ZanaAfrica Organization Operations Intern

Zana Africa is a Non-governmental Organization that equips adolescent girls in Kenya with the menstrual and sexual health support they seek and need to navigate puberty following a social ignorance that constructs a period taboo which obstructs girls from embracing feminine maturity.

Zana runs various programs that aim to provide sexual health and education to girls but the Nia Project remains to be the backbone of the organization. During my internship with Zana, I particularly contributed to bringing the Nia Project into fruition. Through formal webinars and meetings, I helped disseminate sexual health and puberty education to girls. This active participation in community projects allowed me create a direct impact on the society that I myself grew in. Specific activities like distribution of sanitary towels to girls in school not only informed my career aspirations (venturing into non-profit organizations to give back to the community) but also garnered me a level of self satisfaction that I’ve barely achieved before: feeling good about making others feel good. The internship boosted my technical and interpersonal skills and helped me acquire new skillsets: teamwork(working with colleagues) and creativity(creating posters and writing blogs).

This internship was funded by the Preston Public Interest Career Fund​.