"Rhoda Ongoche Akech defied the longstanding taboo against women fishing in Lake Victoria, stating, 'I sought the help of two young men by then to assist me with fishing as I learned.'"
"William Okedo, a village elder, explained the cultural beliefs surrounding menstruation, saying, 'If women went into the lake while on period, they would scare away the fish and that would cause losses to people who are fishing.'"
In Kisumu County, women were traditionally prohibited from fishing due to cultural beliefs. Rhoda Ongoche Akech challenged this norm in 2002, inspired by women from Homabay County who fished. Despite facing stigma and warnings, she learned to fish with the help of two men, as her family's financial situation became unsustainable. The community's beliefs included fears that menstruating women would scare away fish, reflecting deep-rooted gender discrimination in fishing practices.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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