Closing

Today, I stood on the west end of the Indian Ocean, looking eastwards.

The orange sun that just rose above the sea would have claimed its position halfway up the sky, at the place I would be, in less than 5 days- Singapore. RIght beyond my line of sight.

It was kinda strange to realize that my loved ones, back home; the ones whom I synced my breakfast/lunch/dinner schedules with are now living a time table so different from mine. I have thought a lot about going back home and seeing my family again.

Everytime I imagine a senario of me being back in Singapore/Burma, I get excited, but a little nervous at the same time. It has been almost a year, and many countless encounters that has changed the way I live.

But I know that the moment I land home, I would be welcomed with open arms and hands. I guess that's the meaning of family... Unconditional love, without the limits of any time or space.

Malindi @ Sunrise.
A bird lands on top of a mounument to mark the first Portugese settlers in the East Coast.

SIT Fall 2009, People

This post if for all the wonderful people of SIT Fall 2009. (:

Thanks for all the colourful memories, and I hope these photos, in someways would preserve these memories, a little longer...



Mzee Odoch, after calling timeout at the soccer match in Shirazi.



Jamal, just before snorkeling


Miltone @ the Headquarters


Mama Mary, at SIT office



Melanie, Jordon and Johanna on the Tuk-Tuk to Snorkeling in Malindi


Gilia, Malindi.


Caroline at Sunrise, Malindi



Sophie, Malindi


Dennis, MYSA


Jordon, Malindi


Becca, Catherine, Melissa and Alyson in their Kangas, Shirazi


Greta, Sammy and Lindsay @ MYSA


Melissa and Alix, Gede Ruins


Kathleen with the catch of the day, Shirazi


Catherine, Sipi Falls


John, Shirazi Farewell


Johanna, Malindi


Melanie, Mary Beth,and Kathleen taking a jump, Malindi

Mikako

Kali in Shirazi


Sindhya in Shirazi


Ben, Mombasa

Women, Economic Empowerment and Development

Abstract

Gender equality and women’s empowerment have been given much attention by international institutions and governments for their role in development. However, the views on women’s rights vary across cultures, religions, and socio-economic lines. More recently, economic empowerment of women has seen to be one of the culturally sensitive methods of promoting development through women’s empowerment. Even as governments and organizations engage in economic empowerment of women, it is important to recognize the distinctions in the definitions of success and empowerment, according to the women themselves, in order to achieve the goals of gender equality and women empowerment.

This study gives voice to 20 Kenyan women in the coastal area to express their own definitions and ways of achieving success and empowerment, as well as their perspectives on challenges and solutions in their efforts towards economic empowerment. According to these women, money and children are fundaments of a successful woman. Their desires to improve the lives of their children encourage these women to take up work. Their aspirations for work stems from their self-identity as a mother, indicating the strong family ties attributable to culture and religion. It is also found that economic empowerment could lead to women empowerment, as women become more confident, independent and respected through work. However, this finding is not consistent for all modes of employment. Additionally, unlike the widely accepted view that traditionally defined gender roles hinder women empowerment efforts, these 20 women interviewed expressed that deviation from gender roles could cause disempowerment of women and troubled marriages.

Here are some of the portraits. Please note that the quotes are excerpted from the interview.


*Please email me, if you would like a copy of the paper.