NETWORKS FOR

SOCIAL JUSTICE

ANALYSIS & COMMENTARY FROM FAHAMU’S

EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAM

ISSUE 1 APRIL 2011
IN THIS ISSUE Dear Readers

COMMENTARY
WHAT IS ADILISHA? 1
G reetings from the Adilisha newsletter editorial
team as we unveil our new informative quarterly
newsletter. This is a collection of among other things
IS BEHAVIOR CHANGE Adilisha alumni stories and experiences of their work. We
MODELING POSSIBLE FOR take pride of our Alumni who acknowledge the usefulness
GIRLS AND BOYS? 2 of the courses we offer in improving their work. Since
Lilian Kariuki January, Adilisha has been training of fellows, conducting
a learning needs assessment for upcoming courses and
2011 WSF, DAKAR - hosted the 1st movement building boot camp for LGBTI
LESSONS LEARNT BY and sex worker activists in East Africa.
FELLOWS 4
Various
In this issue we introduce you to activities of the
Fahamu Pan-African Fellowship (FPAF) a new initiative
MEMOIRS OF A PAN
that provides opportunities for African activists to enhance
AFRICAN FELLOW 6
their skills, experience and deepen their knowledge of
Blessol Gathoni
methods for effective advocacy and creating meaningful
DEAR MOST change. FPAF aims at strengthening community based
HONOURABLE MP 9 organisations and movements through as these activists
Paul Mwangi their implement learning in their movements and
organisations.
have desperately tried to stop Female Genital Mutilation
in some African communities through years of awareness
raising as this violation of women’s rights continues.
But Lillian Kariuki an Adilisha Alumni working with a
grassroots community based women’s rights organization
in Kenya has discovered a new strategy. This is working
with boys as partners by modelling their positive behaviour
to curb this practice among the Kuria Community by
organising leadership and empowerment camps.
As a Pan African fellow, a lot of balance is needed.
Working in a host organisation on a project, transferring
lessons learned to your affiliate organisation or movement,
and attending monthly workshops as Blessol Gathoni
shares her 100 days in the Fellowship. Adilisha is at the
moment developing four (4) needs-based curriculums,
learning tools and online platforms for four new courses.
This is meant to ensure we offer cutting edge human rights
and social justice education.

UPCOMING FAHAMU The World Social Forum 2011 in Senegal was a meeting The persistence by the alumni in the ever-changing
COURSES 10 of common minds against neo-liberalism from all over social justice arena is something to look forward to reading
the world guided by the belief that another world is in this 1st issue of Adilisha newsletter.
UPCOMING EVENTS 10
possible. The fellows had a chance to learn new tactics in Enjoy!
organising and movement building. Many organisations George Mwai
LINKS AND
RESOURCES 11

WHAT IS ADILISHA?
A dilisha aims at delivering
rights and movement building learning
to civil society, social movements and community
human tools and methodologies through study groups,
fellowships, activists’ boot camps, distance
learning and workshops.
based organizations, and other strategic
stakeholders, to strengthen the movement for Adilisha focuses on movement building, popular
social justice in Africa and globally, creating and political education and providing democratic
a cadre of visionary leadership for change. We spaces for peer learning on theory and practice
offer a range of innovative and diverse learning for sustained, creative and inclusive movements.

