 Hello and welcome back. Thank you for staying with us. If you are just joining us then you are on time for the conversation on strength of a woman. Feel free to interact with us on our social media handles. That's at Y254 channel on Facebook, Y254 on Instagram and Twitter. The hashtag to use today is WCW or if you like, you can use Y in the morning. And for this particular conversation, we are celebrating Knight Muteti, who's the executive director of Daughters of Kenya. We want to understand her journey and what drives her to support women because she's changing the lives of women and young girls in the society. So we want to understand her passion. Thank you very much Knight for coming. Thank you. Welcome to the show. Thank you so much. You've been here before? Yes, sure. I was here I think two years ago. Okay, so this is home. Thank you. All right. So we want to know, tell us for those that don't know you, what do you do exactly? Well, you know I work for Daughters of Kenya. Daughters of Kenya is a national trust that works with the girls and young mothers, ideally young women. That's what I would say. Yeah, and our mission is to change, more of to alter the lives of the girls and young mothers through actually for now, for basic pillars, that is education, anti-violence against girls and women, livelihood and economic empowerment for sustainability, and currently we added the sexual reproductive rights. All right. So are you the founder of this organization? Yes, I'm the founder of this organization. All right. So what inspired you to begin this organization before we get into the nitty gritty of what you do? What was your inspiration? I would say my inspiration dates back in the day when I was a young girl. My dad was a human rights crusader, defender, by my say, and it really inspired me. I would see him change the community, and to me, something that grew with me and I later pursued my first degree in social work. I did BA in social work at the University of Nairobi. Okay. So you would say that your dad actually contributed to the dream that you have today? Exactly. I would say that's my dad. He really loved to help the community, even though he was a politician those days, the mayor's, those days, and I would say that I was brought up in the village, Macquaini County, a place called Water. Oh, okay. And what about social work? Has it contributed to what you're doing also? Yes. You know, it was very specific. It used to call me Katunda. Katunda encampments a small fruit. So you tell me, Katunda, you need to do this course. You need to do a course that works with the community. So when I joined the University of Nairobi, I did BA in sociology, communication, and later, majored in social work. So basically, I'm a social worker and I love working with the communities. My work is in the community. I love it so much. Your work is in the community. Yes, yes. There's something that you wrote on your social media handle. You said, okay, I can't really quote it. I don't know, I can't get it, but it was something to do with empowering the lives of Kenyan girls and young women with beauty and enthusiasm. Yeah, yeah. What do you mean by that? What I mean is that this kind of empowerment should be authentic, natural, I mean organic. What is self-driven, value-added driven, I would say. So when you talk to them, they should not, if night did, made it, I can also make it. If someone, we bring women who are successful in the community also to talk to them during our mentorship sessions, people who have been through handles, people who have just successfully meant it. So young women, even those who are struggling, because also we are available in the informal meetings, they can say it's possible. If she did it, why not? I can make it. I can also do it. Yes. Okay, and where does the beauty come in? Because there's beauty and enthusiasm. You see, as a woman, there's that feminine, there's a difference between feminist and feminine. There's that feminine part of it, being a woman. So the way you bring it naturally, knowing being a woman, I should do this, I should bring, you should also bring food to the table. You know, the way the society as socialized has, or rather even most communities, the way women are encultured, they are shown in a way that they should somehow be under the men. What do I say? Look after the men so that they can go and bring something in the table. And that's why I also told you, we are trying very much to talk to women to show you have the capacity to do, and that's very beautiful by itself. You have the capacity to also work hard to bring us our food in the table, to go to school, to get education, be educated. And as the leaders, we should actually be the role model to these women. Yeah, you show them how you go step by step. And that way by itself is naturally beautiful, you know? Yeah, yeah. And it makes you to be, you know, there's that self-reliant part of it, there's that confidence part of it, and I believe that's beautiful. That's beautiful. Okay, now we get it. Now tell, let's talk about the four pillars that your organization stand on. Well, yeah, I'll talk in the language of SDGs, Sustainable Development Girls. Yeah, we work through four sustainable development girls. Number one is SDG 3, which is a health, I told you we have the sexual reproductive health rights. Yeah, and currently we have partnered with Triggerize, an international NGO based in Netherlands, and they have offices in Nairobi. We have been something very beautiful actually. The girls through T-commands, they are young women actually, especially those living with their partners, they can be able to make very good choices regarding to their health and also access health materials as well as HIV testing. By the end of it all, they are making some living out of it because the package, the T-commands, that was like boners, and they can be able to go to T-commands shops to redeem them and get shopping for their households, as well as they can go to salons and make their hair, and that brings a lot