20/07/2026
"Honored to have joined the panel at the launch of the Kilifi County Gender in Education Action Plan, an outcome of the Evidence for Gender and Education Resource (EGER) Initiative by Population Council, in partnership with the Ministry of Education. I had the privilege of sharing my perspective, having been part of this journey from the very beginning, from contributing to shared evidence and county data validation to the development of the Action Plan itself.
My message:
We cannot solve gender and education challenges in isolation. Real change requires stronger coordination among government, civil society, communities, schools, and development partners. Our interventions must complement, not duplicate, each other, and our expertise and resources must be strategically distributed so that no community is left behind.
I also shared that sustainability is not built by projects it is built by people. It begins when communities stop seeing themselves as beneficiaries and start seeing themselves as co-owners of the solution. When parents, teachers, learners, and local leaders say, "This is our Action Plan. These are our children. This is our responsibility," that's how we achieve lasting change.
But who can help make this happen? Local actors. Our role is not only to implement programs but to amplify community voices, strengthen ownership, and turn policy into meaningful action that reflects Kilifi's realities.
Now the real work begins. The success of this Action Plan will be measured by how well we work together to bring it to life. I look forward to playing my part and collaborating with all stakeholders to turn these commitments into lasting impact for every learner in Kilifi"-Executive Director Mwende Mutinda
