This archive report was first published on 21 September 2019.
Published on September 21, 2019, KWITU, a group of Kenyan women in the US, has been providing a soft landing for immigrants through support systems and structures established in the last three years.
Marsha Lilly, a Kenyan journalism graduate living in Philadelphia, emphasizes the importance of building trust and living together like a family, which is at the core of KWITU's mission.
Women organizing themselves to get things done is not a new concept, as seen in the success of women's associations such as Sindikisha, Shilingi Kwa shilingi, and Maendeleo ya wanawake, which helped Kenya overcome hard times in the late 80s and 90s.
Founded by Lillian Richards Oketch, KWITU aims to connect Kenyan women in the US and provide a platform for them to share their experiences and address real issues affecting them.
For Anne Kagwe, a Kenyan living in New Jersey, KWITU has been a lifeline, providing a group of fellow women who she can run to and cry with when needed.
The organization held its annual meeting in Los Angeles, California, where over 700 Kenyan women attended a networking and empowering event to uplift one another on matters of business ventures, investments, self-employment, motherhood, and single-parenting.
However, some Kenyan men in the diaspora have termed KWITU a threat, claiming that some women use such avenues to undermine the institutions of marriage. Anne Kagwe, however, reassures them that KWITU women are stronger with the organization and are learning skills to be better wives and girlfriends.
