Region: East Africa
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The Global Gag Rule’s impact on Kenya’s reproductive health sector
Within the first week of assuming office, US President Donald Trump reinstated the Mexico City Policy, also known as the Global Gag Rule. Simply, this policy prohibits any entity that receives US Government (USG) funding from carrying out any abortion-related activity, regardless of the source of funds. This Mexico City Policy is a partisan affair…
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Open source seeds’ first ideathon in Nairobi
Drought and the climate changing patterns cannot be separated from food security. These are some of the factors that have given rise to the open source seeds initiative globally. With the changing rainfall partners, farmers will need access to a wide variety of climate-resilient seeds which many times are not always ‘free’. The Open Source…
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Celebrating women’s achievements in creating a gender-inclusive green society
On International Women’s Day 2017, Hivos celebrates the achievements of our programmes and partners in driving change for women and helping accelerate gender parity across the world. Together we are creating a gender inclusive green society, where women and men have equal access to – and control over – renewable energy and sufficient, nutritious and…
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Empowering Female artists in the creative sector
Joy Mboya is the Executive Director of the GoDown Arts Centre, which is widely recognised as a hub providing artistic spaces for Kenyan artists and a range of programmes for local audiences in Nairobi, Kenya. She has wide experience in the Kenyan cultural sector, having served in various capacities within film, theatre, music and art.…
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I am a farmer converted to an environmentalist
51-year-old housewife Mumbi Kinyua calls herself an environmental conservationist. Representing farmers from her community at the Ministry of Agriculture in Kenya, Mumbi has been able to capitalise on her position to champion the use of biogas in engendering good and sustainable agricultural practices. ‘’I am an empowered farmer who now calls herself an environmentalist. Biogas…
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I am a Sex Workers’ Activist
Peninah calls herself a sex worker and women’s rights activist. As the Founder and Director of Bar Hostess Empowerment and Support Programme (BHESP) she is amongst the change makers who have been championing for the rights of sex workers for close to 17 years now. ‘’I believe sex work is work. What inspires me every…
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I am the Chief Mechanic of Creatives Garage
She calls herself a shy, eccentric daydreamer who loves what she does in the artistic spaces. Liz Kilili is the ‘Chief Mechanic’ at the Creatives Garage. This is a hub that was born from a quest to engage in cultural activism and enable creatives to venture into social innovation. To date, her overall leadership has…
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Equal rights apply to all human beings regardless of their sexual orientation
Esther Adhiambo sees her position in society as a mother, aunt, sister, leader and mentor. She has been in the Lesbian Bisexual and Queer (LBQ) movement for close to 8 years now, having previously worked at the Persons Marginalised and Aggrieved Kenya (PEMA Kenya) organisation and now at the Initiative for Equality and Non-Discrimination (INEND).…
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I am a Feminist
Nyambura Gathumbi, Hivos East Africa’s Programme Manager for Women’s Empowerment, prides herself on being a feminist. Having worked in the women’s rights sphere for almost 10 years now, she has seen the struggles that women have had to endure over the years, and this she notes is what drives her every day to make things…
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Age of Wonderland’s 100 days of learning makes its mark on Hivos East Africa
How do you break societal norms to be creative in spaces that are unfamiliar? These were some of the thought-provoking conversations that evolved during Hivos East Africa’s 100 days of learning. Convened by the Age of Wonderland on 16 February 2017, the two-day event featured discussions on how to foster inspiration, trust and learning. Age…
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Call for Concept Notes: Community Media Fund
The Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa, in partnership with Ford Foundation, are seeking concept notes for the Community Media Fund that will strengthen the existing media landscape in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa and contribute to governance reforms. Are you involved in any initiatives or projects aimed at strengthening the role of community media in promoting…
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Flower farm workers are yet to benefit from the sector despite increased revenues
Approximately, 250 million roses will be produced for Valentine’s Day globally. Kenya is the lead exporter of rose cut flowers to the European Union with a market share of 38 per cent as of 2015. In 2016, Kenya’s earnings from cut flowers rose 18 per cent to Sh53.3 billion from Sh45.1 billion in the previous…
