Women Empowerment

Kenya

Kibera - Women with HIV/AIDS

This project, in Partnership with the Kibera Office of Human Rights, takes place in Kibera, which is the largest slum in Sub-Saharan Africa. Over 700,000 people are squeezed onto less than 550 acres of land. There is no running water, sanitation, roads, lights or garbage collection. The lack of sanitary facilities to dispose of human waste and garbage has led to serious environmental and health hazards including higher incidence of diseases like typhoid, cholera and tuberculosis. HIV/AIDS is prevalent in Kibera and those living with it often face discrimination and are marginalized.

The main objective of this project is to empower single women who are living with HIV/AIDS and have no current means of earning a living. The majority of the 70 women involved in this project are illiterate. Therefore, Phase I of the project will be to hold 5 community wide workshops aimed at creating legal awareness and outlining appropriate steps to take when there are human rights abuses made against them due to their HIV+ status.

Phase II and III of the project focus on creating sustainable businesses for the 70 participants, which include discussions on what type of business they want to start, appropriate training, registration, disbursement of funds and monitoring.

UPDATE: As of mid-December we had completed Phase I and were in the process of starting Phase II when violence erupted across Kenya. Kibera has seen some of the worst violence, with homes and markets being looted and burned and many people losing their lives, including 3 of the women involved in this project.

Pangea's immediate focus has shifted to providing resources for our local partner to purchase and distribute food and water for those they can reach in Kibera.

To help with this urgent need, please visit our donation page to assist through this time of crisis.

Beads of Progress

As part of our Kibera Project, several women have been trained by a fellow participant in the art of beadwork.  They have learned to make beautiful beaded bracelets, necklaces, and key chains and we are helping to open markets for their handicrafts. By leveraging our access to global markets for their beautiful pieces they can earn fair trade wages for their work.

By introducing the products into new markets, Pangea will increase demand for the Kenyan bead work, and the sale of these items will result in a sustainable business. This synergy will not only affect the women involved today, but other HIV+ women in the community, as today's workers train tomorrow's, building leadership skills alongside self-esteem and a sense of community.

To learn about the women involved and to see the beautiful pieces, please visit our Women of the World and Marketplace.