of beauty in it. I would say that is the first pillar. The second pillar is SDG 4 education. I'm sure you saw the other day we launched the SDG book for children. Yeah, we actually have the book right here. At the University of Nairobi. A smart way to start doing that, the name of the book. Exactly. So what about the book? Well, about the book, I met Dr. Mara Aave in Italy back in 2018, and she really loved what Daughters of Kenya does. And during the process, 2020, International Day of the Girl 2020, she did a gift for Daughters of Kenya. This is the book. And when we saw the book, we felt this was a very beautiful thing. This is something we should share to all the children in Kenya. So the first partner we brought on board was SDG Kenya Forum with the guidance of Florence She really helped us because we were able to illustrate the book into African language. It's more of European. It came when it was more of European. So we illustrated it into African language and also translated into Swahili. And now the book is available. We launched it the other day during the International Day of the African Childhood at the University of Nairobi. Later we incorporated SD, SNR, Nantes of the UN, Sustainable Development Solutions Network. And the beauty thing about it is KICD, who facilitated the larger the book. And currently the book is being validated by KICD. We believe very soon it will be part of the complementary material for all the Kenyan children, even beyond African children. Another thing about the book is that it has been endorsed by the UN Director General in Geneva, Tatiana. And the resources actually there in the UN Library. But this current book it's in African setup. Even the pictures, I'm sure you can see everything in South Africa. It can really resonate very well with the current African way and children can really understand about the SDGs. So in this book I see there's a lot of pictures, you know. So it's made to look fun for the children to actually learn it. And what's the importance of this book to children? Why should the children learn about the SDGs? I'm sure you know about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The 17, yes. The 17 actually. That we are supposed to achieve by 2030. So we are bringing all stakeholders across the government, the civil society, the churches, the children. And it is good for the children to grow knowing because they are the ones very soon who are going to accolades and make it real, you know. And they are also going to help the parents and everyone in the community reaching their own communities. So that came as part of the SDGs. We wanted to be part of the education SDG form. To empower the children as they grow knowing their rights and their contribution they need to make in the world. Yes. To make a world better place for them. Okay. So now I'm reading the front page on the book. It says that school will learn all about ABCs. Yes. So why don't we also learn about our SDGs? The same way we need to, we need every letter to spell, we need SDGs for the world to do well. Yes. Explore the Sustainable Development Goals. Let's rethink our actions and everyone's role. Amazing. Yeah, it's a, I believe it's a summary of all that's needed and the importance of children learning about the Sustainable Development Goals. Yes. That is part of our SDG form. Yeah. We also have the economic empowerment part of it. As you understand, this is SDG, is it 8? Yeah, SDG 8. This is then place and economic place for people to work. And through that, through that specific SDG, we have established two programs. We have the Ozyma Library Wood. Our workshop in Buruburu, whereby we make all kinds of bags, the Ankara, our young women, they make the Ankara bags, they make the leather bags. And we are happy because they are making a livelihood out of it. And the dream of it is to expand. We are looking for to expand and maybe to be in town. And maybe we may have Ozyma shop across. We really appreciate our partners, the Asian communities who have really supported the program here in Kenya actually. So how do they support the program? Is it that they buy the product? They've been able to help us to access most big markets. Again, initially when we were starting, the very first electric machines, they were part of the contributors. So we really appreciate and time to time, I remember the International Day of the Women in March. We had a very big event in Karura Forest and they called us to showcase our work. And we really appreciated because from that, we got so many stakeholders and partners who have really helped in the process. We've also come up with a project called Chano Adada. In Chano Adada, we have four different groups of women whom we've been able to register them into self-help groups. We've registered them. Now they are fully registered with their leaders, chairperson and secretariat with their own secretary. We just empower them to make their own changes and to be able to achieve a living out of it. And now currently they are doing different things. And now because the new government is talking about bottom half, we are going to, we are going to them. We want them to support these women to access funds so that they can be able to do things in a big way because we have already put them into groups. And the last one I told you is about gender equality and all, ending all forms, that is SDG 5, ending all forms of violence against girls and women. What we do, we are not a legal organization, we do a lot of referrals, but we do a lot of sensitization for girls to not arise and to not be expected of them. And to protect the girls and also the young women which we believe is very important. Alright, that's interesting. And now on SDG 5, we've brought so many women on this show and most of them talk about empowering the girl child. Now the boys are complaining, or the men are complaining that they've been left out. What do you think about this? Well, I believe one, women and girls have been vulnerable for a very, very long time. And it's not only in