A conversation with Lavender

What is your background/studies/ career field (or planned field)?

I am a recent graduate of Strathmore University where I was pursuing my Bachelor's degree in Law. I am interested in building a career in intellectual property and Human rights specifically Women’s rights.

What drew you to Human Rights and specifically Women's Rights?

My interest in Women’s rights was drawn by inadequate efforts in advocating for women's empowerment specifically in the Global South. There are various issues that women in the Global South are faced with which include lack of access to sanitary towels, female genital mutilation, child marriages, teenage pregnancies, school dropouts, sexual gender-based violence, and lack of access to contraceptives.

My focus is mostly on reproductive health for women. It is difficult for women in the Global South to access contraceptives and sanitary pads on a monthly basis owing to the cultural shame surrounding reproductive health as well as poverty. Education with regard to reproductive health and women's empowerment will go a long way in making progressive steps in reproductive health. I am privileged to have had a lot growing up and coming to the realization that some people living probably within my 10km radius have no access to sanitary towels really broke my heart. I questioned a lot about why the system didn’t work for them despite having sufficient funds being distributed through decentralized governments. I wanted to learn more and try and fill that gap.

What did you discover in trying to fill this gap?

Initially, I thought this was a neglected area, however, through my research, I have found that there are people who are working on the same issues. However, progressive steps forward have been curtailed by certain issues including mismanagement of funds, lack of expertise, lack of proper research on the same, and having few people working on these problems.

What solutions would you categorize as most promising?

There have been steps to encourage women's empowerment. Many initiatives promoting women's empowerment have been popularised on social media through affiliates or influencers which has been helpful in creating awareness. These initiatives have also encouraged more people to actively participate in educating people and coming up with effective solutions to problems that have troubled the girl child.

I also think having empowered individuals within communities, especially indigenous communities, coming back to educate their communities has resulted in shifting people’s attitudes towards retrogressive cultural practices like female genital mutilation. It is said that empowered people empower people and what better way to do this than by through one of their own? A bottom up kind of approach.

What would you say is the biggest problem with regard to women's rights or rather their violation?

Child marriages would probably be the biggest, especially looking at the effects the pandemic had economically. Some parents had no choice but to marry off their young girls to survive. Statistics have also shown that sexual gender-based violence was also quite rampant when many of us were forced to be in lockdown and many getting laid off. I have not experienced these first hand but I have done a bit of a deep dive and the statistics are shocking.

Are there any organizations that you would recommend that deal with women's empowerment and women’s rights education?

There are organizations that have made considerable efforts in the women's empowerment space. FIDA Kenya is one such, it is a federation of female lawyers that advocates for women’s rights and Family Health Options which educates women on reproductive health.

What is your faith background? What role has Christ played a role in your life?

I have been brought up Catholic and attended institutions based on Catholic beliefs my whole life. My relationship with Christ became more personal during High School where I became more active in Church. I have seen God’s hand in my life in so many ways over the years. I remember my Dad had a tragic accident some time back, it was such a devastating time for me and my family and no one thought he would recover. During that time I remember just writing to God and begging Him to bring my Dad back to us and despite how impossible it looked at the time my Dad fully recovered. This experience brought me closer to God and my faith has grown steadily over the years and I am forever grateful. It’s not just that, it’s the silent prayers I mumble with the faith of a mustard seed that come to pass long after I forgot about them. God’s faithfulness continues to amaze me.

How does faith connect to your vocation and what would you say about many who have found the Church to be against women's empowerment and equality?

Many have misinterpreted the teachings of the Bible to look at women as lesser beings which is not the case. According to me, the Bible has highlighted enough wonderful women in the Bible who have been instrumental in relaying God’s message to His people.

On my vocation, my faith helps me understand what I am embarking on through constant prayer. God has been gracious enough to endow me with courage, self-belief, and patience on the same.

What Career advice does she have for young Christians?

I would advise young Christians to be patient because everything fits in together at the end of the day. There is a need to trust in God and hand over all our plans for Him to lead the way.

How did you hear about effective altruism?

I found out about effective altruism in 2020 through a lecturer who was recruiting people for an effective introductory program. I joined the program and loved it even more when I got to attend at EAGx in Boston in early 2021.

What do you like about effective altruism?

I love that effective altruism has no restrictions on religion, culture, or social background. I also love that I have been able to interact with many different people and share brilliant ideas despite having had completely different backgrounds with them.

What do you find difficult about effective altruism?

On the issue of impartiality, the African way of doing things is very communal, and asking people to go out of their way to help people outside themselves is hard to grasp for most Africans. I think people would be more inclined to help people closer to them given a history of betrayal and failure by government institutions which has consequently led to mistrust.

The poverty level in Africa is also a challenge when it comes to giving since a significant population can barely fend for themselves.

Sadly, Africa has also been left out of the conversation of effective altruism especially given that most conferences are held in the Global North and travel despite the visa restrictions that are in place. It then becomes difficult to implement these interventions in places whose people were never involved in the first place. It is necessary to have Africans be involved in the conversation to get their perspectives to have a more effective impact on these interventions.

Unfortunately, as well, some EAs have a white savior mentality which is counterproductive as the interventions they think would work end up not working since Africa has its own unique experience and culture.

Parting shot:

Africa is an amazing continent that is well endowed and with amazing people with the potential to take Africa to go to greater heights