How to Plan a Workshop: Learning about inaccessibility from disability activists

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The original version of this blogpost had ableist language, as pointed out by the activists of the Kenya Network for Women with Disabilities. We extend an apology to persons with disabilities and the women of KNWWD. We also wish to thank KNWWD for so generously correcting us and offering to educate us on ableist language and where we failed. Below is a list of the changes we made in the latest version of this blogpost. 

In late January, we hosted a meeting to support the Kenya Network for Women with Disabilities which left us with some lessons that will remain with us in all our work going forward. The meeting was focused on developing a communications strategy to achieve the important and overdue objective of having fully accessible hospitals in six counties around Kenya. Their contributions to the workshop were undergirded by a conviction that their experiences of exclusion, discrimination and harm, as well as their work as community trainers, politicians and activists were critical sources of knowledge and expertise that could inform policy. 

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Fiona Imbali's post

New job, new culture, new world: making the home office work

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By Fiona Imbali


The last time I held a full-time office job the world was a very different place. The covid-19 pandemic had not struck; working from home was unthinkable; and work-life balance was a far-away aspiration. A month after I left that job to take on flexible consulting assignments, the pandemic struck and everything changed.

For a year, I slogged away in my home office, doing online meetings, talking to demanding clients, and playing with my little daughter. It had become monotonous, and I felt a little rusty. I missed the workplace. I put in a few job applications, and thankfully, on my birthday month in May, I got a job as an Associate at Well Made Strategy. It was a great birthday present.

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Taking Action on the Climate Crisis: How WMS plans to work on the Climate Crisis

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Free books! Competition! 

By TEAM WMS 

Well, we made it to February! And if the last year has taught us anything, it is that we must all play our part. The covid-19 response is all about our own personal contributions to the bigger system, our responsibility each to act for the good of others. We must work together to thrive and if we all do our part, things will get better!  

That applies to individual people wearing masks to protect their fellows and it applies to governments supporting Covax to protect their fellows.  

Somewhere between washing our hands, physical distancing and wearing masks, we were hit by an insight! The exact same thing applies to the climate crisis. Only thirty years late…  

As the US once more accepts its climate crisis responsibilities, so must we. 

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We’re hiring! WMS Strategic Communications Associate

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WMS has been working in East Africa for the past ten years.  Our vision is to accelerate the pace of positive change by improving communications and strategy for individuals, organizations and networks who can be forces for good in Africa.  We help organisations harness the power of good communications to influence policy change, prepare for and anticipate crises, inform the national discourse, build will for social reforms, nudge entire communities towards new norms and identify and influence key individuals. 

We have developed a proven methodology to help partners across sectors, from security to financial inclusion, from education and agriculture to health and governance, to develop strong and clear communication strategic plans. 

Please look through our website for more information https://www.wellmadestrategy.com   

We are looking for a curious and inspirational associate who is keen to learn new skills and share them with others. Applicants will be judged on their willingness and ability to learn rather than their particular knowledge of strategic communications. We are committed to investing time and money to train the ideal candidate.  

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Meet Kenya’s Falling Walls Finalist 2020: Farida Nzilani

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Every day hundreds of young entrepreneurs, both aspiring and experienced, swarm the Hustla MBA social media platform for advice and solutions to the challenges that they are facing – be it thinking about saving money, or debating between opening a vegetable stall or a chips stand.  

Hustla MBA offers the answers.  

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What I learned from giving a TED Talk

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Exactly a week ago, my TED Talk  about Colour in Faith, a project about countering fear through social practice art was published. The talk is less than twelve minutes long but it took me a lifetime to prepare for it!

Those twelve minutes were prepared over months and days of working with my colleagues at Well Made Strategy, the TED curatorial team and wonderful Broadway choreographer Danny Mefford. I’m going to save you a lot of time and share a few useful tips from my experience.

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Elections: how young people could ‘change everything’

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Next month Kenya goes to the polls, with national elections across the country. Everyone is hoping for peaceful politics and mass participation. But expectations are, it’s fair to say, cautiously realistic on both counts.

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