Women For Influence – helping women set career goals

Ivy Anyango Opata, works on a farming project and as a community volunteer in Rarieda Constituency, Siaya, Western Kenya and is a participatant in ActionAid International Kenya’s (AAI Kenya) two-year programme (2011 – 2013) called Women for Influence (WFI). The programme enhances women’s participation in devolved decision-making processes and builds the leadership and entrepreneurship capacities of young women aged 16-25.  

At one of WIF’s workshops Ivy, 23, tells the group how her attitude has changed. “I have always done well in School and you can ask anyone to confirm that I am hard working.  But at this workshop I have realized, I have not had enough focus in my life. During the workshop, I have made a realistic plan for my career.”

I have realized, I have not had enough focus in my life. During the workshop, I have made a realistic plan for my career.

Ivy has decided she wants to study Human Resources so she can become an HR manager. “It is expensive,” she says, “but possible, if I am disciplined.” She aims to save 1.000 shillings per month, take out a loan, and fundraise from relatives. “That will give me enough savings to start in college in half a year.”

Currently, Ivy works with her grandmother farming on a small piece of land as part of a community project with 25 members where they mostly grow vegetables. “Tomatoes are a high value crop,” Ivy explains, “so when everything goes well, we make good money from them.” They also grow other vegetables. “My grandmother mostly sees the farming as a way of providing vegetables for the family. I see it as a way of making money.”

Ivy has realised how rather than just living life day to day she wants to plan ahead and save up for the future to make a better life for herself.  This a crucial part of the programme which features a specific focus on young women under 25 by enhancing their potential for economic independence and also targeting their potential to lead a new generation of transformative leaders now and in the future.

“I work in a youth organization", Ivy says, "and that gives me a bit of extra money from time to time. We do a good job in the community.

The training with “Women for Influence” is great because they do not see empowerment as a goal in itself. We are taught how to set goals for our career, and that is what most youth have been lacking.

She continues, "I cannot wait to take what I have learned here, and pass it on to other youth in my community.”