Fueling a Ripple Effect: Empowering Kenyan Women

A Training Report

Dates of Training:  4^th to 7^th December, 2017

Location and Group Name: Saa Yote women Group

Lead Facilitator: Millicent Adhiambo Joash

Support Person:  Marion Olang’

Number of attendees: 23

Total Expenses: 905.4 USD

1.0  INTRODUCTION

This is a report of the training that we conducted at Migori for disenfranchised women on the 4^th to 7^th December, 2017 for a period of four days. These are women who had come together and formed the group three years ago, yet, they had nothing to show as the benefit of their being in this group. They had merry go round as the only activity and as a result of stagnation, almost 50% of their members had dropped out. They realised they needed something different to help them grow as individuals and as a group. The group had 18 active members who were all invited. They also invited other 12 people who were not members and this added to a total of 30 participants invited.  26 women turned up on the first day and only 23 participants managed to attend the empowerment workshop consistently for the four days. The rest had different schedules that couldn’t fit in with ours and so were lined up for the next training. The women after the workshop were different people. They realised on their own why they have been stagnated as individuals and as a group. They were so grateful for being allowed to attend the workshop. This was a wakeup call for them.

2.0 TARGET GROUP

This training focused on the disenfranchised women drawn from across Saa yote village of Suna West constituency.

3.0 TRAINING OBJECTIVES

These were two-fold:

1. To examine the peculiar reasons for the women’s disenfranchisement;
2. To take the said women through the empowerment training model with the aim of helping the overcome their growing edges.

4.0 THE PROCESS

This entailed taking the participants over the seven life areas as prescribed by the empowerment methodology. The entire model was packaged as follows:

Day 1: Personal Growth Foundation

Day 2: Personal power, Emotions and Relationships

Day 3: Sexuality and the Body

Day 4: Money, work and Spirituality

5.0 CHALLENGES

There were some participants who did not understand Kiswahili while others couldn’t also understand Dholuo. There was need therefore to use two different languages to address all of them. I therefore had to use the two languages at the same time.

Some of the women had commitments elsewhere as it is not possible to really get time that is convenient to everyone invited. We therefore could not get everyone invited on board. We ended up with 23 participants out of the 30 invited.

6.0 ACHIEVEMENTS

1. Managing to use two different languages at the same time was a real achievement. It was an experience of its own kind.
2. Maintaining the attendance of 23 participants from day 1 to day 4 four is something to celebrate. They were excited to attend and get to discover more for themselves.
3. When the wellbeing survey form was administered, each of them had a chance to look at their lives and evaluate it on the scale that was provided. Most of the participants were doing this for the first time in their lives. They had never taken a break anytime to really look at where and how they were doing in their general lives. This activity served to awaken them to the reality of their lives and they were very happy to learn this in good time. They approached the workshop with enthusiasm wanting to learn how they can correct areas that needed correction and see themselves moving up the ladder.
4. Each of the women developed vision in different areas of life. As they work in the areas they committed to work on we expect to see a happier, healthier and energized group of women.
5. The women were introduced and helped to start table banking as an activity. This is to help them implement some of the learnings done concerning money and work.
6. Women were also trained on how to make liquid soap. Some of them decided that they are taking up the liquid soap making as a business where they make it for sale. Such women now have something to celebrate because their business is doing well.

7.0 CONCLUSION

The training was successful because it met the objectives that had been set. We thank 100MHL for making this possible.

8.0 RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The participants need to be followed up in order to assess their respective growths over time. The assessment tools include wellbeing survey forms, among others.
2. Peer support and consultation is highly encouraged in order to sustain the application of the knowledge imparted and the skills given. The table banking activity introduced in the group could provide the motivation for the support group to keep meeting as we aspire to achieve optimum personal growth.

Sample of the training photos

The Women pose for a photo during empowerment workshop.

Training expenditure Report

The Participants during the training.

• Expenditure_report.docx (DOCX)
• Training_Pictures.docx (DOCX)