-made artistic postcard with words of compassion and solidarity. The cards that the Daraja students made will be delivered to survivors of assault and violence in San Francisco, California later this year. Writing these postcards gave the girls an opportunity to take what they learned in the workshop and do something to help those who are directly affected by sexual and domestic violence.

When making these postcards the girls considered, what kind words would I need, if I had gone through something like this? They used their creativity and compassion to create 40 distinctive cards.

Daraja girls have created Traveling Postcards in the past as well. Photographs of postcards made by Forms 3 and 4 can be found in the Daraja Gallery on the Traveling Postcards website.

Through this workshop, Forms 1 and 2 gained insight that learning is not only about gaining knowledge about a subject, but it is also about putting that gained knowledge into creative and effective action that can help a community.

“I think my card will go to someone who really needs it, and make them smile,” reflected Evalyn (F1).