Women who use drugs, particularly young women, face higher rates of gender-based violence, financial struggles, and psychological hardships. WRADA is dedicated to promoting gender equality, equity, and justice, striving to create a safer, more supportive society for all.
Our Story
In 2016, WRADA began as a simple dream—a vision by a woman, for women—focused on reducing HIV and gender-based violence (GBV) among women and young people who use drugs. Over the years, this vision has evolved into a transformative movement, inspired by women who use drugs and felt their voices were missing from the community agenda. WRADA quickly became a valuable resource, empowering women and young people to improve their livelihoods.
In 2017, we began collaborating with local groups in Nairobi to enhance healthcare services for people who use drugs. Our initial projects have shaped WRADA’s future direction, guiding our mission for the next three years.
The overall goal of WRADA is to empower vulnerable women and their communities to access quality health and socioeconomic development services.
TESTIMONIALS
I have much more to say than words can express. WRADA has taught me about life in ways that no school ever could. WRADA has brought and continues to bring endless opportunities for learning, social justice, impacting the world in positive ways, and the advancement of humanity. I have had the pleasure of working with the most wonderful women from around East Africa and the world, made friends for life and continue to do purposeful, meaningful work, whose impact I am privileged and humbled to see every day.
Rita – Nairobi
★★★★★
Engaging with WRADA has taught me the importance and given me knowledge on organizing women into groups in order to benefit from social and health services. Even in this far off county, we are always able to reach each other as a network for support and advice. Even with regard to our personal lives as women who use drugs and women going through the harm reduction process.
Yusra – Lamu
★★★★★
Through WRADA I have been able to attend a number of capacity building sessions that have increased my knowledge on HIV and Harm reduction. At Wrada we rely on each other as a network for support and because of this I am able to respond better to issues faced by women who use drugs, such as gender based violence, child care, solving challenges in obtaining statutory documents such as IDs and Birth certificates, and referral to sexual and reproductive health services and safe shelters.
Habib – Nairobi
★★★★★
Personally after kujiunga na WRADA nimelearn mengi, I have been empowered in ways I can’t shy telling my story to anyone, I have learned that a lot of women have gone through so much that before they couldn’t open up but after being empowered they freely share their life story during the time of using drugs and after. #Empowered And Not Ashamed or Afraid.
Alice – Kiambu
★★★★★
I have much more to say than words can express. WRADA has taught me about life in ways that no school ever could. WRADA has brought and continues to bring endless opportunities for learning, social justice, impacting the world in positive ways, and the advancement of humanity. I have had the pleasure of working with the most wonderful women from around East Africa and the world, made friends for life and continue to do purposeful, meaningful work, whose impact I am privileged and humbled to see every day.
Rita – Nairobi
★★★★★
WRADA’s initiative to tackle drug policy reform advocacy in Kenya has been very inspiring to other PWUD peer led organisations in Kenya, the organisation’s ability to bring together, work and collaborate with other PWUD led organisations and networks locally and internationally is a testament to their leadership’s vision, skills and dedication to bring about a positive change for PWUDs in Kenya.
Fadhil – Lamu
★★★★★
I chose to volunteer with WRADA because I believe in supporting women who use drugs with dignity and compassion. While working in a hospital that served people who use drugs, I saw firsthand the stigma and barriers they face—especially women. WRADA’s harm reduction approach provides a much-needed alternative that prioritizes support over judgment.
Nichole – Nairobi
★★★★★
Wrada has supported me and my fellow women who use drugs in Mombasa both at a professional and personal level. For example, a child of a drug user in Mombasa has been supported to enrol in school, a woman has been supported financially to access pregnancy and maternal care, and I have also gained a sisterhood. I have increased my confidence in advocating for my fellow women, because of being in this network of women who use drugs.
Winnie – Mombasa
★★★★★
Engaging with WRADA has allowed me to voice out issues of women who use drugs from the informal areas of Dagoretti and ensure that they are being included in National and County level conversations about HIV and drug use.
Juliet – Nairobi
★★★★★
WRADA has ensured I am invited to meetings where I have learned things I did not know at all. Our county is often left behind when it comes to receiving adequate knowledge and services related to drug use. I have learned about the global and national standards on harm reduction, safe injecting practices, the importance of not sharing needles or smoking equipment, the link between problematic drug use and poor adherence to HIV treatment, and much more. I am now able to educate my fellow sex workers and key populations, although more education and services are needed.
Esther – Busia
★★★★★
Globally, indeed, women who use drugs, and especially young women, experience gender-based violence at a higher rate than the general population; and beyond fearing for their physical safety, women also shoulder most of the burden of financial and psychological hardships. It is against this backdrop that WRADA began its work to establish gender equality, equity and justice in the society.
