Adilisha: Emancipating communities
Adilisha, Fahamu’s Education for Social Justice programme, has launched its first newsletter. Pambazuka News speaks to programme manager George Mwai about how Adilisha’s work is contributing to the emancipation of communities, by providing activists with the skills they need in the struggle for social justice. [PDF: 4.8MB].
PAMBAZUKA NEWS: You have launched the first Adlisha newsletter: What's the significance of this initiative and why you launched it now?
GEORGE MWAI: The newsletter launch is at time that the continent is going through a wave of popular action towards popular democracy. One of the contributing factors, though it may be seen as remote, is human rights and social justice education by individuals in the last few years. The newsletter follows the work of Fahamu's educational activities alumni, and how Adilisha is contributing to emancipating communities.
The initiative celebrates the individual efforts by the alumni and is intended to be an inspiration to upcoming leaders in social justice like the fellows of the new initiative by Fahamu called Fahamu Pan African Fellowship Program in Africa and beyond.
PAMBAZUKA NEWS: Explain what Adilsiha means and why you chose that name.
GEORGE MWAI: Adilisha in Fahamu's context is educating social justice morality. The name was chosen to represent the aspirations of building a values and principled system that guides societal behaviours and actions in relation to justice.
PAMBAZUKA NEWS: Give us the highlights of what's in the newsletter.
GEORGE MWAI: The newsletter features the following:
- An introduction of a new education strategy by Fahamu: Use of a leadership fellowship to nurture young leaders in social justice
- Learning from the 2011 World Social Forum from the Fahamu Fellows’ perspective
- Alumni testimonials
- New approaches to addressing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) – enaging boys in curbing this practice among the Kuria community in Kenya
- Upcoming courses that are aimed at upscaling the skills of social activists, informed by the realities of the 21st century
- Upcoming events relevant to Adilisha
- Useful links and recommended reading on education for social justice in Africa.
PAMBAZUKA NEWS: How would you like our readers to respond to this initiative - and when do we expect the next issue?
GEORGE MWAI: Readers with comments can respond to [email][email protected]
The next issue is expected first week of July 2011
PAMBAZUKA NEWS: Is there anything else you would like to add?
GEORGE MWAI: Contributions by Adilisha alumni are welcome in the form of stories, analysis of human rights and social justice education in African, poems, photos , etc,
PAMBAZUKA NEWS: What are plans of Adilisha alumni for organising as a community for social justice?
GEORGE MWAI: We have started this conversation with the alumni on linking up as a community and the distribution of the next issue will have a deliberate request for them to consider this possibility.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY PAMBAZUKA NEWS
* George Mwai is the programme officer for Adilisha, Fahamu.
* Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at Pambazuka News.