Rethinking women’s learning and empowerment in Kenya: Maasai village women take initiative

International Review of Education volume 62, pages671–688(2016)Cite this article

Abstract

This study investigates the activities of a village-based literacy centre in Kenya and explores the benefits of community development activities on women’s well-being in Africa. Through the analysis of the stories of two Maasai women who had experienced adult literacy learning, the author discovered that: (1) the literacy instructor had inadequate in-service teacher training support from the government; (2) these women were using a space generated by collaborative informal learning through the literacy centre to improve their families’ and community’s well-being; and (3) these women gained empowerment through community development activities organised by the literacy centre. The author concludes that grassroots literacy and informal learning have been effective in improving the quality of life for the village women, and should be encouraged and supported by external agencies.

Résumé

Repenser l’apprentissage et l’autonomisation des femmes au Kenya : des villageoises Maasaï prennent l’initiative – La présente étude examine les activités d’un centre d’alphabétisation d’un village au Kenya et explore les bienfaits des activités communautaires de développement sur le bien-être des femmes africaines. En analysant les parcours de deux femmes Maasaï qui ont fait l’expérience de l’alphabétisation, l’auteure a fait trois constatations : (1) L’intervenant en alphabétisation recevait de la part du gouvernement un soutien insuffisant à une formation des enseignants en exercice ; (2) Ces femmes ont exploité un potentiel tiré de l’apprentissage coopératif informel au centre d’alphabétisation, pour améliorer le bien-être de leurs familles et de leur communauté ; (3) Ces femmes ont gagné en autonomie grâce aux activités communautaires de développement organisées par le centre d’alphabétisation. L’auteure conclut qu’alphabétisation à la base et apprentissage informel sont efficaces pour améliorer la qualité de vie des villageoises, et devraient être stimulés et soutenus par les organismes externes.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    While the local people referred to it as a “literacy centre” (and this paper strives to render local voices), it was really a community learning centre, since the courses offered there went well beyond teaching people to read and write.

  2. 2.

    In 2015, the MDGs were replaced by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the fourth of which is to “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” by 2030. For more information, see http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/women-and-the-sdgs/sdg-4-quality-education [accessed 8 July 2016].

  3. 3.

    All interviewees’ names mentioned here are pseudonyms.

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    Taeko Takayanagi

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Takayanagi, T. Rethinking women’s learning and empowerment in Kenya: Maasai village women take initiative. Int Rev Educ 62, 671–688 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-016-9597-y

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Keywords

  • literacy and informal learning
  • women’s empowerment
  • community development
  • gender and development
  • Africa
  • narrative analysis