On this International Women’s Day, we at CRED want to celebrate all of the wonderful women who help to make so many of the programmes run by our partners the success that they are. It’s impossible to name them all, but here follows a selection as nominated by our partners.
Harriet Oyella: Mother of three, foster mother of another three, and leader of a co-operative of women living in Acholi Quarters, Kampala, Uganda. She is the informal social worker for all of the group, and forever supporting others in the group through encouragement, coordination and stepping into fill whatever gap life circumstances have caused for different members of the community. Nothing is too much trouble for Harriet, and her selflessness is an inspiration to all.
Janaki Menni: Janaki founded and heads up Faith in Action Ministries in India, and is also a key member of the New Wine India team. Over the past 22 years she has founded 100 churches, all of which are still active, and many other programmes as part of FIAM. All of this is against a backdrop of increasing restrictions and challenges for Christians in a Hindu-majority nation. Janaki’s unswerving faith, and her quiet, determined persistence to work for the best outcome of others is an inspiration to so many, who look to her as an example of how to live life in the best way possible.
Jane Wasonga is the Cook at Spurgeons Academy in Kenya. Commonly known as Mama Jane or by the children as Mama Jikoni (Mama Kitchen), she has a big heart for the children and families of the Kibera community in which Spurgeons is situated. Mama Jane has been married and was blessed with six children (all daughters) who she has raised predominantly alone. She has been working at Spurgeons Academy for the last 15 years and has a deep love for caring for the vulnerable. This has been shown time and again as she has acted as a foster parent to many total orphans who would otherwise have left the program and dropped out of school. She is currently staying with a total of 10 people in her two roomed house in Kibera slums. Kenyanito Dudi, programme manager at Spurgeons Academy says of Jane: ‘Despite huge caring responsibilities and personal emotional issues that can throw one off balance, she still gives her best and caps it with a smile. Mama Jane is always handy, cool, calm and collected.’
This is Violette. She is a member of the GNPDR improved livelihood and food security programme that is being run in Eastern Rwanda. GNPDR put her forward for the Int’l Women’s Day as she is courageous, selfless and always helping others in the group
Miriam Anena: Mother of one, and assistant to Harriet in Acholi Quarters. Miriam does all of the communication side of things, in particular liaising with Helen at CRED, and also is the teacher for 40 youngsters who are unable to attend mainstream school due to poverty. She delivers an informal school for these children so that they at least know basic numeracy and literacy, and are more likely to then be able to cope with mainstream school if they do manage to get a place.
