Visionary Women's  Centre   

Turbo, Kenya, East Africa ​​
                                                                                    
                                                                                  Founder: Lizette Gilday
                                 
                                     Supporting Kenyan women & girls to survive and thrive                                                                                      in their families and communities

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      Management Committee   

Founder Lizette Gilday with Centre Director Benter Obonyo
Mangement Committee in front of our office in Turbo, Kenya. Please note that some board members are not in the picture.
Who are we?
The Visionary Women’s Centre is a small, grassroots, community based organization located in rural western Kenya. Our goal is to support local women & girls in their search for well being in all aspects of their lives.  We provide  the support, training and infrastructure needed to empower women and girls to rise above the poverty, lack of self confidnece and control of their life conditions.

Who do we help?
                         
                                  We support mothers, grandmother, girls, boys and families living in subsistence level
                                 poverty, on small farming plots og less than an acre.                                             

                                                                                 How do we help?
                                          Through our well designed wokshops and support programmes described below.                      
    
                       MOTHER'S SUPPORT PROGRAMME
                                                                                                 
                                                                                               HELPING OVER
                                                               100 MOTHERS          &      GRANDMOTHERS  
                                                                         800 FAMILY MEMBERS
                                                                                   
                                     POULTRY RAISING                         ORGANIC GARDENING                      SAVINGS  &  BANKING SKILLS 

                                                                           F AMILY PLANNING                 HEALTH               LIFE SKILLS                  ENTREPRENEURSHIP                                                                     

  • Visionary Women's Centre  has embraced the model of working with  small groups as the most effective  approach to supporting rural farming women in Kenya. We accept two new groups each year. Members form their own groups and live near one another. They must prove themselves by successfully completing a one year group savings project at which point they become eligible to move onto the poultry  and organic gardening projects.                                                 
  • Our Social Workers meet regularly with each group to encourage group solidarity. They provide guidance and oversite of the savings projects, poultry and gardening  as well as information about maternal health, child rearing, family planning, nutrition,  breast feeding, hygiene and life skills
  • We provide depth training by experts in poutry raising and organic gardening. Materials for poulty sheds, basic poultry supplies are provided as are fencing wire, seeds and seedlings for the fenced gardens.
  • We empower members with specific savings projects and skills which lead to access of bank loans for women.  Entrepreneurial skills are supported and encouraged.
  • Provide regular testing and support counselling for prevention of HIV within the community.
  • Home visits: Social Workers visit all members every  year to assess their progress in poutrly raising, organic gardening as well as to discuss reproductive health and family planning. This one- on -one counselling service is invaluable as it allows the women to be heard and supported in a private and compassionate setting. This in turn, allows them to gain the strength and courage required to solve
    their own problems.


                                                                                         POULTRY PROJECT
              
                       
             
                                                    

                                                  


                                          









                                 

                                                  
                
                                                     
                                                                       ORGANIC GARDENING PROJECT











































LIFE SKILLS  in  SCHOOLS

In order to reach the girls (and boys) of the next generation and teach them positive values regarding the place of women and girls in modern Kenya, we offer Life Skills in some of the local schools. This programme allows us to provide important life skills information while at the same time encouraging self esteem and assertiveness in the girls. 

We teach both girls & boys about:
 The essential role of women in society
 Setting Goals
 Effective Communication
 Family & Peer Relations
 Drugs & Addiction
 Reproductive Health & Safety; HIV & AIDS
 Education System & Career Planning
 Hygiene & Nutrition

                                                                                                                                       A school visit for Life Skills
                          
                                                                 SAY NO AND BE COUNTED
                                                     
                                                                RAPE &  BULLYING  PREVENTION PROGRAMME
                                                                                                             for
                                                                          CHILDREN     &      ADOLESCENTS

    In  order to address a high rate of the rape of minors ( girls and boys) Visionary Women's Centre offers a dynamic six session workshop to the girls and boys of our community. The evidence shows that is important to educate  both the girls and the boys if long term changes are to occur. The workshops are given separately to the girls and the boys with the exception of the self defence training and the exchange of feelings and experiences.

                                         The girl's  workshop is called  THE GIRL POWER IN ME
                                               The boy's workshop is called   THE HERO IN ME
                       
                                                            The workshops cover the following:                                                  
                          Evaluation of social values and traditional  female /male roles  in Kenya
                          Definitions of different types of sexual abuse and bullying
                          Effective communication skills
                          Safe self management behaviours
                          Self defence and protection techniques taught by a martial arts teacher
                          Consequences of rape both emotional and physical
                          Post-rape protocol at the medical, legal and psychological levels
                          Role of family, friends, teachers and community in rape prevention
                          Dialogue between the girls and boys about their feeling and concerns
                    











MAGGIE SILVERSTON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR GIRLS

It is with much appreciation for the generosity of the family  and friends of Maggie Silverston that Visionary Women’s Centre has been able to  create a scholarship fund for girls. The research now shows unequivocally that when a society educates their women and girls its people enjoy a higher standard of living on many levels.
Maggie Silverston was born in Scotland but spent much of her adult life on the Isle of Man. She worked as a physiotherapist, raised two children and was a much loved member of her community. After a long and brave struggle with motor neuron disease Maggie ded on January 21, 2016 at her home in the Isle of Man.
The criteria for eligibility for this fund is  to be a girl child or adolescent who is living in extreme poverty to the point where she cannot afford the fees and uniform for school.  Many of the girls  are orphans who live with their Grannies. We will support girls in primary and secondary school. If they have the ability we may also try to support them in career training courses. Reflecting the nature of our Visionary Women’s Centre, this will be a modest program but one that nevertheless makes a big difference in the lives of the girls it touches which will in turn send ripples out into the community.








                                                                 

                                                                         

                                                                    


 
 
 
 
 

Our Management Committee is composed  of volunteers who are  dedicated professionals from the Turbo area.  
They know how to move a project forward and have the respect and contacts within the community  to build support and credibility for The Visionary Women’s Centre.
 

© 2018