2020 Kotex She Can Awards

Beth Odek Amondi is a 22 year old Law Student at the University of Nairobi. Through her "No Shame Initiative" in Homabay County she has been able to reach more than 12,000 teenage girls across Homabay County through sanitary towels donations. She has roped in boys in her campaign to destigmatise periods & to create the awareness that it is safe and natural for any teenage girl to have periods. She hopes to involve all the players i.e. the teenage girls, their male colleagues, teachers, parents, guardians and leaders to help mould a society where young girls are confident about their periods.

Betty Bosibori Nyakweba aged 23 is a healthcare worker by profession. She has knowledge on Phlebotomy, paramedicine, operating theatre technology and recently counseling psychology. Her greatest achievement is being awarded as the best Emergency medical Technician (paramedic) at the Gertrude's Children's Hospital Muthaiga year 2018. Her passion is women empowerment,charity work and well-being of the community. She is most proud of the human connection and impact she has had on her patients.

Cynthia Nkanai is a 20 year old student at Kenyatta University, pursuing Public Policy and Administration, which has influenced her thinking in leadership, governance and community service. She is also a Sustainable Development Goals Ambassador, enthusiastic about sustainability. She a co-founder of an organization called "This Is Me", which is aimed at reducing the inequality gaps in society and restoring human dignity. She channels her energy through her Podcast "Through NkanEyes", a platform for her to air her views.

Vicky Aridi is a 22-year-old, Youth Focal Point for United Nations Joint SDG Fund and the Youth Liaison and Advocacy Officer for HCDExchange. She has also served as a project officer at the global level and an Advisor for Africa for United Nations SDSN Youth where she led and coordinated projects in 150 countries across the globe geared towards gender equality, youth empowerment and SDGs being led by youth. She is passionate about women empowerment and has co-founded the Tim Aridi Foundation which is focused on empowering young women leaders in the counties.

Happiness Ndanu aged 20 is the Founder of Kijana Jasiri Foundation which is a Non-Profit Organization that creates awareness on mental health among the youths and teenagers. She has been able reach more than 1000 youths and teenagers across Kenya & managed to run the #jasirimentalwarriors campaign. She started the "Mental Optimism Live Series" which she hosts different youths in various specialities who share about their mental health struggles on their journey towards success.

Liz Lenjo is the Founder and Managing Consultant of MYIP Legal Studio. She specializes in Intellectual Property, Entertainment, Media and Fashion Law. She is an adjunct faculty member at the Strathmore University Law School where she teaches Media and Entertainment Law as well as Business Law. She is also a blogger on www.lizlenjo.com on IP and Entertainment Law matters focusing on non-legal minds to understand basic issues on these areas of law. Liz is also a wife and a mother to two beautiful children: Harry 8 and Hailey 1. When she is not lawyering, she loves to dance, shop and cook.

Gabbie Adut a professional model, menstrual activist, founder and CEO of Her Flow My Concern. Her Flow My Concern was founded to help curb period poverty in slums and rural areas and make sure no girl misses/drops out of school for lack of sanity towels. She marches for menstruators...

Grace Wanene is a former beauty queen (Miss Tourism Laikipia County 2014, Miss World Kenya Laikipia 2015 and Miss Earth Kenya 2016). She is also a conservation champion in Laikipia County and got awarded by H.E William Ruto in 2016 as the water conservation Ambassador. She founded Drawing Dreams Initiative, a youth led CBO working in Laikipia County on matters Conservation Education, lifeskills empowerment and Menstrual Health Management. She has co-written a kid's poetry and coloring book "Let's go wild" which they use as a tool for conservation Education.

Tabitha Tongoi Nyakwara runs an online brand called Craving Yellow. Yellow, to her, is love and sunshine. She sees herself as a community builder whose primary role is to inspire women to create a life they love. She does so by sharing her own journey, be it her favourite hair and beauty hacks or even, matters close to a woman’s heart - love, career, entrepreneurship and family. She is passionate about inspiring young women to love themselves from the inside out
When not blogging, she is eagerly pursuing a career in digital marketing, sampling new cuisines with her husband or chattering with her besties on a Zoom call!

