MmeLindor is in Kenya blogging about Reproductive Rights

[MmeLindor.]

I am in Kenya this week blogging about reproductive rights.

200m women worldwide want to use contraception but have no access to it.

Melinda Gates has launched a campaign to change this. A group of bloggers from around the world are visiting various projects in Kenya to report on the reality of life without contraception.

Access to contraception means that women can decide when, how many and in with which age gap they have their children.

This has far reaching effects on the lives and the lives of their families.

more here

250 000 maternal deaths worldwide, high infant mortality, unwanted babies, unsafe abortion.

I have been here for several days and have written a couple of blog posts about the projects we have visited. I've been having wifi issues so no pics yet, but I have tweeted some pics - you can follow me @lynncschreiber to see them.

I've met an amazing woman who is a Mother Mentor in a HIV/AIDS support project. She meets newly diagnosed mothers and helps them come to terms with their illness and learn how to increase the chances that their babies will be HIV negative.

She was so inspiring. She told me that she is living positively and is so happy that her son is a Negative Baby. She now tells other women about family planning and how to access it. The program is run by the CDC - who are doing amazing things for rural communities.

Women walk for hours to health clinics only to find that they are out of contraceptive supplies.

The Gates Foundation is teaming up with the UK government to host a worldwide family planning summit in London this July.

I will also be linking to the blogs of the others on the trip.

Also interesting is the fear that all the aid workers have here of the prospect of Mitt Romney winning the US election. The reintroduction of the gag rule would affect funding for projects in this area.

Latest post about a mother Living (HIV) Positively. This woman was amazing. I cried after meeting her.

saltandcaramel.com/living-hiv-positively/

Can't get photos to load but will try later again.

Could someone change that into a clickable link?

Thank you for raising awareness to this subject and petition signed.

Please avoid Mombasa if possible - there are warnings of trouble there.

Yes, been told that, GO. One of our group just cancelled a trip to Mombasa. Security in Nairobi was already tight so will be interesting to see if any change.

We visited a local dispensary today where they offer vaccinations and family planning advice. Will be writing about the women there later. An African blogger suggested I take sanitary protection, because the girls here don't have any and it means they stay home from school.

I handed over 2 packets of sanitary pads and some cheap tesco knickers. You'd think I'd brought them gold.

I asked what they use when they don't have san pro and she said they cut up rags and old blankets.

I'm hoping to start a campaign when I get back to send the group I met some products. I hope that MN will support this

I would definitely support such an initiative.

I've also sent you some links about the farm and orphanage. If anyone is interested they are always looking for sponsors and support and you can find out more here:
terraqui.blogspot.fr/ (in French)

Take care over there MmeLindor.

This is such an amazing thing. I think your campaign is a wonderful idea and will definitely be supporting you:)

Thanks, Fenouille. I think we are further away from that place, but it looks great.

We took a break this afternoon and went on a short game drive. It was fab. We scared ourselves to death by stopping very close to a huge elephant.

Living (HIV) Positively now with pics

My first report, from the Slums of Kibera

and the one from the maternity hospital in Nairobi

Have finally managed to get photos up, so that you get some visuals of what it is like here.

I can't copy and paste the links to open them- how do we get sanpro out to these girls?

LeBof
I am going to find out the best way of doing this, not sure yet. I am sure that there are people out here who can help me set something up (or find a programme that is already in place that we can support)

I was at the CDC, an US organisation for disease control and prevention and they are doing a mooncup trial in the next year. I will be writing about that next week.

links should be clickable, BOF

some photos of the trip

Amazing photographs

Great photos. I was also thinking mooncup....

Oh well done Mme.

More pics on the Flickr account today. We are heading back to Nairobi today, after taking part in a game drive this morning.

Hoping to visit a project where they work with teen girls tomorrow. And possibly meet some techy Kenyans to talk about the role of social media here. Wonder if they have a Kenyan Mumsnet

MmeLindor, you're amazing. That is all :)

Great have just read about this in Independent.Really crucial women get the support they need.

well done mmelindor.

You're doing something really amazing, MmeL - am in awe. And great photos.

Are mooncups a good solution without access to clean running water? I'm thinking of the need for good hygiene etc - could they not cause more problems?

Hassled
that is what the CDC will be looking into. Their program will look into ways of coping with the hygiene issues. There is a similar program running in South Africa, so will be looking into that.

Keep sharing, folks.

Here is the Indie article from Sarah Morrison

Charlott wrote about the Global Gag Rule in German

Sanchita wrote about meeting Sarah Obama

Irin on Mitt Romney -- do read some of Irin's articles. She is an amazing woman.

Lola writes for El Pais about maternity hospital in spanish

More here - do click through to the websites of the bloggers