By Njoki Chege
Stepping out in a white sleeveless muscle shirt, red pants and white sneakers, she cuts a boyish look with her bulging muscles.
This look can be intimidating to many, especially men, but to most, youngsters in Lucky Summer Estate in Nairobi’s Kasarani, Conjestina Achieng is their heroine.
Most know her as the "Hands of Stone," an international boxing champion whose superb skills have left many awed, some smitten and yet others humbled by defeat.
Achieng’s exploits go beyond the ring. Touched by the rampant rape and defilement cases in Kasarani, she is teaching young girls and children self-defence and boxing.
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She is teaching them how to tackle rapists and along the way, she hopes, some might even use their skills to earn a living as professional boxers.
Training Hub
"The idea came to me at night when sleeping. A few hours earlier, I had watched a story on TV about a child who had been raped by a relative. I was really disgusted and I decided to transform my gym into a training hub for children," says Achieng, panting after training for one hour.
Lord of ring: ‘Conje’ throws a jab during a training stint (left) as schoolgirls line up for training [PHOTOS: MBUGUA KIBERA/STANDARD] |
For the past six months, Achieng’s abode has been the first stop for the children when they leave school. They arrive at the humble gymnasium and adorn their gloves and get down to work, which for many, means learning the tricks of survival.
After a quick warm up that includes jogging and jumping, the youngsters are ready for the first lesson.
On the day we visit, the children are practising what they had been learning for weeks: They thrust fists in the air while chanting, then quickly squat. They rise up and throw more fists in the air... left, right, left, right, chanting as they do.
The training lesson lasts some 45 minutes, and it’s offered free of charge.
The only requirement is for students to pay attention and strive to perfect their skills.
"They don’t pay. I want to help these girls achieve their goals. I want to help them fight rapists off," Achieng says.
Boxing Baton
Her other goal is to tutor another "Conje" to stardom and pass on the boxing baton to her in the near future.
"You never know, there could be another Conje in the making" Achieng says, pointing out a 17-year old girl in a red school cardigan.
Her name is Tabitha Daisy, she says, and five months ago, boxing had not crossed her mind. "I never knew I could box, until I joined her (Achieng’s) class.
"Now, small as I am, I can box a rapist and show him dust. I aspire to be like Conje, or even better," Daisy gushes.
The girl displays her skills in a friendly bout with Achieng, wrestling her to the ground.
"I would like to spread the training beyond Nairobi, perhaps all over Kenya, even in Bungoma where many girls are getting impregnated by their teachers," Achieng says seriously. "But then there is the question of sponsorship."
Safe and Disciplined
Teachers and parents in Kasarani have welcomed Achieng’s idea, and are eager to send their children to her. They are happy to prepare the next female boxing champion from Kenya.
"We have welcomed this idea because it will ensure that our girls are safe and disciplined. We are grateful to Achieng for instilling confidence and discipline in our girls," says Tom Nyambane, the Principal of Tulip Girls High School in Dandora.
As the struggle to bring rapists in Kenya to justice drags on, these youngsters will slowly, but surely, learn how to tackle rapists by themselves.
They do not intend to go looking for trouble, but to confront it whenever it rears its ugly face.
They also hope that the dark alleys in their estates shall not feel like valleys of the shadow of death, but safe avenues towards a destination they are firmly in control of.
