GWILN: Branch out and be tech-savvy, women told during their day

Let us be the giants for the young ones to stand on and achieve the future

Edinah Kangwana, GWILN Founder.

In a high-powered event attended by founders, health practitioners, women advocates, digital gurus, academicians, government officials, entrepreneurs, mentors, and mentees, alongside other top minds, the Gusii Region women commemorated the famed International Women’s Day in a Kisii-based hotel.

Courtesy of the Gusii Women In Leadership Network (GWILN), backed up by diverse other strategic partners such as the Roundtable Wellness Club, Wakenya Pamoja Sacco, A. Jiwa Shamji Ltd., United Pan-Afric Movement, Scholar Media Africa and crowned with Cakes by Cess, the women delved into technology, leadership development, and wellness in a digital world.

Other collaborative partners include: Magdalene Gesare, an award-winning women development champion, seasoned educationist and mental health advocate; Roselyne Nyakona, a clinician and community service champion; Esnahs Nyaramba, a leadership and governance practitioner and GBV, FGM and Wellness renown champion; Rebeccah Basweti, an award-winning Gender and Youth development champion and celebrated Anti-FGM and GBV Advocate;

Ceciliah Khasina, a strategist, governance and leadership practitioner and award-winning entrepreneur; Doreen Atisa, a business development professional and community service enthusiast; Kicky Nyabengi, a Pan-Africanist, seasoned educationist and founder, UPAM, Dr. Edna Orina, a consultant radiologist and head of radiology KTRH, mentor and mental health champion; and Kicky Nyabengi, the host partner, a researcher, youth and gender professional, quality analyst and National representative, United Pan-Africanist Movement.

The event, held on March 8, 2023, ran in tandem with the United Nations theme for the day, DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality. 

It also leaned towards the day’s global theme, Accelerating Equality & Empowerment: How Women’s Leadership & Collective Action Can Make a Difference.

In her opening remarks, Linet Moruri, a communication expert, strategist and seasoned marketer, explained that GWILN was birthed and is rooted in the idea of bringing together women leaders in different fields and expertise from Kenya’s Gusii region and beyond.

It offers a safe space for the women to be coached on leadership, entrepreneurship, and health and wellness, among other areas of life.

This is through mentorship and sharing inspiring success stories “…so that we can have all women empowered to take up leadership positions,” said Ms. Moruri.

To many, it’s a wish granted, a realization of different minds’ ideas from women who understand the challenges faced by women and girls growing up and getting rooted.

Sprouted seed

“The seed that we planted has sprouted,” observed Edinah Kangwana MBS, MHC, founder Gusii Women In Leadership Nework, Leadership & Governance practitioner, Gender diversity & inclusion advocate, wellness champion & immediate former Kisii County Government executive, referring to the maiden event the women held in December 2022.

Terming it as a pathway for every woman to grow through listening and sharing, Ms. Kangwana noted that “This is a transformational platform for learning, unlearning and relearning from what we’ve known and what we are yet to.”

The mentor also encouraged those who have been ahead in different fields to also mentor and support those behind them for posterity. 

“Let us be the giants for the young ones to stand on and achieve the future,” she besought.

She further urged more women, especially those in political leadership from the Gusii region, to carve out some time, attend such events and share their secrets and experiences because “…God has put them in leadership at a time we are not.”

Ms. Kangwana, in her words, anticipated a time when corporates would step in and sponsor such fora to allow the women and girls to be introduced to greatness through capacity building and transformational leadership.

The participants were treated to intriguing music by Pharry-K, the guest singer, who kept the event lively and sparkling, aided by Ronald Mayaka, a radio presenter, who moderated the occasion.

Decoding mental wellness

In her Keynote Speech, Donna Onguti, a counseling psychologist and physiotherapist at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital (KTRH) and the founder of Donate Diapers and Save Lives, examined the subject of Mental Health, especially among women.

She revealed that often, the conversation is about the symptoms and treatment of mental illnesses but rarely on the root cause of the same.

In an absorbing story of her life, which is punctuated by battles against mental disturbances from previous trauma, she made it clear that any mental issue should be dealt with early enough to stop it from recurring.

According to Ms. Onguti, a trauma that’s unspoken is likely to be repeated in the family or a person’s life.

Sadly, more women (and men) are nowadays traumatized and battling mental breakdowns, but they are unaware of it due to a lack of reliable information to compare with for self-realization.

This leads to unfulfilled lives, yet, “It is only by meeting our needs that we can meet the needs of others,” she said.  

The counseling psychologist counseled the women to verbalize the traumatizing events when the environment is safe, release their emotions and journalize the experiences to let them off their minds.

Women authentic leadership

Shairoz Shamji, an award-winning Women and Girls Development champion, public health professional and certified mediator, and humanitarian, delivered a keynote speech on Authentic Women Leadership: Leading from the point of service.

Mrs. Shamji, who hailed the occasion as “…a day to celebrate the progress we have made as women,” noted that despite the women’s notable progress, “We still have a long way to go on gender equality, especially in leadership.”