EDITORIAL TEAM
George Mwai Zena Abdul Stuart Rothgiesser Lebogang Ditshwene
Adilisha Program Officer - Adilisha Intern Layout Editor Graphic Designer
Fahamu anezmissak@yahoo.com www.stuartrothgiesser.com www.lephutshedesigns.co.za
More analysis and commentary from george@fahamu.org
Fahamu’s Education for Social Justice stuart@stuartrothgiesser.com lebo@lephutshedesigns.co.za
Programme can be found online:
www.fahamu.org
2 EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAMME
IS BEHAVIOR CHANGE MODELING
POSSIBLE FOR GIRLS AND BOYS?
LILIAN KARIUKI
Lillian Kariuki addresses the youth
during the camp.
Anastastia Gati facilitating a
session.
D espite concerted efforts by NGOs to raise
awareness on the hazards related to female
genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) for over
two decades, the Kuria community in Kenya
has refused to discard this harmful the practice.
In most cases school holidays usually present
Kuria girls with mental trauma and anguish
instead of joy and relaxation. It is a period when
the traditional circumcisers undertake this
culturally valued practice for. Besides the pain
of going through the harrowing operation with
scissors and razor that have not been properly
sterilized,the risk of contracting HIV/Aids has
been real.
Even after some of the girls have undergone
alternative rites of passage organised by NGOs,
they have not been spared the cut after returning
home, in spite of the local administration
keeping a close watch. An initiative by Education
Center for the Advancement of Women (ECAW
Kenya), a grassroots community based women’s
rights organization, that offers leadership and
empowerment for girls (and boys) has proved
to be an effective strategy in modeling behavior
to curb Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
(FGM/C) among the Kuria community.
Girls (and boys) aged 10-17 have been attending
annual leadership and empowerment camps
since 2009 on how to communicate, being self
confident, making life choices, behavior change,
financial education, the beauty of education and
women’s human rights. These camps have been
self-empowering safe spaces where both boys and
girls learn a lot about their sexual health rights
and their relationship to human rights. As a result
a strong movement of young people has been
formed with a mind shift especially among boys
who have pledged to support the abandonment
of the practice of FGM/C. The boys have been
discouraging parents from forcing their sisters
into undergoing the practice and pledging to
set examples by marrying girls who haven’t
undergone the practice once they come of age.
In the last two years a total of 322 youths have
participated in these life changing platforms
and 4 youth-led grassroots organizations have
emerged to raise awareness on human rights and
are doing community organizing to curb FGM
practice.
According to Lillian Kariuki, a program
officer working with ECAW and an alumnus of
Fahamu’s trainings, “for any girls’ and women’s
emancipation program to succeed, men and
boys must be involved even if its in small doses.
This enables them to understand, appreciate
respect, uphold and promote women and girls
issues”. Inspired by role models from their own
community who have led discussions of their
own struggles to success, these youths have taken
it upon themselves to map out safe spaces to
meet other girls and boys within the community
to discuss their rights.
Anastasia Gati, 19 years old, is a product of this
leadership and empowerment camp. She has now
taken up the role of a facilitator and trains other
girls on reproductive health rights. Anastasia
has been conducting door-to-door human rights
empowerment activities within her community
to mitigate the effects of FGM/C.
She now acknowledges the need for all efforts
in the fight against the practice to apply a rights
based approach. Abandonment of the practice
therefore requires the consented involvement
and education of the community at large, men
and boys and the involvement of the government
and not just girls and women. This annual girls
leadership and empowerment camp project
is being supported by the American Jewish
World Service, AJWS –USA, has improved by
☛

learning from the rights-based approach training
organized by Fahamu for AJWS alumni in
November 2009 that Lillian Kariuki attended.
‘The leadership camp in 2009 was a great
entry point for discussions regarding FGM and
women’s human rights in Kuria. We are positive
that the ensuing discussions will bear positive
results for the position of women and girls in
Kuria,’ commented Swibe Monchana – a youth
group leader in Kehancha.
Follow-up activities have shown other gains by
the project, where a number of girls have indeed
paid closer attention to their education while
others are careful not to allow advances from
boys to distract them from their academic goals.
“It might be true that I want to
marry and have a family. But that
has to come later on in life when
I will have a job of my own and
be independent. I won’t marry
now for my parents to get two
cows in exchange.”
ALUMNI QUOTED
I am a Roving security Manager with
International Medical Corps 
in Africa and conduct lots of research
(IMC)
and analysis on countries where IMC is
operational, majority of which are in or during
post conflict. The Investigating, Monitoring
COMMENTARY 3
‘It might be true that I want to marry and have
a family. But that has to come later on in life when
I will have a job of my own and be independent. I
won’t marry now for my parents to get two cows
in exchange,’ said Linet Wambura, a 15 years old
class 8 student who was selected for the follow-up
‘I have decided not to undergo FGM. I will
instead work hard at school so I’ll end up as a
medical doctor and treat sick people in Kuria,’
pledged 12 years old Rael Muhiri – a 2009
leadership camp participant.
Lillian and her organization have learnt the
importance of involving role models in girls’
empowerment initiatives since girls can identify
individuals in whose footsteps they can follow.
ECAW also learnt that the youth are a powerful
agent of change within their communities in
the contemporary society because they are
more willing to embrace change than the older
generation. Passionate youth are also relentless
in empowering their communities to embrace
positive change.
Despite accusations of ECAW,by some older
community members for allegedly inciting girls
and women to rebel against social norms and
limited livelihood options for the youth, the
approach has proved to be effective in modeling
behavior change among the youth.
and Reporting on Human Rights Violations
course I attended in 2008 taught us on enquiry,
follow up analysis and international treaties
which were very helpful.
ARMSTRONG MAINA
4 EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAMME

2011 WSF, DAKAR - LESSONS LEARNT BY FELLOWS

“During the WSF, I learnt how to organize myself while addressing a communal
or societal problem. A case in point is my interaction with groups advocating for
food security in Africa.
The other knowledge I acquired is how to communicate and use social media to
pass on information and organize a community around a specific issue.”
DAN CALEB OMULLO

