In the heart of Nairobi’s Kariobangi estate, 24 year old Sharleen Natavona is seeking to impact positively in her community with a life changing app that will seek to put an end towards gender based violence more so femicide in Nairobi’s slum areas.
Before enrolling at NairoBits Trusts’ Digital Literacy Program at the Youth Initiatives Kenya centre in Kariobangi North her tech prowess was near zero. Having been introduced to the institution by a neighborhood friend who had graduated and was already working in a tech firm in Nairobi as a web developer she opted to give tech a try.
“I realized that very few girls venture into tech and most of them term it as a male venture. That alone gave me the zeal to want to venture that field, to date I cannot regret it ,”says Sharleen.
Sharleen who is the 6th born in a family of six is now furthering her tech skills with an Advanced Multimedia Program having graduated with top honors in her Digital Literacy Program seeks to use her tech skills to transform the world and impact positively in her Kariobangi neighborhood.
The soft spoken bubbly lady has a visionary tech project that will address gender-based violence within the slum area. This comes a time when Kenya has been making news globally in regards to rising cases of femicide.
According to a report from the Africa Data Hub a regional network of data organizations that traces such killings based on media reports, at least 500 women and girls have been murdered in Kenya since 2016, despite the country’s efforts to prevent gender-based violence.
This statistics are further backed by yet another report report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and UN Women, current and former intimate partners are the most likely perpetrators of femicide, accounting for an average of 55 per cent of all intimate partner and family related killings.
Demographically the informal settlement of Kariobangi is surrounded by other similar settlements such as Mathare, Huruma, Kiamaiko, Korogocho, Baba Dogo, Lucky Summer and Dandora. She sees this as a better chance for her to help the numerous women and girls who have victims of gender-based violence.
“Once I graduate at the end of the year I want to fully focus on this project so that my fellow women in the slums areas can stop being victims of gender based violence. I am currently developing an app where I further intend to partner with other willing tech organistaions to come up with a panic button where victims can activate and using GPRS we can be able to trace them and rescue them with the help of authorities ,”adds Sharleen.
Sharleen, who is also the class representative, speaks with enthusiasm about her experiences at NairoBits. “The tech and life skills I’ve learned in class have been invaluable,” she says. “I’ve applied these skills in real-world scenarios, from designing business cards to implementing digital marketing strategies.”
The NairoBits Trust, known for its commitment to empowering youth from underprivileged backgrounds, has been instrumental in Sharleen’s growth who also sells men’s wear in Dandora. The organization’s focus on practical, hands-on learning has given students like Sharleen the tools they need to succeed in the competitive tech industry. Sharleen further reveals how since joining the tech world her status amongst her peers has changed due to her prowess in tech matter. She proceeds to how she has been earning monies from graphic design work equally using tech tools to expand her business.
“When I first joined and grasped the basics I immediately began looking at how I can trickle it down to my business. I began making e-posters, business cards and using Microsoft tools such as Excel to do my stock taking and run my business systematically,”reveals Sharleen.
She and other girls have been beneficiaries of Digital Literacy Program
As Sharleen continues her Advanced Multimedia Program, she remains focused on her dual goals of personal growth and community impact. Her story serves as an inspiration to other young people in Kariobangi and similar settlements, showing that with the right opportunities and determination, it’s possible to overcome challenging circumstances and make a difference in the world especially if you are a lady.
The success of students like Sharleen ant their unique projects underscores the importance of organizations like NairoBits Trust in bridging the digital divide and empowering the next generation of tech innovators in Kenya. Since its inception in 1999, NairoBits has directly impacted the lives of over 300,000 young people, equipping them with the digital skills necessary to thrive in the rapidly evolving global economy.
