Monday, August 26, 2013

The foundation for my today…

My name is Meselu and I was born in the Western part of Ethiopia.  I am the third child in my family.  It was when I was 3 years old that my mother and father had a disagreement that changed my life forever. Following the disagreement, they got divorced and my mother could not raise all her children on her own and so sent us to live in Addis with some of her relatives. I came to Addis Ababa to live with my grandmother and started attending my primary education in a nearby school and transferred to a second one for my secondary education.  When I joined 11th grade, I decided to quit school and started selling used cloth to support my mother who wasn’t feeling well.  That became my first job ever.
It was during the same time that I met my husband who was also involved in the same business and we got married in 1991.  We now have two girls and one boy.  Hardship in life started after bearing children.  Even though we tried to work together and support each other, it was very hard to overcome the economic difficulty.  There were times that we didn’t even have food to eat and mostly our life was subsistence based.
We heard about WISE in 2010.  The employees of the organization were going door to door introducing WISE and creating awareness and I got introduced to WISE the same way.  They informed me of the different services provided by the Organization like trainings and access to saving and credit.  After hearing about WISE, I could see a bright future for my life. At first, my husband was not happy because irrespective of previously trainings I took, our life remained the same.  I convinced him finally and he started to fully support me.
After I became a member of WISE, I took the 12 days training that created the foundation for the change in my life and personality as well. I didn’t want to waste a minute more because I have also learned the value of time and money, business planning, marketing, family planning and many more.
After finishing the training, I took a loan of $47 (birr 500) for the first round to start a pity trade with my husband who then was distributing second hand shoes to small scale traders.  My husband helped me a lot in the business after he started seeing change in our life.  I returned the loan I took on time and expanded my business.  Recently, I took a loan of $ 4000 (60,000 birr) from WISE and have a saving of $2667 (Birr 40,000) with WISE.  My business capital is also increasing constantly.  My past horrible living situation is history.  In the future, I want to expand my business more.  I bought a piece of land in the city’s outskirt and I plan to build a big hotel there.
In 2012, I took part in the business capital growth competition organized by WISE and I stood first and received $470 (8000 birr) as a prize.  In addition, because my husband and I worked together, supported each other, and changed our life, we were awarded for sharing our experience to others as a couple on one of the ‘Husbands’ Days’ organized by WISE. The message that I want to pass to others is that if a woman works hard and looks further on determined to achieve her dreams, she will definitely meet her goals!

Women in Self Employment (WISE) is one of the four partner institutes of the African Centers of Excellence (ACE) for Women's Leadership program run by the Institute of International Education (IIE) , Ethiopia Office.

For more on IIE , ACE or WISE please follow the links below.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Roche relinquishes Trastuzumab patent in India

Swiss pharma major Roche has just announced that it is relinquishing the patent for its breast-cancer drug Trastuzumab in India. The announcement comes in the face of mounting challenges - from both civil society and the Ministry of Health -  to Roche's monopoly on this life-saving drug. 
The Campaign for Affordable Trastuzumab welcomes the announcement, which comes appropriately on India's Independence Day and brings hope of a disease-free life for the thousands of Indian women who are battling HER2+ breast cancer.
The Campaign for Affordable Trastuzumab - initiated in November 2012 and endorsed by over 200 Indian and global patient associations, cancer survivors, health movements, women's rights activists and eminent jurists – has been working to highlight the lethal impact of Roche's predatory pricing policy on women with HER2+ breast cancer, and has been urging the government to allow production of biosimilars of Trastuzumab. The Campaign's arguments were vindicated earlier this year with the recommendation for compulsory licensing for Trastuzumabby an Expert Committee set up by the Health Ministry to look into the issue.
The Campaign urges generic manufacturers to come forward immediately and apply for licences to manufactureand market biosimilars of Trastuzumab. The Campaign also urges the government to ensure a fast-track process for regulatory approval of biosimilars, and make Trastuzumab available through the public health system.
In the course of its research into the patent landscape for Trastuzumab, the Campaign has uncovered serious anomalies and irregularities in the Indian patent, which appears to have been granted in violation of Sections 3(d) and 3(e) of the Indian Patent Act and is therefore unlikely to survive a legal challenge. Our inquiries also reveal a consistent pattern of bureaucratic manoeuvres to delay and deflect legal challenges to the Roche patent. Our findings highlight the need for review and strengthening of the system for screening applications and awarding patents, as well as closer oversight of the functioning of patent officesThis is an issue that we intend to pursue,with support from all those who have endorsed our efforts on Trastuzumab.
We are well aware that the decision to relinquish the patent on Trastuzumab is a tactical move by Roche to avoid compulsory licensing, which would have much more serious and far-reaching implications for its plans in the Indian market. Roche is already questioning the approval given to Dr Reddy's Laboratories for the production of a biosimilar version of the lymphoma drug Rituximab, which will pose stiff competition to Roche's MabThera.Roche is also planning to launch successors to Trastuzumab in the US and European markets before 2014, when biosimilars can be expected to enter the market.
Trastuzumab is not the only case where patent barriers are violating the right to life of Indian citizens. We hopethe outcome of this case will strengthen the resolve of our government to resist arm-twisting by big pharma and their backers in the global North and continue to take a tough line on patent issues in international trade negotiations. Millions of people across the developing world look to India to defend and expand their access to life-saving medicines at affordable prices. The message is clear - the right to health cannot be held hostage to the greed for profits of pharma majors.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