“I was shocked when I learnt the brutal inhumane treatment faced by the
LGBTI-Q (“lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender”) in Senegal by the government
and community, nevertheless it was very interesting to know that this community is
recognized by the community and law; they get married or get divorced in court and
also have a right to adopting children.
I learnt Africa has a long way to go to achieve change she much desires, revolution
is beckoning thunderstorms of demonstration shaking the ground in most west of
African countries.”
LUCY AMAKOBE

“The world Social Forum enhanced my understanding on issues of social justice. It

also offered me the opportunity to share experiences with representatives of social
movements from different parts of the world. It also allowed me to borrow from their
best practices. I now understand democracy applies in different ways. The way we
define it in Kenya is different from other countries like Swaziland.”
DANIEL OTIENO

“The WSF was a space to intensify the resistance and struggle to further
delegitimize neo liberal policies.”
PATRICK KAMOTHO
 COMMENTARY 5

“I noted that the future of Human rights would be determined by the people
who are denied their freedom.The use of media for advocacy and networking.”
MABRUKA SEBIT

“I had important contact with climate justice campaign movements from the
global south as well as jubilee south debt movement.”
GACHEKE GACHIHI

“This was a great learning experience for me.  It was exciting attending
various workshops. From hearing African farmers saying no to GM crops and
demanding food sovereignty to how Senegalese hip-hop musicians are forging
cultural frontiers of resistance to the dominant economic model. I learnt about
Food sovereignty and how to strengthen peasan based agriculture as an answer
to the food price and climate crisis.”
DAVID NJIHIA

“I learnt of Senegalese and African history which is very important for any
African, especially the story of slavery. It is the saddest period in human history.
After the forum I discovered that “Small networks of people and movements
will help in passing the word around. It is not easy to have everybody on board
as people tend to assume that everything is just okay or that they have things
to do. Eventually public forums spiced with performances will help sensitize
the people more; lobby, organize, act and entertain while teaching.”
DENNIS MOSIERE
6 EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAMME
MEMOIRS OF A PAN AFRICAN FELLOW
BLESSOL GATHONI
T here is much to say about my first hundred
days placement since October 2010, in the
Fahamu Pan African Fellowship Programme. If
it was easy to pen it all down - or open up my
heart to pour out all my emotions, or to even play
out everything I have recorded in my soul and
achieved in my thoughts to touching with my
spirit - everything would define itself as heaven
and hell all at the same place. There were days
I wished morning would come first so that I
could go out there and be the rogue activist who
questioned and fought everything ‘bad’ she found
on her path.
Yet, with the dawning of each day and
the realities of capitalism, imperialism and
oppression staring right into my face - from
the everyday news that I quickly was gaining
interest on, to observations and the assignments
I had, and the information gathered from the
books I read- which explained the history of
the black people, from the time of black man’s
paradise and slavery years, that lasted for over
400 years till this modern age slavery of ‘Aid in
Africa.’ Doubt daunted me. Then that doubt was
proceeded with the challenges faced by fellow
activists and comrades in their field of work
to their placements where ‘change,’ ‘solidarity’
‘egalitarism’ and ‘social justice’ was aimed at,
yet people there were overwhelmed by their
ALUMNI QUOTED
I am now able to see and analyze the
connection between conflict/crisis
prevention and human rights. While I was
not able to  integrate conflict prevention
in key processes in our national work, I
can use the knowledge and skills to integrate
own bureaucracy and hierarchical settings in the
organizations they worked in, blinded by their
own titles and self interests to a point oppressing
one another had become their daily bread.
During the induction process in October 2010,
I would be lying if I said there was anytime I felt
moved apart from when I meet the fellows for
the first time and after they showed us a clip of
the post election violence. I haven’t forgotten it;
it was labelled ‘Painful Memories.’ I had churned
up feelings after that tightened into a huge pang
in my chest and a stream of tears from my eyes.
That week when the FAHAMU team asked
us to have an interview to say what were our
expectations were. I didn’t have any. I hated
putting my hopes too high, so I opted to say what
I wished for most. And that was friends to help me
in my queer revolution (as I would in theirs) and
networks. In the end I just remember insisting
in uniting together, in solidarity during this
workshop. Learning was smooth with a couple of
very thick huddles when it decided to have some,
but the hearing of the somewhat hidden thoughts
of my fellow comrades was inevitable. By the end
of the exhausting induction process, one of the
comrades – who had openly stated that he was
homophobic - got to understand where all we,
queer folks, were coming from and at last I saw a
☛
this perspective
international work.
in our organization’s
ANNA WÜRTH WORKS FOR GERMAN INSTITUTE FOR
HUMAN RIGHTS ATTENDED THE HUMAN RIGHTS
AND CONFLICT PREVENTION FOR NATIONAL
HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS COURSE IN 2006

