Emma Mogaka: We need to allow girls to be children first before they become wives
Emma Mogaka is the Executive Director of a grassroots organization called Rural Women Peace Link. She is also an all-around superwoman fighting for local women from various counties in Kenya to have an equal opportunity to participate in governance and development. The organization, run by an all-women team, mobilizes the participation of local women in peacebuilding, governance, and development. Their main focus is women from the rural area because these are the women who are marginalized the most. Tell us about Rural Women Peace Link. How did it come about? Rural Women Peace Link (RWPL) was founded in the early 1990’s by a group of women peace builders. The significance of its name was to capture the critical issues the Community Based Organization (CBO) was addressing, namely rural women who had a passion to promote peace. Their vision then was to help rural women to network, gain self-esteem, be empowered and promote and maintain peace in their respective areas of origin. Our main thematic areas are: Women’s human rights pillar: This pillar seeks to advance recognition and appreciation of women’s human rights in their communities against socio-cultural restrictions and negative perceptions. RWPL achieves this through training rural based women and girls on their rights through community education on legal education, human rights reproductive health and issues of bodily integrity and increasing access to justice. Peace building and conflict mitigation pillar: We strengthen the role of rural women and youth groups in mitigating violence in the community, monitoring conflict through early warning indicators and mediating conflicts. Women’s economic empowerment pillar: the focus is on grassroots women and women survivors of conflict and gender-based violence to promote sustainable livelihood management through offering life skills and entrepreneurship trainings. We also provide seed grant to facilitate start-up activities as well as linkages to financial institutions, partners and donors. Education support and mentorship pillar: RWPL supports and encourages beneficiaries, mostly bright promising girls from vulnerable backgrounds, to take up opportunities offered through formal education in schools and colleges. Leadership and governance pillar: RWPL mentors women leaders through capacity building training and exposure enabling them to participate in leadership effectively in different areas and also to vie for electable positions. What led you to join this organization? RWPL resonates with my passion for women and girls. I joined RWPL in January 2015 as a program coordinator for the leadership and governance program and became the executive director in January 2016. RWPL provides a platform for me to reach women and girls at the grassroots level. I have had an opportunity to meet amazing women doing remarkable things in their communities. RWPL works with 11 women network leaders whose stories shook me to the core. They have grown from ordinary rural women to women leaders. One of the women was nominated to the County Assembly of West Pokot after the just concluded 2017 elections. Through teamwork, I have seen RWPL staff grow and together we are actualizing the vision of the organization through the support of our board members and technical advisor. [bctt tweet=”We need to allow girls to be children first before they become wives or parents.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Why is empowering women important to you? Empowering women and girls is important to me because it enables them to become aware of who they are and what makes them authentic. They become aware of their capabilities, their likes and dislikes, their boundaries, their options and opportunities and all these enable them to develop into authentic human beings. It is important that the girls and women I empower live a healthy life. We need to allow girls to be children first before they become wives or parents. I empower girls so as to give them the opportunity to get an education and pursue their dreams. This way, they too get to help in breaking the cycle of poverty and strengthening our economy. I am a mentor first and foremost because my experiences and knowledge positively influence the development of women and girls in their limiting environment. They do not always have to learn from mistakes because they get guidance. Do you feel like this revolutionary work you’re doing for women is your life’s purpose? Yes! In 2012 I attended a leadership training and I remember doing the passion test. We were required to complete this statement: When I am living my ideal life, I am… We had to write 10 things we would be doing if we were living our ideal lives, then prioritize them. Mentorship was number 1 on my list. Then it hit me that I actually talked to women and girls every chance I got. Totally unstructured mentorship! [bctt tweet=” I cannot support another woman if I’m drained and empty – Emma Mogaka” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Who are your top three women role models and why? My mum is my most real role model! She perfectly demonstrates work-life balance – she worked full time and raised five children. Her passion for women inspired me and I have watched her support women and encourage them wherever she is and whenever she has an opportunity. Selline Korir. Founder of RWPL, Selline has worked in several international organizations where she has touched the lives of women and youth. I met her in 2014 when I was looking for Women Human Rights Defenders to profile. As I was interviewing her I knew this is one woman I would love to learn and develop under. I approached her for mentorship and I have been growing under her wing since then. She gives selflessly to causes she believes in. Leymah Gbowee – The first time I watched ‘Pray The Devil Back To Hell’ I was amazed, impressed and awakened. Leymah demonstrated movement building in Liberia. She, together with other Liberian women, mobilized women for a cause (Peace) – religion and social standing notwithstanding. The results speak for themselves.