Kenya or rather they develop in countries, but also even they develop countries. And one thing is that, what came to my mind is, I would say also my socialization where I was brought up, I realized there was a gap. I don't have anything against the boy child or there was a very big gap. And that, you know, and that I felt, even myself in my own growing, I felt I needed to bring this change. Girls should know their value. Girls should know, actually, we normally say what men can do, we can also do, you know. And that I decided as night, I need to address. I also believe another man can see the gap and come up and do something about it. Yeah, and maybe come up with Sons of Kenya. That is the gap that I came on board to address. And it's still a gap, but I'm very, very happy to see what is happening even in the political system. I'm sure you've seen very many governance, women, leaders, and that's what we want to see. I mean, when women are, when we educate girls, or rather women, we educate the whole community because, you know, there's that motherly care and they are able, like, see what I'm doing for the daughters of Kenya. They're able to take so many people and go up with them. And we've also been, through education, we've also been able to sponsor some girls in school. We partner with the Kenya Institute of Social and Community Development and we've seen some of our girls graduating now, some of them are working. They have good jobs, they are employed. Amazing. And now, indeed they say women are natural, so it makes sense to say when you educate a woman, then you educate the entire society. But now, what is the place of mentorship? Because that's what you do and you yourself have been mentored into this. How important is that before you tell us how now you mentor this girl? Yes, yes, yes. Thank you for bringing up this. Maybe I'll say this one lady who has really mentored me and she's still my mentor and I believe I'm going somewhere. Her name is Christine Edwin. She's the founder of Women Conference. It's called Women International in Tracking Conference. She's based in Lausanne, Switzerland, but originally she's an origin. So, what happened when I wanted to be a Sgt. of Kenya, I was working for an organization called The Cockers for Women Leadership. This organization was founded by Dr. Fibio Cio. She's one of the legends, the first parliamentarian women actually and I think she's the chair for my interlaterality if I'm not wrong. And when I was there I still had my dream to be a Sgt. of Kenya and I was going looking for organizations that would mentor me. The specific what I was looking for. I was just not looking for just stories of what I'm doing this. I was looking for this kind of authentic leadership this kind of value-driven from your heart and I really looked online I found this organization and I wrote to them. I realized they organize forums, they organize big global conferences and I wrote to them, I told them this is my dream, this is what I want to do and they go back to me. Can you imagine? That was just almost a middle of Takambas 2014. So when they wrote to me from the rest of the story I remember 2016 they invited me to Italy and that's how the story began. As we talk now, currently we are the focal point for win Kenya and hopefully win East Africa and this match we did a big event with the current sum of the leaders here in Kenya and she has been able to mentor me to be the lady I am today. She has taught me how to bring up other women and we create spaces. For instance, we create spaces for mentorship where we bring women, successful women in the community who come and talk to these women. For instance if this woman is coming from let's say the informal settlement and she has grown, she's a lawyer she has become a very successful woman in the community. This kind of woman, she needs to go and talk to these girls in the informal settlement and talk to these women and tell them it's possible. See, I meant it. I was able to do this I was able to do my first degree I was able to do my master's and see where I am today. I am a lawyer I'm changing the community. So this one really inspires women to see despite their unders, despite their afflictions and whatever they are going through is just about they need in between is time just about time and they'll be there. Okay, so they inspire these young women that are going through struggles to give them hope that there's a better future. So how do you bring them together? How do you identify them, to mentor them and to place them in the programs in the projects that you have, Chenua Dada and the rest? Okay, well I would say I don't work alone in daughters of Kenya. We have a very a booster for five professionals and also we have the board of advisory of seven. I'm part of it and it's of seven. What we do is that when we bring these women it's through the community champions. In the communities we have 40 community champions and these community champions are sharp girls who have mentored to be leaders and they are the ones who are able to identify the kind of people we need the kind of women we need because you can't just reach out to everyone. So what kind of women do you usually go for? Depends with projects and as I told you before, vulnerability is relative. It's relative because you may be educated and very successful and yet you are vulnerable to GBV, you are vulnerable to lack of information and all these kind of things. So it depends with the projects and it depends with what we are targeting. Yeah. And now as we come to a close, tell us about the event that you are going to as we can see on this particular screen. We see that you are a speaker in one in the wind conference that will be held in Rome from 20th to 24th of September. Tell us about this. Thank you so much. I will be speaking at the wind conference. This is a global conference and it's organized by my mentor Christine and I'm happy that they called me to be part of the speakers. I'll be speaking at a forum called Women Empowering Women Worldwide. I'm