This interview with Elema Molu Dida was conducted on a field trip by Anglican International Development’s East Africa Manager, Tabitha Muthui, in early June 2021.
Located in the far north of Kenya, Marsabit is remote and desert-like. Frequent drought threatens livelihoods and many rely on aid. Situated on the fault-line between Islam and Christianity, the Islamist terror group Al Shabab operates in the area. But there is also a strong Christian Church which includes Elema Molu Dida who leads the Mothers’ Union.
The interview highlights the plight of women in the far north of Kenya and sheds light on why people in Marsabit so urgently need microfinance. AID plans to develop microfinance in partnership with the local Anglican Diocese to support women and men in separate groups. In this way we hope to support vulnerable women as well as to help men to work hard and take responsibility for their families.
To find out more about our microfinance work and how you can support join our Big Microfinance Zoom on Thursday 8 July 8pm.
Interview
My name is Elema Molu Dida. I am the coordinator of the Mothers’ Union, Diocese of Marsabit, all the way from Isiolo, Marsabit, Moyale to Sololo. I do a lot of work with women.
Women are very special people in the community but a lot of challenges the women face is due to cultural practices which suppress their voices from being heard.
Due to culture, men treat their women as property and dominate them thus making the women very weak. But when we see a woman being active in the Diocese, we know that she is fighting hard to be empowered.
Girls in Marsabit
Women were once girls. So, when we look at the challenges girls face, it is the same challenges women face which are backward cultural practices. The girls still under Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), married off at an early age like 8 years.
When you go to a place called Karare, the other day we cried tears because there was a girl between the age of 8 and 9 years old being married off to a man who she had never met in her life and to a very old man.
When you go to a place called Karare, the other day we cried tears because there was a girl between the age of 8 and 9 years old being married off to a man who she had never met in her life and to a very old man.
The Church in one way or the other, has tried to reach out to these women and we know if someone is not educated, we can say that person is in the dark.
Illiteracy Leaves Women in the Dark
Someone who is not educated has no secrets because if they receive a letter or a message someone will have to read for them therefore there is no privacy because the uneducated person cannot read and write. Even getting a name from their phonebook is an issue and they have to ask for help all the time.
For pregnant women who most are not educated, they are not able to tell when the next clinic appointment is therefore, they have to ask someone to read for them and tell them the date for their next appointment.
Almost 90% of women in this Diocese are not educated and are in total darkness. I say that because you don’t have the right to vote, during elections most women are misled into voting for the wrong person and not their preferred candidate having lined up from 6AM to 6PM.
One way to prevent all these things from happening is to educate the women as a Church. We have set up 12 centres where these women are educated. Our syllabus starts from vowels and soon and very soon my aim as their leader is that in the next elections in 2022, they will now be able to vote for the candidate of their choice, their lives will be private because they can read on their own, they will be able to use their phones comfortably, she also is able to read her Bible. So that is the aim of the Diocese.
Widows and Single Mothers
There are different categories of women within this community, there are women who have husbands, there are single mothers, there are widows, just as Pastor Jeremiah mentioned, there are so many people who have died and left their wives.
These women have no husbands and getting food is a challenge for them.
I have gone round from Isiolo, Marsabit, Sololo, and Moyale, and I have counted over 300 widows within this community. These women have no husbands and getting food is a challenge for them, and most of them end up selling charcoal and some are even tempted to sell illegal alcohol and as a Church, we ensure that we reach out to these women give them advice, and comfort them.
The Hope of Microfinance
These women want to start a business and empower themselves but they are limited due to lack of capital. Whatever money they have, they use it to buy food to sell and they don’t make much money to sustain them. If only these women had some small capital like Ksh 10,000 or Ksh 20,000 (£66 – £132) they would be able to empower themselves. These women are very bright, the problem is that they have no education.
If only these women had some small capital like Ksh 10,000 or Ksh 20,000 (£66–£132) they would be able to empower themselves. These women are very bright, the problem is that they have no education.
We are grateful to those people who have been concerned about our situation here at Marsabit. I take this as an opportunity for the women. Our prayer is that our cry will be heard and someone will reach out to help the women in this community. When one or two women have been empowered, it’s like empowering the whole community.
Please pray with us, support us, give us encouragement, that will give us a sense of direction. Thank you very much.