Najma Mohamed is a Communication Specialist by Profession and the Founder of We4She – a Community Based Organization that aims to empower the girl child to achieve her maximum potential. The Organisation has worked with 15 schools in Mombasa County and distributed annual supply of sanitary towels to over 3500 girls. They hold routine mentorship programs for the girls where they discuss matters menstruation, early pregnancies and education. She was awarded the Woman of the Year award by Coast Woman Magazine and also listed as one of the 100 Most influential Kenyan Muslims in Kenya by The Muslim Media Network.

Purity Wambui is a final year Pharmacy student at JKUAT. Currently, she is the first female to be nominated and elected into office as the Chairperson of the African Regional Office (AfRO) of the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF), which is the leading international advocacy organization for pharmacy students, pharmaceutical science students and recent graduates, representing over 500,000 members worldwide. She is passionate about global health, particularly the access to quality and effective medicines and vaccines especially in low and middle income countries. Purity is also a champion for gender equity and women empowerment. During her free time, you will find her travelling or seeking adventure!

Harmony Lucy Wanjiku is a business lady, super bike racer and a breast cancer ambassador. She took up an initiative to do charity rides, through accumulation of milage using her bike to raise funds for cancer patients. So far she has had four campaigns and the money she raised was donated to various cancer centres in Kenya. She was the first Kenyan female superbike racer to win the East Africa Super Bike Championship (EASBC 2019). She was lady biker of the year 2018 & 2019 and first Kenyan female to take part in doubleheaded races in South Africa where she emerged 2nd.

Shanice Kativi discovered that her purpose on earth was to rise up and serve not only children but families with special needs members. She is the founder of a Community Based Organization (currently undergoing registration) called through my eyes. She would like the world to see special needs children in the lens of their own eyes, different yet special in so many ways. The organization looks to set up a children’s center where they can come and feel safe and happy as their guardians explore income generating activities. Special needs children are little rays of sunshine in our lives if we adjust our focus and see clearly. Her journey has been challenging but it has become one that is so rewarding in terms of joy and inner peace.

Rose Wahito Munuhe is a Marketing Executive who majored in Marketing for her MBA. She started the #IkoKaziKE on Twitter in 2017. #IkoKaziKE is more than just a hashtag, it is platform for Kenyans to help one another tag jobs, to recruit & also to share testimonials and work-related advice. She also has a #IkoKaziKE blog to highlight different careers and encourage Kenyans who are job hunting. She says that there is something priceless about knowing she started a hashtag that changes lives. She loves her country and is glad to be pioneering change.

Aida Kamanyire is a 27 year old upcoming child nutrition author and parenting expert. She is the proud author of Kenya's best selling weaning-infant-toddler recipe eBook called 'Happy Baby Cook Book" which she has sold to over 5000 mothers in and out of the region successfully. Her book has greatly helped mothers sail through the early child feeding phase easily and more confidently. She is also a 2 time Hyperemesis Gravidarum warrior and enjoys spreading awareness about this killer pregnancy condition.

Lulu Kimbio - Mbugua is a wife, mum and entrepreneur who runs Luguah Naturals, an award winning, natural beauty brand specializing in skin care, hair care and lip care products, based in Nairobi, Kenya. At Luguah Naturals, she serves as the founder and lead formulator of all the products. Majority of her customers are women, and she formulates products that she identifies with to solve skin care and hair care problems, for women and babies, naturally. At Luguah Naturals, you are assured of natural beauty done well. She fell in love with natural personal care products when expecting her first child. She was looking for a skin moisturizer that was safe for use during that delicate period, and didn't find what best suited her. That's when she resulted to making her own skin moisturizer from natural ingredients, and from that first trial, Luguah Naturals came to be. When not wearing her family and work crowns, she enjoys spending time with her friends, sipping some wine and cooking up a storm."

Michelle Abiero never fully understood mental health or mental disorders until the age of 13. In 2017 when Michelle was 15, she founded Project Fmile to raise awareness on mental health and suicide. Michelle’s initial focus was mental disorders, she has expanded the initiative to tackle issues such as cyber bullying, body positivity and chronic illnesses. Michelle realized how rampant sexual violence was in her society and how it was rarely talked about. She decided to start Humans Against Sexual Violence which aims to create a safe space for survivors of sexual violence. Michelle hopes that no one will ever hide their struggles behind a fake smile or a ‘fmile’. At 18, she is very optimistic about Project Fmile and how mental health is viewed in Kenya.