very humbled to be part of this and I want to talk about what we are doing in Kenya. I want to talk about what we've been able to make the changes since she started working with me. Do you know the time I started Daughters of Kenya is the same time she started mentoring me. So I'm so happy to see her work together in the journey. Exactly and through her I've been able to make very influential and successful ladies and also supporters like Dr. Mara Avies. I told you the author of the book, a smart way to start doing good and other very very influential women in the globe actually I would say. So I'm happy I'll be there speaking, talking about Daughters of Kenya, talking about what we've done and what we're planning to do. And I hope to bring investors in Kenya to do good. We want to see our society grow, our ladies and our women. Exactly. What is it that you want to see? What is your vision? Actually my vision you see my vision as night or my vision for Daughters of Kenya is a society whereby vulnerable girls and women are able to achieve their potential. That is the vision of Daughters of Kenya. My vision when I see girls' life change to me that is success and I say it's everything that I want to see. So I'm looking forward to change so many girls to inspire so many girls. I'm also trying also in my part. I told you I also went back to school because I want to be a good manager. Yeah that's why I went back to school and hopefully this year I'm graduating this December. Congratulations on that. What is that one success story out of the many that you have seen or that you have achieved as an organization that you highly regard? Yeah I would say recently I think in our social media we posted I think my social media I posted and said this is all I wanted. I just don't want to talk about girls who are talking. I like tangible products, tangible results. When I say tangible what I mean is that you should see the success itself working. For instance girls go working, girls accessing jobs, decent jobs girls being educated girls being successful those are the things that we are talking about. That's what I want to see. I want to see girls who are doing good they can make very good health choices that's our young women. They don't have very many children so that they won't be able even to focus on their own ambitions and to me that success I have been able to see this kind of successes. For Ringstand the program we are doing Triggerized Web you can see the girls now they can be able to do shopping and also there's a girl we were able to take to school and now she's working on a program in community health to me that is a very big success. That's a big story. And something I read I heard rather from your YouTube channel someone said they have made us understand ourselves as women before daughters of Zion came young girls used to give birth anyhow by coming and bringing this project we have been able to control how we give birth how does that make you feel. We talk to them about sexuality through the sexual reproductive and also we we've been able to introduce them to these are the young women especially those who are living with their partners to these these are what you call them this platform they can be able to make their very own choices through their in their actually the project is called in their hands because it's in their hands they need to make choices through themselves and be able to control their giving birth and all that kind of and for your information it's daughters of Kenya sorry I don't know why I think and now I want you to finally talk to two girls one that has a dream to do what you're doing now and just fears to start and another one a lady who's going through maybe GBV some of the things that you actually fight for here is your screen thank you well first I start with the one who has a vision first thing to address your vision is that do not fear anything do not fear start you see what when I started daughters of Kenya I didn't have anything I mean I was just a young lady I was just young from Kambas and I believe you have to believe in yourself before people to start believing in you you have to believe in yourself you start and be able to make the change there's nothing inspiring like changing the community and seeing yourself being an inspiration to many people to me that is success about the girl going through GBV first you need to think you know we have organizations that are you know that really very specific to GBV for us in daughters of Kenya we can mentor you but we cannot take chances like take measures to be able to help you but we have organizations that I can refer you to like Usikimiya by one Jerry we have the crew I'm sure you know crew and we have Legohed like Fida Kenya and through these organizations you can be able to access lawyers you can be able to access you can be able to access the treatment and also we have the Nairobi women's hospital we have that gender sector for GBV and whatever so my dear friend what I can tell you is that do not stay in an abusive relationship just because of what the society says it won't help it will help so please just focus do what is right and what you feel it's good for your life your future is more important than what society says thank you so much thank you very much Knight we choose to celebrate you today in strength of a woman because of the great work that you're doing in our society and we wish you the best as you're going to represent Kenya in Rome thank you keep doing what you do thank you very much that has been Knight Muteti executive director of daughters of Kenya and she says believe in yourself you start and you'll be able to make the change that's who we're celebrating today on strength of a woman the hashtag to use is WCW we'll be taking a short break but then Val will be coming back with WCW a conversation that you definitely want to be a part of you can still interact with us on our social media handles at our channel on Facebook Instagram and Twitter the hashtag again is WCW see you on the other side