As part of our holistic approach to empowering young women, we organize Interpersonal Skills and Leadership workshops in Nonviolent Communication. These have been successful with the final year students at the Hamlin College of Midwives in Ethiopia, and are now also being run in Kenya through an informal partnership with the NGO Hand-in-Hand Eastern Africa (HiHEA).

GreenLamp President, Christina Blecher, has so far lead workshops with Hand-in-Hand Business Relations Officers (BROs) in Thika, Nairobi and Nakuru, whom collectively came from 24 branch offices throughout Kenya. The BROs role is to mobilize women in rural villages and teach them skills in savings & loans, budgeting and setting up small businesses. These may include buying hens in order to sell eggs, or soap & yoghurt making, or bag production from recycled plastic.

Christina believes that “By working with Hand-in-Hand staff to improve their leadership and communication skills, we are helping to advance the skills and confidence of women in poor rural communities. The Hand-in-Hand Officers are taught how to gain a better understanding of and connection to the needs of the communities they serve, so their work can have a greater impact.”

The training has been well received by Hand-in-Hand staff. Rita Ruigi, the head of the Thika Branch Office, says “It has changed the way we work in the Thika branch.”