Empowering the Girl through AIKIDO
"The future of our world is only as bright as the future of our girls."
Friday, March 8th 2019, the International Women's Day, was special for the Taikan Africa family. We spent the day at our key AIKIDO Training Centre, Sagana All Saints Girls Secondary School in Kirinyaga County teaching close to 200 girls various techniques in self-defense.
It was a sweaty but beautiful affair as we went through the gentle but swift AIKIDO movements which enable even the feeblest of girls throw or subdue the strongest of opponents. The training was conducted by our visiting International AIKIDO Expert Sensei Piotr Borowoski, the President of the Polish AIKIDO Federation, Aikikai. He was assisted by Sensei Bakari Yusuf, a member of the World Traditional Authority Karate-Do Association (WATKA) and Caleb Atemi Sensei, the then WATKA Chairman and also CEO of Taikan Africa. Our gracious host was the School's Principal, Madam Laura Waithera Karanja.
Standing Against Violence
In a world where danger lurks in every corner for the girl child and women in general, they must be empowered to stand up against all forms of sexual and physical violence. At Taikan Africa, we merge the best of Shotokan Karate and AIKIDO techniques to give our girls massive strength to say No to Gender based Violence.
Our Commitment
Through this training, we demonstrated that:
- Physical size and strength are not the only determinants in self-defense
- Confidence and proper technique can overcome any physical advantage
- Every girl deserves to feel safe and empowered
- Martial arts training builds not just physical strength, but mental resilience
This International Women's Day celebration was more than just a training session—it was a statement that Taikan Africa stands firmly with the girl child and women everywhere, equipping them with the tools they need to protect themselves and live fearlessly.