Leading from the point of service, Mrs. Shamji helps conflicting parties attain a mutually acceptable solution through mediation.

 “If we take time to understand each other’s needs, we can all have the lemon, instead of fighting over it,” she said.

Authentic leadership demands being true to oneself and embracing who you are as you serve others.

Delving into menstrual health, she asserted there is no place to call it a taboo because it must be addressed fully. 

She is a celebrated menstrual and reproductive health champion.

Mrs. Shamji challenged the women that authentic leadership is not only for the boardrooms, urging them to speak up and have their voices heard while seeking help whenever needed.

She simultaneously advised them to see the right things, do the right things, and they will get the right things, as in the See-Do-Get cycle.

Further, the humanitarian told them to ponder what others say about them, what they themselves say about others, and what they say about themselves, as this marks authentic leadership.

While also involving men in their decisions, she counseled them to keep in check their personal and family goals, business, career and financial goals, and self-development goals as vital ingredients for an accomplished life in leadership.

“Always remember you are uniquely you; remind yourself you are great, write down your goals, lean in and keep doing great things, no matter what,” she challenged.

Representation for gender equality

Dolifine Bwari is a Women and Girls Development defender, leadership and governance practitioner, diversity and inclusion champion, and a nominated Member of the County Assembly (MCA), Kisii County.

“It is important to reflect on the progress we’ve made and the obstacles we’re facing,” she noted, adding that the lack of sufficient representation of women in leadership spaces poses a challenge to achieving gender equality.

She said that women have always proven they have the skills, knowledge, and determination to lead in all capacities, inviting them to a moment of soul-searching on what they are not doing right.

In women-centered initiatives, she urged them to create environments that allow success, celebrate victory, and enhance the thriving of women.

Ms. Bwari also called for willingness for women to support one another to grow together, achieve together, and get outside the box, for “We need women at all levels, including at the top.”

Women and technology

The latest data shows that, as of 2022, women hold a meager 26.7% of tech-related jobs, and 50% of these have reported gender inequality cases.

In a discussion panel, Linah Mwakitawa, Jihusishe mobile App developer, and a software engineering student, Kisii University, together with Damaris Musembi, an IT specialist working at the Kisii County IT Department, a computer scientist and certified Geographic Information System (GIS) specialist, discussed how women can leverage digital gadgets and spaces for gender equality. 

According to Ms. Mwakitawa, technology and digital spaces have diverse opportunities for women. 

In software engineering and mobile application development, she said that women can train on and work in programming, coding, and testing, among other sectors.

It all needs passion and inspiration, a clear understanding of what to do and a keen approach.

The currently male-dominated field is open for women, and they should grab the opportunity, toss themselves into the space and fight for equality in the digital world. According to the two experts, the biases are self-made and can be overcome.

Power of technology

Ms. Mwakitawa was the top brain behind the development of the Jihusishe App, a mobile application used during Kenya’s 2022 elections period. 

It allows citizens to share information with the police about any harassment of leaders and the public through opinions, comments, and otherwise.

“There’s immense power in technology, a boost towards equality. We must be able to keep up with technology,” Ms. Musembi challenged the women.

She, with her colleagues, serves as the face of IT in Kisii County, providing the county with technology-based solutions, advice, and technical information on IT, such as software compatibility. 

She spurred the audience to embrace technology and bridge the digital divide, which, she said, “…can be managed intentionally through formal education for girls on IT and creating safe spaces for women to interact with technology.”

Digital advertising, social media management, e-commerce, web design and other digital involvements are some of the opportunities women can leverage on in today’s digital age and earn money.

“But you must take the initiative,” said Ms. Musembi, with Ms. Mwakitawa adding that “You must be competent enough for the jobs you need in technology.”

Women daring abroad

Besides tech and leadership, other opportunities are available for women, some, abroad.

Milka Nyandusi, a USA-based (Texas) nurse practitioner, said that different companies and US-based health facilities are in regular need of nurses.

Certified Kenyan nurses can apply, do the pre-requisite examination and be allowed to work in the US as health practitioners.

“We can do anything we put our minds to do. There’s no male or female sector,” she encouraged, advising all applicants to always use the right channels when applying for such opportunities abroad.

Cecilia Khasina, an entrepreneur and the owner, Cakes By Cess, reiterated the importance of women supporting each other in diverse spheres of life. She was on an invitation and had ensured she extended the invitation to her group of friends to also benefit from the rich lessons from the event. She brought along a cake to celebrate the big day for women with all the participants.

Other speakers and guests also encouraged the women to be vibrant in business, leadership, and technology and otherwise, with some sharing their resilience stories to egg on the women.

The participants famed the event as full of impactful lessons and life-changing nuggets for leadership growth, healthy living and technology-embracing, urging more people to attend such events. 

The GWILN believes in a reading culture as part of nurturing leaders. 

“If you want to be a leader, you have to learn how to lead,” said Ms. Kangwana in her final remarks.

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She urged the participants to go and work out the lessons bagged therein.

The speakers were gifted with women’s leadership and entrepreneurship-related books to equip them with better life approaches. 

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