There was a time when I was just a girl, unreleased into the world, when something happened to me. Something that clung to me, uninvited, simply because I was female. As I grew older, the encounters multiplied. Unsettling. Encasing. At times, it felt like I was suffocating from the inside out, breath was there, but it turned raw and jagged within me.
Then, I met a sister. We shared our stories. And over time, those sisters multiplied. Together, we held space for each other. And slowly, breath returned to my body; waves of truth, of honesty, of healing. Now, as I write this, I am filled with a deep, resounding gratitude for all the sisters, mothers, and grandmothers who’ve walked with me, whispered strength into my ears, and reminded me that I am not alone.
This book is born from that journey. It is a collective act of reclamation, WOMAN coming together to confront shame, dismantle stigma, and transform wounds into art. It is a space to release, to express, to be seen. Each page is designed to be kept close, or torn out and displayed, because your healing is yours to choose.
We created this book as a way to heal. We hope that through our stories and art, you will find space to breathe again too.
After all, why should we hide this? Let’s celebrate us.
We commissioned this powerful project, co-curated by Poupoute, Katie, and Charlotte, who called themselves a union of sisters. Sitting in the greens of Nairobi, they poured their stories, strength, and sisterhood into every page. Here is a glimpse of the transformative work they created.
