Community Education and Empowerment Centre

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  • Positive Masculinities Travelling Theatre in Kikuyu Sub County

    Positive Masculinities Travelling Theatre in Kikuyu Sub County

    Theatre has been used as a tool for social change and CEEC under its projectPositive Masculinities: Working with Young Men to combat Gender Based Violence in Kiambu Countychose this methodology in recognition of its appeal to young people.After a training of 30 young performing artists on combating gender based violence through promotion of positive masculinities, the trainees from five wards in Kikuyu Sub County embarked on community sensitization through travelling theatre. Due to the vastness of the wards the trainees organized one theatre performance per month per ward from March to June 2016. The 20 performances were carried out in different churches reaching out to over 2000 people with the message of combating gender based violence. The skits were a display of the situations that young men are facing in the community and how they are dealing with the crisis of masculinity manifested in alcoholism, inability to discharge their duties and gender based violence including violence against men among others. The performances were followed by a debriefing session by the trainees as well as a question/answer session. Those answered questions correctly were given t-shirts and wristbands with advocacy messages on combating gender based violence In most churches the message of the skit was also used in the sermons, emphasizing the need to address the masculinity crisis by socializing both boys and girls in the right way. It is important to promote positive masculinities/femininities in order to combat Gender Based Violence and raise healthy families. With religion playing a big role in the social construction of gender, the choice of performing in local churches was appropriate in addressing some of the gender stereotypes particularly those relating to the roles of men vis a vis those of women. The message that the trainees were putting across was that roles do not define a man or a woman; they are just roles prescribed by the society. The message seemed to strike a chord with the community members who requested for more performances.

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  • Our Environment, Our Responsibility

    Our Environment, Our Responsibility

    This was the message that the Sauti Mtaani team from Umoja 2, in collaboration with their MCA Hon. Kingsley Odida and various football teams spread on the 27th of November, 2015. The MCA organized a cleanup activity that saw youth clean up their ward and collect garbage. This activity presented an opportunity for Sauti Mtaani team to talk about the platform, how it works and its benefits. It was a way of getting practical on both governance and the environment. At the end of the day, Sauti Mtaani had achieved a wider reach and as with the theme of the day, it was also clear to the youth that participation in governance is their responsibility and Sauti Mtaani is one way of taking up that responsibility.

  • Community Outreach on Gender Based Violence and Alcoholism

    Community Outreach on Gender Based Violence and Alcoholism

    As part of the project “Working with Community leaders in Burnt Forest to promote nonviolent, gender and ethnic inclusive communities,CEEC with support from GIZ/CPS carried out farm based sensitization sessions on Gender Based Violence and Alcoholism.  The sessions were conducted in eight farms within Burnt forest namelyNdungulu, Barekeiwo, Kaplalach, Chuiyat, Kamuyu, Rukuini, Lingwai and Kagongobetween 21st and 24thMarch 2016. The CEEC trained Trainers of Trainers (ToTs) and Village Elders worked together in organizing and facilitating the gender based part of these sessions with CEEC offering technical and moral support.

    The alcohol and drug abuse part was facilitated by a recovering alcoholic from Re-awaken Rehabilitation Centre in Eldoret. These sessions raised awareness on the adverse social and health effects of alcohol and drug abuse. The community members got to appreciate how alcoholism is connected to some of the social problems which include gender based violence, poverty, under development, child neglect  as well as general lack of peace and harmony within the community. It became clear that this vice does not only affect the person abusing alcohol and other substances but also the family and community at large. A personal testimony from the facilitator who had fallen out of an engineering course while in third year at the University of Nairobi was very powerful in bringing out the gravity of the problem. It was an eye opener for most of the community members to learn that addiction is a disease and those affected need help not condemnation. They were also shocked to learn that there is a hereditary alcoholic gene which leads to addiction once those who have it experiment with alcohol. In all the farms, the community members requested the facilitator to go back and talk to the youth who are the most affected.
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  • Murang’a Village Elders Exchange Visit to Burnt Forest

    Murang’a Village Elders Exchange Visit to Burnt Forest

    With support from GIZ/CPS, CEEC organized an exchange visit by elders from Murang’a to Burnt Forest as part of the project “Working with community leaders in Burnt Forest to promote nonviolent, gender and ethnic inclusive communities” between 14th -18th March, 2016. 28 village elders from Ithiru and Githumu locations in Murang’a County visited their counterparts in Tarakwa and Oleinguse locations in Burnt Forest. This was part two of an exchange visit program with the first one having taken place between 22nd to 26th February 2016 during which Burnt Forest elders visited their counterparts in Murang’a. The design of the visit was such that every elder from Murang’a was hosted by an elder from Burnt Forest. This enabled the visitors to learn their counterparts’ way of life, culture as well as their experiences of being village elders. The Murang’a elders were also taken on a tour of cultural sites, geographical attractions and farms in order to get an overview of the general way of life in the region. On the last day of the visit, all the elders came together in an experience sharing forum. Alcohol and drug abuse had emerged as a common problem that contributes to gender based violence in both regions and a specialist from Moi Referral and Teaching Hospital in Eldoret was invited to make a presentation on the topic during the forum.

