From the troubled shantytowns of Nairobi comes
an inspiring story of women working together to protect themselves in a lawless zone. Sheila Kariuki, a 29-year old Kenyan woman, runs a self-defense group in the
Korogocho slum (pictured left), one of the most dangerous areas in the country. Just a few miles from downtown Nairobi, Korogocho contains an estimated 155,000 people packed into less than a square mile of space. Police protection is non-existent, enabling rapists to attack with impunity. And because these violent young men believe that younger women are infected with HIV/AIDS, they have taken to attacking women three or four times their age. That's where Kariuki's classes come in. Trained in self-defense techniques drawn from karate, kung-fu, and taekwondo and
developed by American feminists, she teaches a free weekly class for older women. The star performer in her group, Gladys Wanjiku, estimates her age at "about 100" yet confidently attacks a punching bag using the techniques learned in the class. Kariuki teaches the women to aim for the most vulnerable
points on male attackers, and notes, "You don't need to hit hard to be accurate." She also teaches the women to yell rather than scream, "When you yell, you are in control, relaxed, telling the world that you don't like what these young boys are doing to you, and telling them to stop." Most of these women live alone in brick shelters, with a small lock if they're lucky, so the classes perform a vital protective function. Indeed, Kariuki has received reports of old women who have scared off would-be rapists using the verbal and physical techniques taught in her class.
You go, grannies!
From the troubled shantytowns of Nairobi comes an inspiring story of women working together to protect themselves in a lawless zone. Sheila Kariuki, a 29-year old Kenyan woman, runs a self-defense group in the Korogocho slum (pictured left), one of the most dangerous areas in the country. Just a few miles from downtown Nairobi, Korogocho contains an estimated 155,000 people packed into less than a square mile of space. Police protection is non-existent, enabling rapists to attack with impunity. And because these violent young men believe that younger women are infected with HIV/AIDS, they have taken to attacking women three or four times their age. That's where Kariuki's classes come in. Trained in self-defense techniques drawn from karate, kung-fu, and taekwondo and developed by American feminists, she teaches a free weekly class for older women. The star performer in her group, Gladys Wanjiku, estimates her age at "about 100" yet confidently attacks a punching bag using the techniques learned in the class. Kariuki teaches the women to aim for the most vulnerable 
points on male attackers, and notes, "You don't need to hit hard to be accurate." She also teaches the women to yell rather than scream, "When you yell, you are in control, relaxed, telling the world that you don't like what these young boys are doing to you, and telling them to stop." Most of these women live alone in brick shelters, with a small lock if they're lucky, so the classes perform a vital protective function. Indeed, Kariuki has received reports of old women who have scared off would-be rapists using the verbal and physical techniques taught in her class. You go, grannies!