A Feminist Leader’s Quest for Justice

My name is Rachael Mumbi Gichuki. I am 25 years of age. I was born in green and fertile area of Kiambu and raised in the cosmopolitan city of Nairobi. I am currently in my final year at the Kenyatta University pursing a Bachelor’s degree in Law.  I have always wanted be a lawyer and this dream was realized first when I was about eight years old, when there were many images on the television of victims of corruption and land grabbing in the country. At that tender and impressionable age, I understood the importance of the justice system in alleviating pain and suffering.

Fast forward thirteen years later, I joined Kenyatta University School of Law and myself with other like-minded individuals initiated Resource Institute for Peace and Legal Education (RIPLE) at our fourth year of study. As the acronym suggests, the initiative brings to light the importance of youth and women being conscious of the consequences of their action in their community.

RIPLE was
mainly established in order to deal with the negative ethnicity in the conduct and dialogue among university students, champion for access to justice and realization of the rights of young people and women as well as facilitate the transition of young people from dependent adults to independent adults.

Currently at RIPLE, we are running the following programs: the Legal Aid Program which offers legal aid trainings which focus on various aspects of law and aid in the curtailment of the intimidating image of the law to the ordinary youth; the  Civic Education and Engagement Programme, is justified by the fact that the ripple effect of a people aware of their rights yields a society able to articulate their rights and hold accountable its government and other duty bearer; and Sexual and Gender Based violence programme which offers legal aid and awareness to female and male youth pertaining to SGBV. For victims who cannot afford the services of an advocate, we engage the services of a pro bono advocate or train on self-representation to enable access to justice for such victims.

The journey has not been a smooth one but I had the honour and privilege of being mentored by my father, The Late Mr. Jaidus Gichuki. He helped breakdown phenomenon I could not understand, gave me caveats about life but most importantly he always believed in me. In retrospect, I realize, like me, he was a very strong choleric. Even though he passed on quite recently, he leaves me with a wealth of knowledge, little nuggets of truth and wisdom that will guide me for the rest of my life. 

In November 2013, I was privileged to be part of the YWLI Feminist Leadership training; this helped me understand the concept of feminism beyond the obvious misconception of feminism as well as bring me to a point of naming myself a feminist. The institute furnished me with the skills I need to make RIPLE a success. The understanding of human rights and women rights and the reason for the dichotomy of the rights informs all of RIPLE’s programmes.

Through the Institute I also learnt that we must learn to take care of ourselves, if we are to influence change, after all “what’s the point of a revolution if I can’t dance”.

Young Women's Leadership Institute (YWLI) is one of the four partner institutes of the African Centers of Excellence (ACE) for Women's Leadership program run by the Institute of International Education (IIE) , Ethiopia Office.

For more on IIE , ACE or YWLI please follow the links below.
www.iie.org/
www.iie.org/en/Programs/ACE-for-Womens-Leadership
www.ywli.org 

Thursday, August 8, 2013

My AWLI and Board leadership experience at AMwA


I attended the AWLI of February 2002 which took place for African women in the diaspora in Birmingham, UK. The AWLI experience came at a time in my life when I was looking to break through back into the development sector. I moved to the UK in 1998 from Zambia where I started in 1992 as a legal assistant working in the Legal Division of the then Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern Africa (PTA) which has now evolved into the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) where I was key in establishing and heading a Unit on Women in Business. In this role, I worked with private sector, businesses led by women (small and medium scale) as well as with Governments on policy issues to create more opportunities and conducive trade policy environment for women to operate in. During my time in Zambia, I also worked on the UNFPA fourth Country Support programme to Zambia on Gender, Population and Development leading the work on creating advocacy capacities at community level.