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  • Training of Trainers (ToT) – Burnt Forest

    Training of Trainers (ToT) – Burnt Forest

    Training of Trainers

    Between 2nd and 5th February 2016, CEEC held a Training of Trainers  under the project Working with community leaders in Burnt Forest to promote nonviolent, gender and ethnic inclusive communities.The project which started in 2014 is supported by GIZ(CPS) and it seeks to strengthen the community’s capacity to prevent and appropriately respond to gender based violence as a contribution to overall peace and harmony in the area. The ToT which was held at Kamuyu PCEA church was informed by a needs assessment that was done in 2015 to identify capacity gaps. It is hoped that with the ToT, the trainees will be able to organize themselves in a way that will ensure the sustainability of the project once CEEC exits.
    Apart from a refresher session on gender, the training mainly covered the law governing various forms of gender based violence, marriage, children’s rights as well as inheritance. It was apparent that the trainees really needed to understand the law in order to get rid of the deeply entrenched cultural beliefs. They were shocked by most of the legal provisions and admitted that as community leaders, they were hitherto breaking the law with impunity. They appreciated the fact that they now understood the law and the fact that it overrode culture where there was a conflict.The trainees were also taken through facilitation skills to help them understand how they can reach various groups within the community e.g. youth, men etc. At the end of the training, the ToTs agreed to form a network so that they can be supporting each other.Click here to view gallery.

  • Murang’a Village Elders Training on GBV Prevention and Response

    Murang’a Village Elders Training on GBV Prevention and Response

    Under the project titled,”Building the Capacity of Village Elders to Prevent and Appropriately Respond to Gender Based Violence”, CEEC with support from GIZ/CPS carried out a four days’ training of Murang’a Village Elders. 34 elders drawn from Githumu and Ithiru locations participated in the training which took place at Ng’araria Catholic Church, Kandara from 26th-29thJanuary 2016.
    The main objective of the training was to strengthen the capacity of the Village Elders to prevent Gender Based Violence and appropriately respond to it when it occurs. This is in view of the fact that the elders are the government’s representatives at the lowest level and they are the ones that cases of gender based violence are first reported to. By the end of the training, the elders realized how culture greatly influenced their work, making them biased against women and vowed to let go of the unhelpful cultural beliefs and practices. They also got to understand the different forms of gender based violence as well as the difference between civil and criminal cases. They realized that they were breaking the law by presiding over criminal cases and committed to be referring such cases to the police.
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  • Income Generating Activity (IGA) Project Evaluation – Burnt Forest

    Income Generating Activity (IGA) Project Evaluation – Burnt Forest

    On 15th December 2015, at PCEA Kamuyu, CEEC conducted an evaluation of the project “Alleviating Poverty in Burnt Forest through Women’s Economic Empowerment”.  The meeting brought together 26 women from Burnt Forest and members of the Laituchu women group. The evaluation sought to assess in the short term the trainee’s grasp of new knowledge and skills, practical application of the same as well as to identify any further capacity gaps. Using observation, focus group and plenary discussions as tools of evaluation, CEEC evaluated the process, the impact and outcome of the project. The women shared their success stories, challenges, learning points and gave the following feedback:

    Learning points

    • Success is progressive and not a one –off thing.
    • Nothing good comes easily.
    • Less me and more we.
    • Sacrifice and commitment is key to team success

    Project outcomes

    • Improved inter-ethnic relations, cooperation and team work among the group members.
    • Improved relationships at family level especially after the male allies meeting, who are supporting and encouraging them.
    • Increased knowledge and acquisition of new skills (tailoring and beadwork).
    • An elevated status of women because of their improved position in the community thus boosting their self-esteem and worth.
    • Improved asset base for the group i.e. machines and finances.
    • Economic empowerment for the women through sale of their products.
    • Exposure and new life experiences especially after the learning visit to Sanata Women Group.
    • The topics covered in the training were very helpful because they became practical as the group embarked on working together e.g. stages of group development, group dynamics and financial management.

    Tailoring and beadwork outputs (November- December)

    • 50  skirts
    • 95 petticoats
    • 122 beadwork pieces (wristbands, bracelets,)

    The project realized most of its objectives including: economic empowerment for the women, gender inclusivity/participation in community development and promotion of inter-ethnic dialogue and peaceful co-existence. “This project has united us…when a Kikuyu speaks a Kalenjin understands and when a Kalenjin speaks a Kikuyu understands…we are no longer divided along tribal lines…we have become one”reported one of the group members.

