MEET A LESBIAN VOICE IN KISUMU--RENA OTIENO: Program Coordinator/Chairperson ¨3W¨ Lesbian Group beyond Nairobi

 Rena Otieno, Chair, Women Working with Women (3W)

¨In an effort to highlight the LGBTI movement in Kenya beyond the capital Nairobi, Correspondent Melissa Wainaina spoke to Rena, (pictured) the Program Coordinator and Chairperson of 3W, a Lesbian Group that falls under the umbrella of the Western and Nyanza Coalition NYAWEK (a regional coalition of groups dealing with sexual minority causes).

Please tell us a little about yourself early life, family and school.

¨I was born and raised in Migori County (Nyanza Province in the west of Kenya) in a family of nine. I’m the second youngest. I come from a very religious family. My late grandfather was a Seventh Day Adventist pastor and my dad is a retired pastor. My sisters, brother and in laws are evangelists, pastors, missionaries within the church.

My family valued education so all siblings have had a college education. My siblings are all employed; in government and some in the church in senior positions. They are respected both in church and in the community.

Having grown up in a rural setting my first exposure to TV was after I completed high school. We played a lot of gospel and country music, our family could sing and we formed a family choir and sang in neighbouring churches or camps and meetings.

From an early age, I had been attracted to other women even though I grew up devoid of any external influences that were homosexually related...¨  please read it all, HERE

·  Thanks to Behind The Mask, sidebar
·  Thanks to Rena Otieno, Kenya
·  Thanks to Melissa Wainaina
·  Thanks to Western and Nyanza Coalition NYAWEK, Kenya
·  Thanks to Gay Kenya, sidebar