dim light at the end of the train tunnel.
To me, aside from a lot of knowledge - that
was so hard to stomach all at the same time -
was the biggest achievement I had made in the
9 days of induction! Work commenced at
Fahamu in November, taking each day as a
learning experience. I started loving to read. I
would open different sites gathering insights on
world news, the LGBTI struggle, AU Monitor,
climate change and food sovereignty. Time came
I had to work on an LGBTI boot camp logistical
plan, the agenda for an AU summit- on women in
the rural areas of Ethiopia (that greatly saddened
me), the Seven Sisters’ study group interviews,
the training of trainers programme at Gay Kenya
and to travel to Ghana for a Gender Equality
Workshop, that was exciting yes but left me
“Learning was smooth with a
couple of very thick huddles
when it decided to have some,
but the hearing of the somewhat
hidden thoughts of my fellow
comrades was inevitable.”
ALUMNI QUOTED
T he skills I acquired from the course in 2008
have made my investigating, monitoring
and reporting on human rights violations
improve drastically. I have also transferred
the same skills to my fellow colleagues and
staff. I have also had comparisons with other
COMMENTARY 7
petrified. Workshops with fellows came in,
with the likes of Willy Mutunga’s with exciting
sessions on social movements in Kenya.
In late November 2010, Kenya’s Prime
Minister’s made this scathing attack that all gay
people should be arrested, two of our comrades
suggested that we should march to his office
in protest during the World AIDS Day on
December 1st. We wrote a slogan “Human rights
for all in the new constitution” and stated, that
the PM’s Statement to arrest all gay people
meant more discrimination and stigma hence the
spread of HIV.
During this day we had to share a tent with
another organisation because we had not been
given a tent, Curious Kenyans flocked in the
tent, some to earnestly to get insights in our
lives and the preventive measures we take in our
sexual activities and others were there to take
us down the morality lane, of what is wrong and
right, unnatural, un Africa, un godly and beastly,
the list was endless. I had heard enough but
I maintained my cool, but when that talk of it
was ungodly came in again. My anger reached
the roof, I remember by the time I was done
giving that guy the history, he so much didn’t
seem to know, like the Bible was foreign and
was just brought to us, and that homosexuality
existed in the pre- colonial times with proof from
☛
well established organization who have equally
applied the same skills and I have realized that
we are now at par with them now.
TAIGA JOB WANYANJA OF MWATIKHO TORTURE
SURVIVORS ORGANIZATION IN KENYA
8 EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAMME
“There are a number of
things aside from passion
that leads people to activism,
and I wouldn’t say it’s the
injustices out there.”
even Nigeria- and is it that the white people
discovered half the things in Kenya and named
them (which he still believed they did) yet our
ancestors were living around them even before
they came. He had nothing to say, and just stared
at me. I argued I was morally up right, and told
him of things he considered okay to do, that I
won’t mention – that I wouldn’t do, and would
condemn him for. He caught up with me later,
and apologized. His argument was he just needed
proper information. I also apologized, he didn’t
deserve that argument.
That night and the following morning,
our faces were proudly presented on the media.
He later said he was misquoted, in a meeting
with the International Criminal Court
Prosecutor, in Nairobi.
I was in a protesting spirit from then; when
one of my comrade fellows again wrote on the
list serve that on the World’s Human Right’s
day on 10th December he was going to have a
ALUMNI QUOTED
A t the time of the course (2006) I was
new at the Ombudsman’s office and had
just started working there. The theoretical
knowledge, international standards, interview
and reporting techniques, I gained during the
procession I was there to march with him, to
support his cause, in ending oppression on the
disabled persons. It was by the members of
Disability focus Africa and Kituo cha Sheria
that I learnt they actually were asked by the
government to pay taxes for their wheel chairs.
There are a number of things aside from
passion that leads people to activism, and I
wouldn’t say it’s the injustices out there. No.
There’s more to that, it is love, so intense that it
overwhelms someone.
After that there was the International Day to
Honour the Rights of Sex Workers on December
17 2010, which I was more than proud to have
been part of the organizing committee. If anyone
saw how colourful this day was: all sex workers
both male and female marching the streets of
Nairobi, a peaceful procession of 500 plus people
in red umbrellas and black t-shirts. A bunch of
muscled security men marching on their side.
Lights and camera, everyone putting their
differences aside to make an impact, and they did
a huge one INFACT – enough to have even been
termed as the largest turn up in Africa!!! When
the following week I saw the many commentaries
on the list serve, I had a feeling similar after
climbing Mt. Longonot 1,670 ft high, coming
down and relaxing.
For more details on the Fahamu Pan African
Fellowship Program, visit our site:- www.fahamu.
org/fellowship
course were very useful and I have been using
them during the course of my work on a regular
basis.
TAMAR KEMULARIA, ADVISER TO THE PUBLIC
DEFENDER (OMBUDSMAN) IN GEORGIA
 COMMENTARY 9

