Kajiado
Wednesday May 29, 2024
KNA by Alice Gworo
Kenyan women are set to benefit from a leadership programme that aims to equip women on the margins to lead impactful campaigns and create deep social impact.
The programme, “Nguvu Collective’s flagship programme, the ‘Launchpad, comes at a time when Kenyan women are grappling with a massive spike in gender-based violence, discrimination, and social and economic inequities.
The ‘Launchpad,’ is all set to create the next generation of powerful social leaders, with the goal of this immersive five-day programme being to empower Change Leaders from Kenya who can amplify marginalised voices and support women from underserved communities in leading socially impactful campaigns.
This residential programme, which will run from May 26 to May 30 in Kajiado County, will see 28 new women Change Leaders pledging to proactively address the grave issues faced by Kenyan women.
“Launchpad Kenya is an event that I envisioned to support women change-makers from marginalised communities. I am confident we will witness them emerge as powerful leaders who can drive positive social change in their communities,” says Preethi Herman, the CEO of Nguvu Collective.
Herman further added that at the Launchpad, these leaders will be offered support to lead campaigns around issues they wish to impact and use their skills to bring about systemic shifts that will benefit millions of women
The Launchpad saw representation from various counties including Nairobi, Kiambu, Kisumu, Narok, Isiolo, Kisii, Meru, Samburu, and Vihiga. Among them, 22 Change Leaders are emerging voices from marginalised communities who have consistently raised their voices about sexual and gender-based violence, maternal and menstrual health, the inclusion of persons with disabilities, teen mothers, and those facing other social injustices.
Three of the Change Leaders ran for political office for MCA and Senatorial seats in the 2022 elections, while two are medical practitioners. One participant has been honoured with a Head of State’s Commendation (HSC) and has received recognition for her work in areas connected with women’s rights and education advocacy.
Nguvu Collective’s transformational leadership programme has trained over 400 women Change Leaders in India and more than 150 in Nigeria and South Africa. Their campaigns have resulted in approximately 50 policy-level changes and directly impacted the lives of over 180 million women.
Naomi Kolian, who has come onboard this year with Nguvu Collective, said that she is an anti-FGM activist from Narok County and that the Launchpad has been a safe space for me to ideate collective solutions with fellow change leaders.
“It is empowering to be heard and to find both support and mentorship here. An initiative like this was much needed and instilled renewed confidence in those of us who have felt very isolated in our journey to driving social change, “she said.
Meanwhile, Nguvu Change Leader Harriet Afandi, who is leading a campaign for the prevention of Obstetric Violence (OBV) in hospitals, said, “Over the past year, my journey has evolved and progressed because of the consistent support I received from Nguvu Collective.
She further added that her goal is to promote the maternal and human rights of every woman, adding that the training from Nguvu has helped her gain insights into how to move forward and reach out to policymakers to seek urgent and concrete action.
Courtesy: KNA