GBM Kenya: Women for Change (Capacity Building)
"Women and Girls" is the newest GBM Kenya program. Commissioned in early 2003, the program aims to:
The Women for Change (WfC) Program was started in 2003 with support from Comic Relief, UK to promote a holistic approach to the needs of women and girls. The approach combines capacity building of women and women's networks, gender equity promotion, providing skills for HIV/AIDS prevention, and supporting local initiatives for food security, environment and income generation. Through these programs WfC provides GBM-Kenya assisted networks with services and resources such as:
In 2003, the new political climate in Kenya favored the implementation of several initiatives hitherto withheld due to the hostile political environment. For example, the Bill for Affirmative Action received presidential assent, the constitutional review process was revived and women were given prominent participation, the President declared "War on HIV/AIDS" and became personally engaged in the prevention campaign by speaking about it in public events and appearing on prevention campaign materials. This was a first in the history of the country.
- Assist, especially young girls and women, to face the challenges of growing up, making complex decisions about their sexual and reproductive health, and gaining knowledge and skills to protect themselves from HIV and AIDS
- Facilitate the establishment of income generating activities (IGAs) such as tree planting, bee keeping and food processing to engender economic empowerment
- Promote healthy eating habits, especially of indigenous food crops known to have high nutritional value, through food production and processing
The Women for Change (WfC) Program was started in 2003 with support from Comic Relief, UK to promote a holistic approach to the needs of women and girls. The approach combines capacity building of women and women's networks, gender equity promotion, providing skills for HIV/AIDS prevention, and supporting local initiatives for food security, environment and income generation. Through these programs WfC provides GBM-Kenya assisted networks with services and resources such as:
- school fees for needy bright girls
- credit for income generating activities
- school-based reproductive health and alcohol abuse prevention seminars
- working with women's organizations to find solutions to their immediate conditions such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, orphans and food insecurity
- Facilitating links between community groups and government offices to access information and resources
- Conducting training sessions to offer skills for HIV/AIDS and early pregnancy prevention
- Participating in mass actions and events for awareness raising on issues such as HIV/AIDS, drug abuse and environmental degradation
- Participating in the formation and revival of women networks such as with the Kenya Association of University Women.
- Networking with other women's organizations such as the Girl Guides, Society of Women and AIDS in Kenya (SWAK), National Council of Women of Kenya and University Women
- Training women on skills for income generating activities
In 2003, the new political climate in Kenya favored the implementation of several initiatives hitherto withheld due to the hostile political environment. For example, the Bill for Affirmative Action received presidential assent, the constitutional review process was revived and women were given prominent participation, the President declared "War on HIV/AIDS" and became personally engaged in the prevention campaign by speaking about it in public events and appearing on prevention campaign materials. This was a first in the history of the country.