Towards Positioning Lifelong Learning For Women Empowerment In Turkana County, Kenya: A feasibility study

Cooperating countries: Kenya and Austria

Coordinating institution: Turkana University College, Fredrick Nyongesa Kassilly, fkassilly@tuc.ac.ke

Partner institution: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna

Project duration: 1 October 2024 - 30 September 2026

Abstract: 

Whereas education is globally acknowledged as a key factor to human development and as a tool by women to challenge their traditional positions in society and change their lives, women in some parts of the world  including  those in Turkana County (Kenya) remain deprived of opportunity to access and benefit from it.  This project is a joint ex-post facto exploratory study by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, and Turkana University College to determine the feasibility of establishing a lifelong and continuing education unit at Turkana University College. Specifically, the study focuses on women in Turkana county and  seeks to: establish the need  for lifelong and continuing education courses among them; identify  lifelong and continuing education courses  desirable  among them;  determine preparedness of Turkana University college to offer the desirable  lifelong and continuing education courses, identify potential partners in running  the lifelong and continuing education courses; and identify barriers to effective girl child education in the  county and measures to address them.   Data will be obtained mainly through focus group discussions and analyzed by descriptive statistics.  The key project output will be an operational lifelong and continuing education unit at Turkana University College. The twin project outcomes will be an increased number of women empowered through lifelong and continuing education and an increased number of girls completing their education. Opportunity exists for long term collaboration between partner institutions in   operationalization   of the lifelong and continuing education unit. The study contributes to SGDs 1, 4, 5, 10.