GoDown Project Management Trainee, Rehema Kabare, during the Architectural Association of Kenya Convention 2022, held at The Whitesands Hotel in Mombasa last week, under the theme ‘‘A Holistic Approach to Urban Governance.’ 

Rehema, a trained construction manager, had the opportunity to present her experiences as a participant of The GoDown’s #HerCityHerStreets Project geared towards inclusive urban design, specifically calling up the voices of young women and girls.

“The #HerCityHerStreets Project opened my eyes to the way in which we plan our urban spaces. We have a lot to do as a city! (At one point when working on a residential development project) I remember looking around and realizing that there was no play area for children or pedestrian walkways factored into the design. #HerCityHerStreets gave me a new perspective in my work where I have started seeing the gaps and the need to move away from the status quo.” 

 Of the convention, Rehema says, “It was a great opportunity to meet a range of professionals and to forge relationships and networks. The participants were warm and receptive, and the feedback they gave was constructive.” She attended the event representing Women in Real Estate.  

The GoDown has been running the #HerCityHerStreets project since mid-2021 in partnership with UN Habitat’s Her City Project. The Her City Toolbox is a digital survey tool which focuses on development from girls’ and young women’s needs and perspectives in urban development.  

The toolbox contains nine building blocks as a digital guideline on how to co-plan cities from a girl’s perspective.