“I remember that day, as if it was a dream”

“I remember that day, as if it was a dream… like a drama…” Margaret Kitheka states, as we begin a conversation about her unexpected ascension to the leadership position of her self-help group, where she now sits as the group secretary. The following text is Margaret’s retelling of her experience becoming a leader in this program:

With the CWS project this year, we underwent training on the production of crops on our individual farms and, during one of the follow-up meetings, one of the members proposed that I host the community demonstration plot on my farm. As a middle-aged woman whose husband has been imprisoned for several years and raising her children on my own, I was surprised that the community members would select my farm to host the demonstration. I wasn’t sure at first, but a firm reminder from our Crop Production Facilitator (CPF) of the progress I had made throughout the season made me accept, albeit half-heartedly. This decision changed my life, literally. 

As we dug the demonstration farm during our weekly visit with our CPF, I made sure that the CPF would spend a little extra time on my farm, and he helped me scout the common pests and identify the best place to set up terraces. Whenever I visited my neighbor’s farms, I would make the effort to help them to scout their land, encourage them to also dig their Mandala Gardens and to save up the leftovers for the compost heap. Although I wasn’t awarded, my name was mentioned as one of the best performers in our entire group, not once but twice! 

One day, CWS staff brought our area officer in charge of all women and self-help groups, Madam Rose. She spoke to us about the importance of strong leadership in making groups succeed. She reminded us that a good leader is one who starts by leading him or herself, by following the instructions of what we have learned and by always helping others with work, so we do not leave anyone behind. 

When Madam Rose looked at our records, I realized there was a lot that could be done to make our group strong and to reduce in-fighting. What I realized as she spoke, was that the idea of a leader I had in mind—someone bold, a good speaker, someone who can command people to listen to them, someone well-educated—was very different from what she was saying: someone humble, who is able to complete their work quickly and help others, someone who asks questions and shares information with members swiftly, someone who remembers and reminds others of what they had agreed to do. 

The more she spoke, the more I realized that the type of leader she was describing was me!  When she asked for volunteers to the executive committee to lead the group, I was not surprised when those who I expected to volunteer to lead, raised their hands for the position of chair and treasurer. But when it came to the secretary position, most of the members who were nominated to do so, chose not to. I don’t recall exactly why I raised my hand. For a few moments, even the other group members did not seem to notice that I had raised it.

Before I could change my mind, Madam Rose asked me to stand up and I was whisked away to a separate part of the house where I could not see what was happening. As I waited, the doubts came back; I am not well educated, I am not wealthy, I do not have a husband…it was too late. When I tried to change my mind by going back to the group proceedings, they asked me firmly to go back until I was called back. 

After what felt like an eternity, our teacher Mwikali came to collect me. I tried to read her face, but she was not smiling at all. When I got to the group, Madam Rose announced the new office holders, and I was selected as the secretary by the members. I heard a few of them say I do not see well, but I interjected that I had perfect eyesight. I decided to own up to the fact that I am not very well-read, but our teachers told us that they would train us and help us to adapt to the new position. 

As we speak, I have been included as one of the bank signatories for our group account. I have read the minutes in my local language and work with my son to translate anything required in English. My new role did not stop me from working hard on my farm. As I listened to the December list of best performers, my name was called second, meaning that next time, if I work hard and continue to support my neighbors, I shall take up the first place! 

I thank CWS for the confidence they have given us, the knowledge to change our individual lives, to change our work as groups and to influence our neighbors so that we can all together fight this climate change. 

To learn more about CWS’ work in Kenya, click here. To learn more about how CWS works with communities around the world to adapt to climate change, click here.