At just 14 years old, Hope Wambui Ochieng’ is already doing what many adults only dream of, creating real, lasting impact in her community.

A student at Shadrack Kimalel Junior School, Hope is a poet, climate action advocate, and a menstrual health champion whose work was spotlighted on Tv47’s ‘This Friday with Betty’ show, a segment that left many Kenyans inspired and challenged in equal measure.

Hope uses spoken word poetry to inspire and educate, and through her grassroots organization, Hope Beyond Hope, she mentors girls from Kibera while providing reusable sanitary products to fight period poverty, shame, and stigma, especially among school-going and sporting girls.

“I mostly champion for reusable pads because they are long-lasting and eco-friendly,” she told Betty. “Some girls miss school or even competitions because they don’t have what they need. I want to change that.”

One of her unique approaches includes the use of a handmade menstrual bracelet, which she sells for KSh100 to help fund pads for girls.

“The red beads stand for period days, and the white ones count toward the next cycle,” she explained. “When you buy one, you help a girl stay in school.”

When asked what more could be done to support girls like her, Hope called on public figures to get involved:

“I’d really love to see influencers, especially those with daughters like Wahu and Nameless, come together and support girls through donations of reusable menstrual products.”

Hope’s activism has already earned her recognition. She proudly displayed several of her awards on the show, including one for Best Poet and another as the Young Uprising Star from the Independent Kenya Women Awards.

Beyond menstruation, she is also an advocate for the environment, planting trees of hope as a symbolic and physical way of keeping her message alive, with a goal of planting 13,000 trees in support of climate action.

Throughout the interview, Hope emphasized the deep challenges girls face, from lack of access to products, to harmful cultural taboos, particularly in communities like the Maasai, where menstruating girls are barred from entering kitchens or sleeping on their parents’ beds.

“Periods are our pride, not our shame,” she said. “Girls need to be confident in who they are, even during their cycle.”

She ended the segment with a stirring live performance of her original poem, “Slum Girl”, where she declared:

“I am, I will, I must… join SDG17 in partnership to support SDG3, 4, and 5.”

Her words resonated powerfully, not just as poetry, but as a declaration of purpose.

Betty Kyallo, clearly moved by the interview, encouraged viewers to support Hope through social media (@hope_the_poet) and contribute in any way possible, whether it’s purchasing a bracelet or donating menstrual products.

“She’s doing what many leaders haven’t done. Let’s rally behind her,” Betty urged.