GLORIA ORWOBA
The whole world is talking about Gloria Orwoba, the UDA Nominated Senator for Women Affairs from Kenya who walked to parliament in a “blood-stained” white suit.
The senator who claimed to have encountered a small ‘period accident’ on Valentine’s Day, was more keen to illustrate what majority of women in Kenya go through during their monthly periods. They endure period poverty, shaming and stigma.
Data reveals that every month, an average of one million girls miss five days of school for lack of pads. Seven out of ten girls (About 65 percent) of women and girls in Kenya have no access to sanitary pads.
The senator claimed the ordeal subjected her to “period stigma.”
“I just want to know, while we’re discussing this issue that is not even in the Order Paper, is it because Senators are not women who have periods? Because then maybe I shouldn’t be in this House,” she said. “This is the period stigma that is making our girls kill themselves and now I understand because it is the women who are trying to make this a crime. Because maybe it’s Valentine’s Day? Because maybe on Valentine’s Day, we’re not supposed to have our periods? I’m shocked that someone can stand here and say that the House has been disgraced because a woman has had her period?”
Woman Kenyan Network has compiled a few more things you should know about Senator Gloria Orwoba.
Free sanitary bill: The nominated senator is determined to bring to end period stigma, poverty and shame hence her push forward a bill that would provide free and unlimited feminine hygiene products to women.
“My bill intends to have a standing act on provision of sanitary towels to all school-going children and prisons,” she said.
Skilled in architecture: Before joining politics, Senator Gloria worked as a county coordinator in Global Youth Parliament in 2020. She has a Diploma in Architecture- Design, Build and Construction Management and 15 years total work experience.
She served as Country manager for Rangi Yetu in 2021 before she became director of partnerships and fundraising for The John Agyekum Kufuor Foundation.
She has over six years of experience in Construction management and over three years in start-ups.
Gloria is a consultant at Meerkat Production Limited and has over ten years experience in Facilities Management, Business operations and Project management.
Working with Facebook: Gloria was employed as Facebook Data Network Manager in Denmark until 2019 when she came to Kenya to contest for the Bobasi constituency MP seat in Kisii County. She lost during the party primaries to Joseph Onchiri.
From video vixen to nominated senator: Another interesting detail about Miss Orwoba is the fact that she was featured as a video vixen in an old school song, Dem Wangu that was performed by Andre and produced by Mandugu Digital.
