Gihon Women Empowerment Kenya

Jambo!

My name is Brittney, and I am currently volunteering in Kitengela, Kenya in a women's education program. I chose to come to Africa this year to work in this program because working with women is my passion, and securing the rights and liberties of women throughout the world is an issue that is near and dear to my heart. 

Throughout Kenya's history, women have been subjugated to consistent human rights abuses and often shoulder an overwhelming amount of responsibility to maintain their households and the well-being of their familes. Many households are run solely by women, and due to the lack of fair income, many of these families live in poverty or extreme poverty. 

I am currently volunteering in a group called Gihon Women Empowerment Kenya with three other volunteers: Angie, Cynthia, and Olivia. Though the four of us come from very different walks of life, we have joined forces with the goal of improving the quality of life for the women of Kitengela. The purpose of this group is to mentor, train, equip, and empower the women of this community by teaching them the knowledge and skills needed to change and transform their lives. Gihon Women Empowerment is a positive organization that embraces women and volunteers from all walks of life and works collectively to empower women and their families. 

The center serves as both a classroom and workplace for the women of Kitengela. During the week, they are taught lessons by volunteers and work tirelessly on their various crafts, including beadwork and sewing and hemming. Their products are sold by volunteers and the local market. Their profits pay for the rent for the center, and what little is remaining is given to the neediest woman and her family at the time. Because there is a shortage of supplies at the center, the women do not earn enough to take home wages to support their families. However, their goal is to grow the center enough to make larger profits and earn livable wages for their labor. 

For the remainder of our time here, we hope to contribute greatly to the program and equip the women with the resources needed to have a positive and lasting impact on their lives- even after we have returned to our respective countries. The following is a list of items we hope to purchase for the center before we leave Kenya: 


- Fees for continued education 
- Feeding program: including pots, pans, and food to ensure that the children of participating families are guaranteed at least one meal a day
- Cabinet for storing bead work and sewing materials
- Sewing machine for making clothes, children's school uniforms, and bags
 - Sewing materials for making school uniforms and other clothes 
- Fees to pay a teacher to teach the women crafts and handiwork for two months
- Beads and materials to create beaded jewelry to sell at the market and earn wages
- Computer for learning, managing group website, and communicating with prospective volunteers 
- Internet access for 6 months to search for helpful  information and videos relevant to their work, including sites like YouTube that could teach the women virtually any craft
- Website needed to promote their cause and recruit volunteers 


With 5,000.00 USD, we could accomplish each of the important goals listed above and set the women of Gihon Women Empowerment on a path to success. Each of us have very high hopes for the women of Kitengela. They are inspiring, beautiful, and hard-working mothers who work tirelessly every day, with no immediate reward or payback. They return to the center each and every day, eager to learn and work hard, with only the hope that one day their children will have a better future. Please help us make their dream a reality. Please help us empower the women of Kitengela and provide a stable life for their families. We, the volunteers, and the women here in Kitengela, Kenya, will be forever grateful. 

For more information on Gihon Women Empowerment and the awesome ways we are empowering the women of Kitengela, please check out their website at http://gihonwomenek.wix.com/gihonwomenek. You can also like and share the center's Facebook page: Gihon Women Empowerment Kenya.