Women Socio-preneurs for Change

Aim

To foster WOMEN CHANGE MAKERS in development work, and marginalised refugee communities in Nairobi, Kenya

Who are we?

WOMEN SOCIO-PRENEURS FOR CHANGE is a social enterprise based in Kenya with a key mission of capacity building of women aid workers, and facilitating training to support 'pro-active' local women leaders in refugee communities.

The planned model is essentially an innovative ‘training for training’ approach centred on women. The social enterprise supports the critical capacity building of female aid workers, consultants and researchers in front-line, best practices related to qualitative research and development. The profits generated are then used for actual development work in the training of low-income women leaders for social enterprise and change.

This creates direct links between development worker training, and local development work.

What makes this organisation special? 

The social enterprise builds on more than 25 years of collective development experience, and intends to channel lessons learnt into training projects, with a strong focus on grassroots innovation, social change and scale.

The model used will be a self-sustaining ‘training for training’ approach centred on women in Kenya:

• Supports capacity building of female consultants/aid workers/NGO workers/researchers (fee paying) in development, enterprise and research topics/techniques (using a range of facilitators),
• Profits generated channeled into parallel events in low-income areas (two selected districts) with (poor) women leaders in topics related to leadership, life-skills, (social) enterprise, and the environment; with peer-to-peer learning.

Founder early research in Eastleigh with Somali refugee women's groups, Nairobi, 2014

The  training with local women leaders aims to specifically build capacities and skills to boost livelihoods, and foster local change agents. The training intends to go beyond typical NGO training models in microfinance, vocational skills and Business Development Services (BDS) to build ‘life-skills’, collective action and social enterprise.

Who are the team?

The Team comprises 4 women development consultants from Kenya, the UK and the US, and one accountant.

Some of the team facilitating  a research training event under 'Women Engendering Change', Nairobi, Oct 2016

What is the funding needed for?

• Building on previous studies, the funding (5,000 GBP) will be used to conduct preliminary field research to further build and develop the organisational operational model and strategic plan in terms of women’s training needs, districts of focus, and women’s groups:

A bit about the Founder! 

Based out of East Africa (Kenya), I am a passionate, highly motivated and committed academic, humanitarian and global development consultant, with a strong interest in social change and inclusion in fragile environments. My work has spanned Afghanistan - where I lived for 10 years - East Africa, South America, the Middle East and Asia. I have looked in particular at women’s enterprise participation in conflict and refugee settings, the nature of social inclusion in business, and broader social outcomes from economic empowerment. To promote knowledge and exchange, I recently established an informal network of socially conscious development consultants and researchers in East Africa (Women Engendering Change). The social enterprise emerges out of this network!

Founder’s story…

Originally an investment banker (1999-2002), I re-trained in International Development (MA) and started working with an NGO in Afghanistan in 2004. Three years later, I was made a director of the NGO managing project proposals, evaluations and external research. However, I was frustrated with understanding so little of the nature and real impact of our work in Afghanistan, and decided to start a PhD, alongside independent consulting work, in the area of micro-enterprise and value chain development.

 The initial motivation to pursue a PhD was to become a stronger and more credible technical specialist. My research specifically explored and endeavored to better understand social and cultural change in women’s economic development in Afghanistan. Inspiringly, the PhD was awarded Cum Laude and received Best PhD Thesis at Erasmus University in 2013. Subsequent post-doctoral research has built on this research and endeavoured to explore women and enterprise in hostile refugee environments (Somali refugees in Kenya, and Syrian refugees in Jordan) - and research continues in other settings!

 Meanwhile, in my work as a global humanitarian development consultant (2007-2017), I have been involved in on-the-ground creative problem solving and research with NGOs and governments, particularly looking at inclusive enterprise and value chain development. Complimenting my academic research, I have also conducted extensive field research in Afghanistan and East Africa related to gender, value chains, pastoralism and change.

 As an independent consultant, and keen practitioner, I have always been motivated by grassroots action and collaboration where possible. I finally set up an online network ‘Women Engendering Change’ in East Africa (2016) to facilitate active exchange, solidarity and cooperation amongst women researchers and consultants to promote best practices and scale in inclusive development for systemic change, particularly in marginalized areas. With this network, I have co-facilitated meetings and (free) thematic training related to research techniques in Kenya.

 In 2017, I realized that this network could be used more productively for local development work. There was strong interest in NGO development and researcher training that could be facilitated by members of the ‘Women Engendering Change’ network. Such sessions could be used to support practical training of grassroots women’s leaders...This led to the idea for the social enterprise!

 As a passionate ‘change maker’, I am keen to be involved in the evolution and promotion of best practices in the field of social and technical innovation, and change, and to support the dissemination of new ideas and best practices with local women leaders, and through broader networks in East Africa  and beyond.

FAQs 

Is the organisation registered? What is its governance structure?
The organisation is in the process of registration in Kenya as a Not-For-Profit organisation. We have 5 board members including 4 development experts and an accountant.

What types of training will the organisation provide to NGO workers and researchers?

The training will include workshops, and short courses related to the following front-line themes, supported by a range of women facilitators:

• A look at gender inequality
• How to be a consultant
• Qualitative research techniques
• Role of technology in qualitative research
• Value chains and social inclusion
• SHGs, enterprise and empowerment
• Climate change in context of Kenya and East Africa
• Innovations and environment

What types of training will the organisation provide to local women leaders?

A series of workshops, and community exchange will be conducted on topics related to building life skills and supporting micro-enterprise, including peer-to-peer learning, cooperation, creativity and innovation, supported by the organization management:

Target areas: Districts of Eastleigh, Nairobi (minimum)

Initial target of 10 women’s groups (12-15 women/group)

(This will be further developed after the preliminary research)

This project successfully funded on 28th July 2017