DEAR MOST HONOURABLE MP

PAUL MWANGI

Dear most honorable MP, Cold,

When will it ever end? Corrupt, The vomiting on the shoes,
When will it stop, people are crying, Yet it still continues, The cold heartedness,
dying, When will it stop? To the hungry, sick, poor,
Hunger, It’s hard to imagine, Of our nation,
Disease, It can be justified, By constantly increasing your
Ignorance, With all these problems, pay packages,
When will it stop? Disgusting, And failing to pay tax,
It’s been called disgusting, Stop it, We are FED UP,
Immoral, Stop now, And on a day soon to come,
Uncouth, Stop the slaps on the face, We will show you how much.
The poet laments on the behavior of legislators from Kenya in July 2010 and Ghana in February 2011 to raise their salaries regardless of their weak economies

1 2 3

4 5 1. Women Informal workers protesting

against harrassment at their work
places in Kenya
2. Bunge La Mwananchi, a social
movement in Kenya and Muthurwa
estate Residents petitioning the Prime
Minister
3. Adilisha values
4. Adilisha encourages participatory
learning approaches like study groups
5. AJWS grantees after a human rights
training in 2010 in Uganda

ALUMNI QUOTED
A s a result of the fundraising and resource
mobilization training in 2008, I applied
the skills and knowledge gained and CCYA was
the Convention on the Rights of Children, who
are our main centre of focus. We are currently
looking at the people whom we target as partners
able to get more two funders. My organization not as just beneficiaries
was able to have a better understanding of the
CAN CAXSON RAY WORKS WITH CONCERNED
rights related to children especially by reviewing CHILDREN AND YOUTH ASSOCIATION (CCYA)-UGANDA
10 EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAMME

UPCOMING FAHAMU COURSES

T o implement our needs based support to social movements and grassroots organizations, Adilisha
program is developing cutting edge courses. These courses include:
Movement building and grassroots organizing in Africa
• Africa-centred advocacy
• New tactics in human and peoples’ rights
• Sexuality and sexual rights in Africa
• Thorough needs assessment with our constituents, alumni and beneficiaries has been conducted
to ensure we create distinctive, flexible and diverse learning tools that strengthen grassroots
organizations in Africa.

Other existing courses are offered through distance learning or workshops. They are :

Introduction to human rights

Investigating, monitoring and reporting on human rights violations

Campaigning for access to information

Action for change: advocacy and citizen participation

Prevention of torture

Conflict prevention

Leadership and management for change

Using the Internet for advocacy and research

Practical financial management for NGOs

Fundraising and resource mobilization

Just write: a course on effective writing

Proposals that make a difference

Writing for Change

To apply for these courses contact Hilary Isaac hilary@fahamu.org or

Winnie Wambui winnie@fahamu.org for details.
 UPCOMING EVENTS AND COURSES 11

UPCOMING EVENTS
• The Fahamu Pan African Fellows will be attending the Third Julius Nyerere Intellectual Festival
Week,taking place in April 12-15th 2011, at the University of Dar es Salaam.
• eLearning Africa, 25 to 27 May 2011 Dar es Salaam, Mlimani City Conference Centre, Tanzania.
This is a conference organised by ICWE GmbH that focuses on information and communication
technologies (ICTs) for development, education and training in Africa.
• Francophone East Africa Movement Building Boot Camp for LGBTI activists to be held in July
• For more social justice events related to Africa visit: http://www.africaportal.org/events
• Next Adilisha issue - Stories on first Movement Building Boot Camp in East Africa for LGBTI
activists in March 2011.

LINKS AND RESOURCES ON

EDUCATION
• http://adelphiarted.blogspot.com/
• http://freireproject.org/category/topic-tags/-international-journal-critical-pedagogy
• http://peopleseducation.org/about/
• http://rozenbergquarterly.com/?p=286
• http://www.afrikaworld.net/afrel/atr-socjustice.htm
• https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=7310
• http://justusseekingjustice.wordpress.com/2010/10/18/hello-world/
• http://www.teachersforjustice.org/