HERstory

What’s Your Story?

Use the form below to share YOUR story with us. How do you change HERstory in your life?

About HERstory

#HERstory is a celebration of Amref’s work in breaking the barriers that have held women back for so long: harmful traditional practices like Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and child marriage, barriers to education and careers, and barriers that prevent women from getting the health care they have a right to. #HERstory will kick off International Women’s day on March 8 and Women’s History Month.

At Amref, we support women who are changing history in their own communities every day. Over 58% of the health workers we train are women, oftentimes they are the first female health worker in their community.

When you support #HERstory, you’re helping Amref:

  • Train more women in the health workforce including Community Health Workers, clinical officers, laboratory staff, midwives, and nurses
  • Provide life-saving maternal health services to women before, during and after childbirth
  • Provide youth friendly reproductive health services
  • Keep girls in school and empower women to start income-generating activities
  • Ending FGM and child marriage
  • Train women to build
  • Provide women and girls with clean water and sanitation

Together we can empower women and girls not just in Africa, but all over the globe. This March 8, we want to use social media for good, and share HERstory.

Gloria’s is Courage

“My name is Gloria. I’m 20 years old and I’m an advocacy officer. I am also an actress and I work in theater and use these skills to engage youth on important issues. Through my advocacy work, I bring a voice of courage to the youth about sensitive topics such as drug abuse. I try to influence young people in various activities, for example in something I call talent search where I try to help them with finding their true talent. I give acting workshops and help to empower the youth by taking the stage and speaking in front of an audience.”

 

 

Nice’s is Bravery

Nice, a young Maasai woman, narrowly avoided Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) by running away from home at age 8. Nice went on to become an Amref Project Officer and bravely challenged the attitudes of her male-dominated tribe in her quest to end FGM.

“When I see all those smiling faces of the bold, smart, and beautiful girls I know instead of pain, she knows now she has a choice to finish school first. I try to encourage these girls to believe in themselves. That no one can tell them you can’t, because you can.”

Jemima’s is Knowledge

“I’m a midwife and nurse from Makueni County, Kenya. I vividly remember the first delivery I supervised. When the child was born, it was magical – a life-changing moment. As a mother, I know how important it is to have someone you can rely on, someone who can share your fears and insecurities, who is knowledgeable, and who can be with you at all stages of pregnancy. I hope that I am that person for women in my community. Because of this, it is such a big privilege to be a midwife for my community.”

Mary’s is Caring

Mary is a Community Health Worker in Kenya. She makes house-to-house visits in her community, checking their health and providing them with information on how to stay healthy, caring for all those around her. For example, Mary teaches her community about the importance of handwashing after going to the toilet, how to build a safe working toilet from local materials, and how to ensure their water is safe to drink.

 

 

Ruth’s is Resilience

“As a young girl I couldn’t imagine I would become a doctor. I’m from a remote area in Kenya and it wasn’t obvious that I would get the opportunity to study. But with the support of my family I did, and now I’m the first AND only doctor in the village I grew up in. Nowadays I travel to local hospitals which are difficult to reach. In Kenya there’s only one doctor for over 5,000 people. I need to be resilient to all the obstacles I face, or there would be no one to help.

 

 

Dorothy’s is Determination

“I started working as a community health worker 24 years ago to share my knowledge to help other people learn about hygiene, family planning, domestic violence, and HIV. I keep a close eye on pregnant women, children under five years old, and lactating mothers. I am determined to reach everyone. I feel like a mother to my community. I feel responsible for their health and their gratitude confirms the tremendous work I’m doing. I’ve seen babies grow up to healthy strong adults. I have witnessed new generations growing up in better health. Every day I realize that I have the most beautiful job in the world. As a community health worker I can really make a difference. This puts a smile on my face.”

 

 

HERstory Toolkit

Use the Toolkit Below to share HERstory with the groundbreaking women you know.

Share your own story with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter at @amrefusa with the hashtag #HERstory

Hashtags

#HERstory
#HistoryIsHERstory
#AmrefWomen
#IWD2021
#InternationalWomensDay

Images to Share

Sample Posts

This #IWD2021, History is #HERstory. Thanks to @amrefusa, Dorothy uses her training and compassion to keep those around her healthy. What’s your story? Amrefusa.org/HERstory to learn more and help keep her story going

Gloria’s story is courage. Mine is grit. What’s your story? @amrefusa #HERstory #IWD2021 #AmrefWomen

Today I stand in solidarity with women around with world who each have their own story about how they are lifting each other up. We are not so different. Join me in donating $25 in honor of a woman in your life, to help keep another women’s story going. Link in bio to learn more. #HERstory

Join our Community

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

3 good health and well-being
5 gender equality