Tumtitu
Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE Kenya)
Updated: Dec 12, 2022

According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), education is one of
the basic, but fundamental human rights. However, some issues such as poor
teacher remuneration, poor quality of education in public school and high drop-out
rates limit the availability of teaching and learning material and many countries are
still facing a few challenges to protect and implement the right to education. In
Kenya, for instance, sexual abuse, early marriages and pregnancies and gender
stereotypes continue to affect young girls’ and women’s education.

Luckily enough, several Non-Governmental Organizations have supported and
provided meaningful education to underprivileged kids in Kenya. The
Photographers' Association of Kenya was fortunate to visit one of the Centres of
Excellence (located in Kajiado) established by The Forum of African Women (FAWE kenya)
and funded by the French Embassy under PISCCA.


FAWE is a non Government Organization that works through National Chapters
(NCs) operating in 33 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Founded in 1992 by five
women ministers of education, their main focus is to promote access and improve
the quality of education for girls and women. The organization includes female
ministers of education, university vice-chancellors, education policy-makers,
researchers, gender specialists and human rights activists.

One of FAWE’s demonstrative interventions is the Tuseme Club (Let’s Speak Out)
which is a supportive group that encourages girls to address the issues they face in
both the school environment and in their community and develop clear solutions.
Besides the Tuseme Club, the organization also offers training and educational
programmes in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

FAWE’s Centres of Excellence are created to be academically, socially, and
physically gender responsive with an intention to make education a more fulfilling
experience for those girls and women.
30 years later, The Forum of African Women continues to make an impact across the
African continent and through their Centres of Excellence.
