Since May 2017, Bavarian rural women have supported their Kenyan colleagues in setting up an interest group. In September 2017, committed women in Kenya founded the Women Farmers Association of Kenya (WoFaAK). Meanwhile, County Chapters are active in seven counties in western and central Kenya, with an elected National Board on top. Like us at BBV, these women work voluntarily and with great dedication.
We organized a two-week seminar for some women under the motto ‘Rural women get a voice - tools for volunteer leaders’. Despite lengthy visa processes, we could welcome 18 Kenyan rural women to our seminar in Herrsching from 17 to 30 March 2024. The group was a colorful mix: 39 to 75 years old, married, widowed, divorced, or single, and came from Embu, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Muranga, Siaya, and Bungoma. Unfortunately, the deputy district chairwoman from Kakamega was not granted a visa to enter the country.
Carren Odhiambo and Joyce Gakii thank Ursula Fiechtner and Sonja Frey, both chair of BBV-Landfrauen
in their Counties for the interview and exchange of experiences.
Our two-week seminar was designed to strengthen these WoFaAK women in their voluntary work.With a mixture of theoretical contributions, practical exercises, and specialized excursions, we covered a broad spectrum:- Tipps and tricks for successful association work through time management, transparency in dealing with information and finances, member recruitment - and retention.- Greater understanding and solidarity with one another through constructive communication, active listening, recognizing, tackling, and resolving conflicts.- Learning from others and discovering, analyzing, and implementing new scope for action.- Building and maintaining meaningful networks.We paid particular attention to a solution-orientated approach.
Trainer Ingrid Reisch in a role play with Mariam Makhoka.
A particular highlight was the evening spent with the participants of the district farmers' seminar, which was taking place at the same time. There were already intensive discussions over dinner. During the official part of the event, each of the 18 women in the main hall took to the stage individually and introduced themselves to the audience. With shining eyes, they used photos to show what they grow on their farms and introduced their families or their favorite animal, such as ‘Joseph’, Kendi's bull, who inseminates all the heifers in the village. Afterward, the Kenyan women encouraged the Bavarian countrywomen to join in with singing and dancing. The room was filled with laughter as they tried to follow the dance steps. The women shared stories from their lives and work, discovered similarities, and learned from each other. It was an evening of genuine connection and mutual respect, where cultural differences did not divide but enriched.
The participants on the stage introducing themselves to the bavarian sisters.
We were all very pleased about the spontaneous visit from BBV President Günther Felßner. He sat in the seminar for a few minutes and easily joined in. That went down very well with the women.
Thank you Mr. Felßner for visiting us.
The Kenyan rural women spent the weekend between the seminar blocks on the farms of Bavarian district, county, and local farmers'. They were given an insight into various branches of farming and how the families run the farms together. The Kenyan guests were impressed by how the Bavarian women farmers managed their farms with dedication and care despite the high level of mechanization. They found it particularly fascinating that women own farms and run them alone, which is unusual in their home country.The Bavarian rural women also benefited from this exchange. The stories and experiences of the Kenyan women gave them new perspectives on their work and the challenges in agriculture. The intercultural dialogue enriched and inspired all.
Weekend stay for Agnes Kajuju, Lawrencia Ruguru, and Hanna Muthoni at the farm of Rita Götz.
Excursions to BBV facilities We visited the BBV office in Dachau-Fürstenfeldbruck. The objective was to show the participants how the BBV offers decentralized service points for its members. Managing Director Christina Schenkel and her team gave us a warm welcome. The Kenyan women had a very lively exchange with the employees.
We visited the General Secretariat of the Bavarian Farmers' Association in the center of Munich. Günter Betz, Deputy Secretary General, gave us a brief history of the BBV, the history of the building, and the association's current challenges. As always, our guests thanked us with singing and dancing - a special sound experience in the foyer of the General Secretariat.
Deputy Secretary General, Günter Betz within the participants.
The seminar was a complete success. It promoted knowledge transfer, encouraged intercultural dialogue, and broke down prejudices. The positive feedback from the participants and the planned implementation of the newly acquired knowledge in Kenya emphasize the importance and success of the seminar in the long term.
This seminar has strengthened the participants' understanding of each other and their solidarity with each other. The women return home motivated to support WoFaAK with vigor and new knowledge and to realize their ideas for successful and meaningful association work. Always accompanied by their motto:
