When we refer to the creation of safe spaces for women and girls, we are attending to the need to create spaces in which they are not only safe from violence and exploitation, but spaces in which they can safely reflect on their role in shaping their communities, build their capacity and take the necessary steps to self-actualize towards their full potential in a dignified manner.
The GoDown’s Her City Her Streets project presented one such opportunity.
The first interaction with the young women was during the initial exploratory walk in July of 2021. They were a diverse group of women and girls whose names had been proposed by various members of The GoDown’s networks of friends and collaborators. The referrals were drawn from the Mukuru Youth Initiative, professional groups such as the Women in Real Estate (WIRE), a group of recent graduates in the Quantity Survey program at the Technical University of Kenya, an aspiring architect and recent high school graduate, representatives of the informal businesses around The GoDown, and other direct referrals to name a few.
The group could not have been more diverse – education levels, socio-economic background, students, young single mothers, primary school students, recent high school and college graduates and early career professionals. The common factor uniting all of them was the fact that they were young women whose voices are ordinarily missing from urban design. And yet, the city is ostensibly supposed to meet their needs and serve them in their daily living.
As expected, their first gathering was tentative. They were mostly cautious, sizing one another up, eager to understand the task ahead. They initially stuck in familiar groups, the university girls stuck together, the girls from the Mukuru community did the same, while the girls who came in alone awkwardly tried to find a space in which to fit. The awkwardness did not last long. The first round of introductions gave us all a glimpse into the diverse personalities in the room. Some shy, others bold and confident, others somewhere in between. Everyone, curious.
They had all turned up with no promise or expectation of remuneration and no clear understanding of what this opportunity entailed. The fact that they were all direct or indirect referrals from friends and partners of The GoDown meant that there was a significant amount of trust was already being extended.
What followed that first meeting and subsequent adventures on the streets of Nairobi’s Industrial Area during numerous data collection walks, was a breaking down of barriers and bonding around a task which galvanized the young women. For the first time ever, they were asked to reflect on the conditions of their streets, how they were being used, and how they could be improved to suit their needs.
The initially cautious and reserved group transformed into one in which voices were being raised to confidently state what was not working and what needed to be made better. The GoDown and the Her City Her Streets Program evolved into a space in which individuals could admit to their own limitations and they could count on their colleagues to lend a helping hand to accomplish the set goals.
No accounts of what turned out to be shared experiences were off limits. “When I am coming into the city, I will not drink any water before I leave home because I know I will not have any toilet to use until I get to the office.” – Participant “J”
“Ni lazima uwajue hawa solja ama wenye biashara ili wakuruhusu utimie choo kwa duka yao. GoDown pia imetusaidia sana kwa maana wakati mlikua mmefungua, tulikuwa tukiiingia kwenu kutumia choo. Tunaomba tusaidiwe na maji na choo kwa street ili tuweze kuishi maisha ya heshima. Imagine mwanamke akiwa kwa period yake, imagine vile anafanya bila choo” (“You need to strike up a relationship with security guards and business owners along your street so they allow you to use the toilets and live a dignified life. Just imagine what happens if you are on your period and cannot access these amenities.” Participant “R”
The atmosphere of trust was bolstered by the clear understanding that women have a right to lead dignified lives, and to speak up to claim it. This is a matter of agency and voice. That these young women were asked to speak into an issue that affects them, to identify challenges, and to propose solutions.
We at The GoDown look forward to this continued engagement, and to creating an inclusive space (The New GoDown and its neighbouring streets) for all – a microcosm offering a glimpse into the results participatory urban design could produce in Nairobi and beyond.