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  • Positive Masculinities: Working With Young Men to Combat Gender Based Violence in Kikuyu Sub-county

    Positive Masculinities: Working With Young Men to Combat Gender Based Violence in Kikuyu Sub-county

    CEEC with support from DKA Austria, for the project “Positive Masculinities: Working with young men to combat gender based violence in Kikuyu Sub-County” held a four day training in Kikuyu town from 16th-19th November 2015 on gender concepts, gender based violence and  positive masculinities. The trainees were twenty seven (27) young men from Kinoo/ Uthiru, Sigona, Karai, Nachu and Kikuyu wards who are members of church based youth groups involved in performing arts.

    CEEC previous interaction with the youth in Kikuyu Sub-county in 2014 revealed that the main perpetrators of gender based violence are in the youth age bracket. Additionally, young men are engaging in crime, alcohol and drug abuse. Flawed masculinities and male disempowerment was seen to be the root of the vice thus the need to help the “generation of lost young men” to reclaim their dignity, self-worth and develop a healthy sense of identity. This project is a response to a request by trainees in the previous phase to reach out to a wider constituency of the youth. They felt that the knowledge, information and skills they had acquired are invaluable and very much needed by every young man not only in Kikuyu Sub County but the entire country. To appeal to the young people, the project will use performing arts to not only disseminate the message but also nurture youth talent.

    On their last day of training, the trainees were joined by trainees from previous phase to come up with ward based action plans ahead of the 16 days of activism against gender based violence which will be marked across the wards through theatre and walks. At the end of the training the youth accepted that there is a problem with the socially constructed perceptions of masculinities which necessitated need for change of mindset and deconstruction of the same.

    As one participant noted “We have shunned laziness, domestic violence, self-pity, alcoholism and all the other avenues that some men tend to vent their hopelessness to when they fail to live up to the traditional roles of a man. Now that we are well equipped with concepts of positive masculinity, we shall move out to our wards and chapa (hold) shows depicting positive masculinity and how it helps our societies” Ng’ang’a Njenga. 

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  • Laituchu Women’s Group (Burnt Forest)Learning Visit to Sanata Women’s Group in Gilgil

    Laituchu Women’s Group (Burnt Forest)Learning Visit to Sanata Women’s Group in Gilgil

    As part of the Burnt Forest women income generating project, CEEC made contact with a women’s group called Sanata Women’s group which is based in Gilgil.One major similarity with the women in Burnt Forest is that Sanata women’s group comprises of women who were displaced by the 2007/8 post election violence and left destitute. The group has achieved considerable success since it was started in 2008 making and selling products such as bags, bracelets and sandals. On 11th November 2015, the 26 women who had undergone the IGA training under the project Alleviating poverty in Burnt Forest through women’s economic empowerment visited Sanata women group in Gilgil for a learning exchange visit. The women visited the sewing, screen printing and beadwork departments where they saw a diversity of skills and products. Sanata women’s group shared their experiences highlighting the challenges they have encountered along the way and how they managed to be successful. The Burnt Forest women who formed and registered a group called Laituchu Women Group were also given the opportunity to try their hands on bead work and discussed the possibility of working together. Sanata Women’s Group will send a beadwork trainer to Burnt Forest to train the women to complement tailoring.The visit was a great eye opener and motivation for the Laituchu women’s group and they promised to work hard and make a difference in their community though economic empowerment.

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  • Competition is a good thing; it brings out our best

    Competition is a good thing; it brings out our best

    The second Sauti Mtaani socialization event was held on the 7th of November, 2015, at Aqua Gardens on Mirema drive, in Zimmerman. It was another opportunity to bring together the Sauti Mtaani ambassadors from the top performing wards to enhance team spirit, strengthen their relationships and acknowledge their good work with a token of appreciation. This time the leading ward was Mowlem followed by Viwandani and Dandora III. The ambasadors from the three wards received back packs, polo shirts and snap back caps respectively. The moderators from the remaining wards received wrist bands, commonly known as a “shambala”. It was clear that healthy competition was encouraging the teams to make Sauti Mtaani a household name in their respective wards. The event included fun games, music and food. An introductory game, “How well do you know your team” was a fun way of getting to know each other as did other physical games; plate race, balloon battles and no hand get up. Other games aimed at enhancing team spirit, communication skills, strategizing capabilities and mental preparedness for handling different situations. Just like the previous one, it was evident that the socialization event was a very effective incentive for the youth to engage with their MCAs through Sauti Mtaani.