Mentor of the week: Nafula Wafula

A fierce advocate for gender equality and human rights who is also passionate about Pan-Africanism, youth empowerment and social justice.  A lawyer by training who also adds up as a gender, human rights, advocacy, youth engagement consultant.

Currently, she is the programs director at Brydges Centre, an organization that provides child rescue and protection services, education and economic empowerment to at-risk youth and out-of-school girls.  Nafula currently leads the centre’s skills development program which has successfully trained 227 young people in vocational skills, technology, entrepreneurship, and employability skills. Besides this, serves as on the board of International Youth Foundation (IYF) and is a board member of Siasa Place, a youth serving organization focused on meaningful youth engagement and participation in political leadership, and a board member board of Kenya’s National Employment Authority which provides for a comprehensive institutional framework for: employment management; enhancement of employment promotion interventions.

At ELF, her mentorship areas are around gender, advocacy, organisational strengthening, effective campaigning. Besides mentorship, she is a facilitator on gender and leadership and a strong advocate of young girls getting space on the table of leadership.

“Tough at times due to time constraints. Engaging and exchanging experiences and lessons has been incredibly inspiring though, and being a better mentor is truly a journey whose path I am still on,” Nafula on her mentorship journey so far.

Nafula’s advice to interested in taking up mentorship, “Have an open mind and a willing heart. Mentorship is a two-way journey, the mentor, and the mentee both learn from each other in many ways. Be committed, be authentic and never be afraid to ask questions and never be afraid to admit when you do not know. It is the beginning of the learning process.”