How a women-led peace initiative is reshaping peace and economic discourse in northern Kenya

In 2025, a defining moment unfolded for the pastoralist communities of northern Kenya. The Regional Pastoralists Peace Link (RPPL) was awarded the prestigious Carol Bellamy Leadership Award (CBLA) and recognised as a Torchbearer in Kenya by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF). This milestone honour underscored not only the importance of grassroots-driven peacebuilding but also the undeniable impact of women-led organisations in securing a stable, inclusive future.

What is the Carol Bellamy Leadership Award? The Carol Bellamy Leadership Award was first launched by GCERF in 2022, dedicated to women working at the intersection of women’s empowerment and P/CVE. CBLA provides funding to its awardees and supports diverse projects at the intersection of women’s empowerment and P/CVE. In particular, the CBLA supports localised solutions to complex needs as regards to women’s empowerment and P/CVE, and as identified by awardees themselves. 

At the heart of this achievement is the Pastoralist Women Agency for Sustainable Development (PAWA), a women-led organisation headquartered in Mandera County. Through a competitive selection process, RPPL entrusted PAWA to implement the CBLA initiative, a transformative program grounded in the realities of our communities and guided by women’s leadership. Our approach—the “Mandera Model”—is reshaping peace and economic discourse in northern Kenya, drawing on lived experience, resilience, and the visionary strength of local women.

The CBLA rollout by PAWA rests on three interconnected pillars;

Social Cohesion and Inclusion: We empower women to serve as bridge-builders across communities long divided by conflict and extremism. By fostering trust, dismantling harmful ideologies, and promoting unity, women are reweaving the social fabric of Mandera.

Economic Empowerment: Financial independence is a cornerstone of long-term stability. PAWA equips women with tools, networks, and training to access markets, develop sustainable enterprises, and lead their households and communities into prosperity.

Capacity Building and Advocacy: Women are not just participants—they are leaders. PAWA amplifies women’s voices within the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) framework, championing their rightful role in policymaking and governance at every level.

The CBLA initiative is not a top-down directive—it is built by and for the women of Mandera. Through our economic empowerment and financial literacy training workshops, we have united diverse women-led groups under a common vision of self-reliance and peace.

Mandera Women Green Army and Sanitation Group: This environmental powerhouse has planted over 200,000 trees in eight years, championing climate resilience and community-led sanitation. Their leadership is a testament to the power of environmental stewardship in promoting peace.

Mandera Women Milk Sellers and Yoghurt Producers: These women are at the forefront of dairy innovation, enhancing food security and financial inclusion through the processing and commercialisation of livestock products.

Mandera East Women Milk Sellers SACCO: A model of entrepreneurial innovation, this cooperative is transforming the local economy through value addition, milk ATMs, and even eco-friendly textile production. Their ventures in log trading further highlight their role in shelter and infrastructure development.

Craftswomen and Entrepreneurs: Expanding Mandera’s artisanal heritage, these innovators are producing handcrafted goods—from textiles and traditional furniture to construction materials—boosting local enterprise and preserving cultural identity.

Amid persistent security challenges, Mandera’s women leaders came together to deliver a powerful joint declaration: “Mandera Women at the Forefront of Peacebuilding – A Collective Call to Action.” This statement is more than words; it is a rallying cry for inclusive peace, community-driven solutions, and sustained resilience. It affirms that security is not achieved through force alone, but through empowerment, inclusion, and opportunity.

As a legal and governance professional and as the CEO/Director of PAWA, I have witnessed firsthand the incredible transformation that occurs when women are given space to lead. The recognition of our work through the CBLA and Torchbearer Honour is not just an accolade—it is an obligation. Thanks to GECERF, an obligation to continue building, to continue empowering, and to ensure that peace in Mandera is not a dream, but a living, thriving reality.

Let us listen to the voices of the women at the frontlines. Let us invest in their visions. And most importantly, let us walk with them—side by side—towards a more just, peaceful, and prosperous Kenya.

The writer is the Director, Pastoralist Women Agency for Sustainable Development (PAWA)-Mandera.                                            Email [email protected]