Dons Secure Grant to Empower Young Women

Chuka University dons have secured a USD 16,680 grant from PATHWAYS Leadership for Progress to implement a transformative project aimed at empowering young women with life skills and safety training to prevent gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide in Kenya. The project, which responds to the growing need for practical interventions to enhance young women’s safety, resilience and capacity to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, will target 960 young women, comprising 360 female university students and 600 young women from the community. Through structured life-skills and safety training, the programme will equip participants with knowledge and practical skills to recognise risks, make informed decisions, build resilience, promote personal safety and contribute to the prevention of GBV and femicide.

The project is led by Prof. Catherine Kaimenyi, the Chairperson of Department, Business Administration, who will work alongside Prof. Caroline Mucece, Dr. Lucy Karimi and Dr. Immaculate Namulia as members of the implementing team. The grant underscores the University’s commitment to leveraging research, innovation and community engagement to address pressing social challenges and promote safer, more empowered communities. The project is expected to strengthen the capacity of young women to become informed advocates for gender equality, personal safety and the prevention of gender-based violence within the University and the wider community.