On reflection, I look back and believe that I was privileged to have had that level of exposure so early in my career. In particular, I later appreciated Dr Hawa Sinare who was the Director of Legal at COMESA, a woman who worked very hard and was very principled in her approach to her work. From observing her, I learnt how to be true to your values in the face of challenges.
My move to the UK turned out to be a re-education programme that took me through very challenging moments as a professional, as a woman and as an African. For a while I lost sight of the confidence, self-esteem and self-worth that had been instilled in me from childhood. I guess this is something for another story! The 2002 AWLI was timely for me because I had started to question myself to look for my identity again. Perhaps one of the most impactful things to come out of the AWLI was seeing a number of black African women who had managed to succeed, to overcome the many obstacles and who were now on a path to inspiring other women.
I left the AWLI and seriously begun to plan and to pursue my dreams. I was reminded of the strength that came from within and of my faith, which had undergone major setbacks. I raised my head and looked forward and I have not stopped since. The only time I look back is to ensure that I too can help pull others who are behind.
I also made some lifelong friends from that AWLI, friends for whom I am and will be eternally grateful.

Her inspiration to continuously identify with and support AMwA through the  years




If each one of us, can find it in themselves, to hold a few hands as we move towards success, then many more women and girls will be lifted out of poverty, challenges and moments of despair. The concept of transformational leadership that AMwA stands for….the idea that African women can and do contribute to the leadership of Africa, is one that appeals to me at a very deep and fundamental level and therefore my support for AMwA is founded on that. The organization does not and will not always get everything right, but the space that AMwA provides for African women to engage, to find themselves and to look up and ahead, is a space that was won under difficult circumstances and it is a space that we should guard jealously.

Amenda- 3rd from right with board members 

AMwA through the lens

As an alumnus who has passionately walked the AMwA journey over the years I envision AMwA’s position in spearheading African women’s leadership as key to the development and sustainability of Africa, African economic, social and cultural development, African businesses and Africa’s future. AMwA should continue to champion this flag!

A message for the African women’s movement and AMwA secretariat

The idea that there are African women out there, whose leadership values and practices are very much aligned, who walk the talk, appears to still be a 'phenomena' that surprises - why is that? It offends me greatly....that the default position appears to be a scarcity rather than an abundance.....let us bring out our stories of women's leadership that inspires and that is true even beyond the private space! Not only for ourselves but for the sake of our young ones, who see this inspiration in the home, only to have quashed in the 'real' world. When they look for us in the papers, in the media, in the public places, we are not as visible and yet we are there...ordinary women doing extraordinary things...transforming lives with determination and resilience. "Until the lioness learns to tell her story, the hunting stories will always glorify the hunter"
The message that I want to leave behind and that is something I want to continue flagging is that there is an immense amount of good practice in the leadership of African women and this needs to be accepted, acknowledged and exemplified. Indeed, it must become public knowledge and replace the stereotype that continuously suggests otherwise.

Gratitude to AMwA

AMwA has provided me with such great opportunities to learn and grow in my leadership, to meet sisters and develop great friendships. I take away the aha moments, the AMwA moments and I have matured as a leader from the difficult times. I am glad that the friendships have strengthened and AMwA still stands proudly and continues to seek a path that upholds African women’s leadership!

AKina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA) is one of the four partner institutes of the African Centers of Excellence (ACE) for Women's Leadership program run by the Institute of International Education (IIE) , Ethiopia Office.

For more on IIE , ACE or AMwA please follow the links below.

www.iie.org/
www.iie.org/en/Programs/ACE-for-Womens-Leadership

www.akinamamawaafrika.org/

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Barefoot Solar Engineers

It is not everyday one finds women electricians in Africa, let alone rural women with basic literacy skills.

Four rural women in Karambi village in Bugesera District, Eastern Rwanda, have become heroes in their village for being able to assemble, install and maintain household solar equipment. 
The women are members of RWN community women supported groups and were selected from homecare givers and paralegals with the involvement of the community, according to their ability and leadership skills. 
The women attended 6 months’ training in 2010 at the Barefoot College in India, and would return to the village as Barefoot Solar Engineers able to put electricity in every house. The village has just over 110 households. The project was in collaboration with the college and the Rwanda United Kingdom Goodwill Organization (RUGO).

Provision of energy to rural villages is one of the key targets in Rwanda’s Vision 2020 strategy. Access to energy has been proven to encourage and support economic growth and development through the generation of non- agricultural based employment and increased opportunities for economic generating activities and important activities such as children studying in the evening.

Enabling households with solar electricity has propelled the women to a higher status in the community, as well as being role models to girls in the village. All houses in the village pay a small monthly fee to maintain the equipment,  provide an income for the women and set up a “sinking fund” for future replacement of worn out components. 

More than 100 households now have electricity, and the women are now demonstrating their skills through their women’s group at an international trade exhibition in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, to assist other villages.



Rwanda Women's Network (RWN) is one of the four partner institutes of the African Centers of Excellence (ACE) for Women's Leadership program run by the Institute of International Education (IIE) , Ethiopia Office.
For more on IIE , ACE or RWN please follow the links below.