The Jounrney of Ewang’an CBO from a small grantee to a medium grantee

Summary:
This is the journey of Ewang’an CBO, which was promoted from a small grantee to a medium grantee based on merit. This advancement was made possible through the mentorship of COVAW, which empowered them to be eligible for more funding and expand their impact on community rights, women’s empowerment, and education. Their focus includes the fight against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

Problem/Context:
In 2019, the Ewang’an Community-Based Organization (CBO) was established by a collection of self-help women groups representing seven villages in Suswa, Narok, Kenya. These women encountered various challenges, including limited access to healthcare services, human rights violations, and environmental hazards caused by companies within the village. Additionally, their children, particularly girls, were at risk due to restricted educational opportunities and harmful cultural practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM). The organisation’s primary objective was to empower and amplify women’s voices to address these pressing issues. However, they struggled with insufficient capacity and resources, hindering their ability to make a substantial impact.

Dickson Kaleke, pioneer founder of Ewang’an CBO, during a sensitization forum.

Solution/Action:
COVAW, through the Africa Led Movement; The Girl Generation funding of the Ailepu” program, was mandated to build capacities of six grassroots organizations, Ewang’an CBO being one of them, as an anchor grantee. The strong belief in having community-led interventions towards ending FGM/C puts the local organizations at the centre of change. Therefore, the capacity strengthening of these organizations is a crucial aspect of scaling up the impact of the program and the sustainability of interventions and outcomes.

COVAW embarked on targeted mentorship engagements one-on-one with the grantees, partnering with Ewang’an CBO to improve its organisational structure, governance policies, and resource mobilization processes. COVAW’s support involved training on financial management, procurement, and project implementation. Ewang’an’s positive attitude towards continuous learning and implementation of recommendations yielded significant results, transforming Ewang’an into a more effective organisation with seamless processes and effective program implementation.

Results Chain or Evidence of Change:
Through mentorship and continuous learning with COVAW, Ewang’an CBO was promoted from a small to a medium grantee in early 2024. This elevation enabled them to successfully apply for more funding from the Africa Led Movement (ALM) Program, which has widened their scope of work within Oloshaiki village and strengthened their programmatic activities. The funding allowed them to promote human rights and women’s empowerment further, advocating against FGM and supporting education initiatives for girls and boys.

Adopting cashless transactions and systematic bidding processes has tremendously improved Ewang’an’s financial and procurement processes, demonstrating the utmost transparency and accountability of funds.

The organization has made the well-being of its staff a top priority, focusing on comprehensive Human Resource policies to support their welfare. The segregation of duties within the board of management has significantly reduced interference and manipulation, as the board strictly adheres to the governance manual, ensuring clear and transparent decision-making processes.

Ewang’an has also understood its responsibility to safeguard the project participants it interacts with by ensuring the provision of consent and adhering to safeguarding community engagement policies and its organizational code of conduct.

“COVAW’s mentorship has been a game-changer for us. We moved from a small to a medium grantee, which opened doors to more funding and opportunities. We can now impact our community on a larger scale, especially in ending harmful practices like FGM.” Noted Dickson Kaleke, Program Officer – Ewang’an CBO.

“The skills we gained in financial management have given us the confidence to apply for larger grants. COVAW’s guidance has helped us grow sustainably while ensuring transparency in our operations.” Expressed Alice Mwetet, Finance Officer – Ewang’an CBO.

Timothy Sadera, Communications Officer – Ewang’an CBO, noted, “Through COVAW, we’ve strengthened our voice in advocating for women’s and children’s rights. Our community is now more aware of the dangers of FGM, and we’re seeing a shift in attitudes. We are proud of the boys who’ve returned to school and the now empowered girls.”

Lessons Learnt:
Ewang’an Community Based Organization (CBO) has come to understand the critical role of implementing well-defined organizational frameworks, which serve as the cornerstone for amplifying their influence and securing long-term financial support. Furthermore, they have gained insight into the significance of actively engaging the entire community in advocacy initiatives, recognizing and involving both women and men in addressing and combating harmful traditions and behaviours.

Conclusion
Ewang’an Community-Based Organization (CBO) is a compelling example of the effectiveness of community-led initiatives in driving sustainable development. The organization effectively illustrates that empowering grassroots organizations leads to tangible and lasting results, providing a solid foundation for sustainable development.

Ewang’an Team at their new office

Contact Information:
Dickson Kaleke, Program Officer
Phone: 0710108626
Email: kalekedickson@gmail.com

Narrated By: Ivy.K.Marigi- Programs Officer, COVAW
Audio-Recording: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NGEQOOfRItSkEIr_j2A8ka_2qZ3MVsLw/view?usp=drive_link