Overview
- Act: Kenya National Cultural Policy of 2009
- Formed: 2018
- CEO: Dorothy Mashipei
- X (Twitter)
The Ushanga Kenya Initiative, launched in 2018, aims to empower pastoral women through beadwork by enhancing their economic opportunities and preserving cultural heritage. Its roles include capacity building, promoting gender equality, providing market access, and forming cooperatives. The initiative also focuses on protecting intellectual property rights and utilizing digital platforms for wider reach, contributing significantly to sustainable livelihoods within pastoral communities.
CEO: Dorothy Mashipei.
Dorothy Mashipei is the CEO of Ushanga Kenya Initiative, dedicated to empowering pastoralist women by transforming beadwork into sustainable businesses. She fosters economic growth in counties like Narok and Samburu through training, quality improvement, and market access. Her leadership emphasizes cultural preservation, entrepreneurship, and women’s empowerment.
Functions
- Economic Empowerment: Enhance the economic status of pastoral women through beadwork and crafts.
- Cultural Preservation: Promote and preserve traditional beadwork as a vital part of Kenyan cultural heritage.
- Capacity Building: Provide training in modern design, business skills, and value addition techniques.
- Market Access: Facilitate access to both local and international markets for bead products.
- Cooperative Formation: Support the establishment of women cooperatives for collective marketing and production.
- Intellectual Property Protection: Safeguard the intellectual property rights of artisans and their designs.
- Sustainable Livelihoods: Foster sustainable livelihoods for women through diversified income-generating activities.
- Promotion of Gender Equality: Advocate for gender equality by empowering women in traditional crafts.
- Digital Transformation: Utilize digital platforms for marketing and promoting beadwork to a global audience.
- Community Development: Contribute to overall community development by uplifting the socio-economic status of women.
Important Links
Address & Contacts
- Ushanga Initiative Offices,
- 6th Floor, Maktaba Kuu Building,
- P.O. Box 45597 – 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
- ushangakenya@gmail.com
- +254-7123-456-78