Page 31 - EdSource Issue No02

One on One 31

From Blackboard and Chalk to offered the opportunity to join
Advocacy their membership recruitment team
As she grew in her career in as the Senior Executive Officer, I think
teaching, other members of the in charge of recruitment. Taking
teaching fraternity who founded this role with gusto, she grew the realizing
Kenya Union of Post Primary numbers of teachers at KNUT from
Teachers (KUPPET) had noted her 189,000 to 202,000.( Between that you’re
passion for advocacy and in 2002, October and December 2012) These
Mr. Tom Chariga, founder member numbers consisted mostly of post not alone, that you
of KUPPET approached her to primary teachers.
join the union an opportunity she are standing with
gladly took up because of desire to Her stint at KNUT saw her begin millions of your
improve the plight teachers. During building a network beyond Kenya.
the subsequent election she vied for One important link that proved to sisters around the
the First Assistant Treasurer where be successful was her engagements
she won convincingly. She held this with the American Federation of world is vital
position for 11 years and during this Teachers (AFT). By reaching out
time she remained the only lady in and engaging AFT she was able to – Malala Yuafzai
the top leadership at KUPPET. get funding to develop operational
manuals to support development of
Benta recalls her time at KUPPET teachers.
as being bitter sweet. Working as
the only lady amongst men made Through this funding KNUT was
it extremely difficult for her to able to come up with two manuals; and at the union leadership. Armed
champion gender related issues. She the first was a strategic manual to with empirical evidence, a vision
says that lobbying and marshaling help KNUT grow its membership and passion, she approached other
support was almost impossible. numbers through empowerment like-minded women and registered
However after the promulgation of school representatives(POWER Kenya Women Teachers Association
of the new constitution in 2010, the IN NUMBERS) and the other one to (KEWOTA) in 2007. She got the
opportunity to have gender balance help train executive secretaries to support of SNV Netherlands and
arose. And she was finally able to understand the running of unions Dowatu from Ghana to assemble
lobby the KUPPET leadership and and leadership roles (EXECUTIVE women teachers and share her
members to accommodate more SECRETARIES TRAINING MANUAL) vision how KEWOTA can help them
women through affirmative. KNUT soon after expanded her articulate issues of gender in Kenya.
role to include recruitment and From the very onset, she says that

This meant that women each of the empowerment of ECDE teachers. the stakes were against KEWOTA
47 counties could now sit at the The summary pamphlet developed because most women were not
KUPPET National Governing Council by her is still in use at knut todate. convinced that they could succeed.
and could take part in the decision- They were concerned about the
making process. She also lobbied Her dedication to KNUT did not amount of work needed to be done
for the creation of the position of go unnoticed and when the and the potential obstacles.
The National Women Reprentative. gender docket fell vacant she was
A woman could now sit in the promoted to be Executive Officer However, she says that being
powerful National Executive Board. in charge of gender at KNUT. This consistent and focused has
The current office bearer is Hon. promotion pushed her to the fore helped grow the Association day
Catherine Wambilianga, Women of championing women issues in the by day. She is humbled by how
Rep, Bungoma County. teaching profession, and after a visit far KEWOTA has come and says
to Gambia to attend a ‘women in that though the journey has not
At this point she felt like she was leadership caucus for teachers’ she been smooth, she is finally happy
better off at the Nairobi County office together with a few women in the to be steering a organization that
where she vied to be the Executive KNUT leadership decided it was time aspires to see women teachers
Secretary and won. Upon assuming a teachers organization for women thrive. The Association she says is
office she was able to bring on board was realised. rearing to go with many initiatives
79 post primary schools into the in the world, including supporting
organization by creating a network KEWOTA REGISTRATION: women teachers through; Financial
of school representatives and kept While at the KUPPET as the Ass. empowerment, with support of
this numbers growing. National Treasurer, Benter realized partners providing investment
that she had a lot of time at her advice and opportunities, career and
But in 2012, KNUT impressed disposal that allowed to attend workplace advocacy and training.
by her influence and dynamic to issues that affected women
leadership came knocking, and teachers both at the classroom level In her words “ Women can do so

EdSource Quarterly | Oct-Dec l 2021