Background
Research by the World Bank in 2020 shows that women comprise 17% of employees in water utilities of which only 2% hold senior and executive leadership positions. This complex challenge requires a multifaceted approach to catalyse change at societal, organisational and personal levels. The development of women’s leadership practice to challenge the systemic barriers that hold them back to catapult them towards igniting change and innovation in the WASH (Water and Sanitation and Hygiene) sector is required.
Thus, there is a need to elevate the visibility of women in their leadership roles by intentionally providing a balance between self-awareness, learning from others and exploring the real challenges in the WASH sector including climate change issues.
Women in Water & Sanitation Programme is geared towards helping professional women in water to harness their leadership capabilities so as to generate a ripple of intrinsic transformation in achieving excellence in all spheres of their life as well as benefit access to WASH services by other women. Equally, the programme will sharpen the skills needed to develop relationships to enhance universal access to WASH services against the backdrop of climate change.
Programme Objectives
The Women in Water & Sanitation Programme is designed to address the needs of women in the WASH sector to enable them to exercise self, team and organizational leadership.
This highly interactive and experiential programme will deepen their understanding of personal leadership approaches, diplomacy styles, beliefs and assumptions about power, personal probity and rectitude and network structures. Likewise, increased self-awareness will aid in honing effective and balanced leadership.
A key benefit of the course is raising the awareness of the impact of climate change on the sustainable provision of universal access to WASH services. Creating engaged and informed women in leadership who are committed to elevating the WASH sector performance towards a sustainable future in the shadows of climate change.
This multifaceted program will help participants to deal with complexities inherent in the WASH sector as well as learning how to navigate disruption and complexity of the climate change challenge.
Impact
The Women in Water & Sanitation Programme benefits not only the company, but the individual.
A diverse mix of participants will be selected based on professional achievements and organisational responsibilities.
The Organization
- Implement effective strategies to increase profitability and long-term value through the use of energy efficient processes.
- Increase the participants’ preparedness for new responsibilities for both functional and cross-functional positions.
- Reduce cost of energy transitions in WASH organizations as well as repurposing legacy assets.
- Enhance team effectiveness by leveraging information sharing and resolving WASH leadership issues.
- Solarization of WASH systems for sustainability.
The Participant
- Improve business acumen by gaining a more sophisticated understanding of human capital management and WASH financial reporting.
- Develop diplomacy expertise and grasp the complicated dynamics of successful WASH negotiations especially with regards to infrastructure.
- Building alliances: Learn how to leverage social networks and techniques to influence individuals and groups in the WASH sector.
- Build a strong personal and professional network with peers from WASH organizations who face climate change challenges and opportunities.
- Gain an action-oriented focus on leading people and creating value in the WASH sector.
- Acquire a transformed perspective that improves judgement and results in a climate change context.
Key Focus Areas
- Leading self-awareness through self-acceptance, self-management and self-development.
- Personal probity and rectitude.
- Understanding cultural dimensions in the WASH context in order to bargain for best outcomes.
- WASH financial reporting: Bankable WASH financing proposals
- Navigating the career trajectory in the WASH sector.
- Steering hydro politics in the WASH sector.
- Leading through periods of growth and turbulence in WASH.
- Implementing value-creating and energy efficient strategies that deliver sustainable and environmentally friendly outcomes.
- Role of women in climate change.
- Utilization of clean energy for WASH systems.
Key Benefits
- Reflection on the career status quo and the trajectory.
- Leadership identity in a climate change context.
- Understanding the water-energy nexus: Reflection on the role of women in generating clean energy for WASH systems.
- Water diplomacy and decision making.
- Strengthen overall leadership performance through personal or group coaching.
Programme Delivery
Through relevant case studies, video clips, thought-provoking lectures by our key faculty and enlightening syndicate and class discussions, participants will acquire skills that can immediately be applied to enhance individual and WASH utility performance. Each day of the programme will end in a reflective session where participants can exchange thoughts and ideas.
The programme will be delivered for 4 days on campus. The mode of delivery is in-person.
Participant Profile
Participants are carefully selected to enhance a great mix of senior executives from various areas with relevant knowledge and experience to boost the quality of the discussions and group work. They will come from the following areas among others;
- Top and senior level female leaders with leadership roles in water authorities, water utilities, NGOs, government and parastatals.
- Entrepreneurs and business owners of water entities.
Meet the Faculty
The faculty consists of professors and industry experts with both local and international repute. The faculty have been carefully selected to meet the specific demands and subject areas of the programme while bringing in their rich experiences in these areas. The faculty include:
1. Dr. Irene Ngunjiri- Academic Director
2. Eng. William Mboya
3. Mr. Paul Mbole
4. Prof. Izael Pereira
5. Dr. Elizabeth Gachenga
6. Dr. Barbara Senkwe
7. Eng. Rober Gakubia
8. Dr Valentine Ochanda
9. Ms. Annabel Waititu
10. Dr Sawa Nakagawa
11. Mr. James Nyiha
12. Ms. Irene Kinuthia
Executive Public Policy Programmes - Brochure Request Form
Developing Great African Leaders
Key Details
For more information, write to Winnie on womamo@strathmore.edu
Tel: +254 (0) 703 034 580. Cell: +254 (0) 725567696.
