E.A Award Ceremony and Networking Forum

To address historically persistent challenges faced by many innovative activists ending violence against women and girls within the East African region, particularly the lack of collaborations and recognition within the region, we decided to organize an online East African Award Ceremony and Networking Forum. Through this platform, that was established with the partnership of the Bosch Alumni Network with the support of IAC Berlin, we recognized eight innovative projects within East Africa (E.A) that are leading in the;

1. Innovation,
2. Influential Music,
3. Fiction and non-fiction writing,
4. Film and documentary, and
5. Art & crafts,

Sectors.

The eight recognized finalists were,

1. Christine Kandie from Kenya, who through her organization EIWEN has trained over 200 endorois women on soap making, bread making and agroecology, on gender based violence and has “ … established a pen of 3 nurseries for person’s with disabilities”,
2. Lucy Kihonge from Kenya, who through her organization FLONE Initiative is ending violence against women and girls with a mobile app called “report it, stop it” which provides people with a platform to report SGBV,
3. Terrydon Wamboga from Uganda, who is addressing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) through “…a… digital mobile app that links girls and women experiencing violence to the nearest post-violence services…in a ten kilometer radius.”,
4. Mawejje Dimma Muhammed from Uganda (winner of the Arts and Crafts category), who addresses violence against women and girls by delivering elegant and cost effective fashion products like earrings, pen holders and wall clocks to women and girls door steps and offices,
5. Holiness Kibelo Dimbu from DRC (winner of the Film and documentary category), who produces films to tackle violence against women and girls within DRC,
6. Valarie Waswa from Kenya (winner of the Influential Music category), who seeks to End Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) by organizing an annual African youth benefit concert which “… seeks to use music not just as a form of entertainment …, but as a powerful tool to deconstruct and disabuse harmful cultural norms around women’s rights and violence against women.”,
7. Racheal Vichei from Kenya (winner of the innovation category), who is addressing VAWG by “ … incorporating music, poems, for girls to voice out what they are doing to be heard and helped.”, and
8. Ruth Atim from Uganda (winner of the Fiction and non-fiction writing category), who is addressing EVAWG, particularly online, within East Africa by raising awareness on online violence against women and girls through articles, for example https://wanifra.org/2020/07/winners-view-ruth-atim-uganda-on-online-violence-against-women-and-girls/ and by rallying together diverse women human rights defenders so that they may benefit from a digital safety skilling training.