“Alternatives to FGM should not break traditions. If somebody came and said that the tradition needs to be stopped, it would not work. Our goal is to continue the tradition without mutilation.” Rhoda Rotino (42) is a trained teacher from West Pokot in Kenya. She is currently engaged as an area development program leader by […]
Every woman has the power; every woman has the potential; every woman can shape her destiny and the world around her. Since 1998, Musimbi Kanyoro (53) has been chief executive officer of the World Young Womens Christian Association (Ywca). World Ywca reaches more than 25 million women and girls in 122 countries. It promotes leadership […]
It is an honor to have a military leader call and ask me what to do in a particular conflict situation. Dekha Ibrahim Abdi, a 40-year-old Kenyan from the Muslim Somali community, is a consultant, practitioner and trainer in peace building and conflict management. She started her peace work about 13 years ago when yet […]
I want to see a society with no human rights violations, especially for women and children. Veronica Wanjiru Kinyanjui (43) is a trained counselor working in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital. Since 2003, she has worked on a voluntary basis as the acting project coordinator of the Kangemi Women Empowerment Center, a community-based organization. Kangemi is […]
“You cannot have sustainable development without peace in Africa.” Litha Musyimi-Ogana, a 45-year-old Kenyan mother of three, is currently the gender advisor of New Partnership for Africas Development (Nepad) in South Africa. Previously, she worked as the regional director of the African Centre for Empowerment, Gender and Advocacy (Acega) based in Nairobi, Kenya. In that […]
“I believe every single life is worth living. If we can help even one out of the two million, then I think for me that will be a great achievement.” Sister Florence Muia, 45 years old, is the fifth of nine children. She was born and bred in Machakos District, Eastern Kenya, and has been […]
“African women are not dying for Africa anymore, they want to live for Africa.” Wahu Kaara, a 53-year-old widow, describes herself as a global social justice activist. The former history and Kiswahili teacher says she has been radical from an early age, having been involved in promoting social justice and economic democracy for 30 years. […]
In war everybody is a victim. For one to reconcile communities, one needs to rise from being a wounded victim to a wounded healer. I am a wounded healer. Tecla Wanjala, a Kenyan 43-year-old mother of four, has dedicated her work to peace building. The trained social worker holds a masters degree in conflict resolution. […]
