Under our program "Women and Entrepreneurship in Colour!" We hope to build the capacity of women in the urban informal settlements of Nairobi and pastoral communities who are survivors of violence against women.

Using color energy profiling by Clarity4D, these women are coached to better understand themselves and their human environment with an aim to understand their strengths and development areas.
To achieve this, the women are engaged through; Lead Self-coaching- Lead Enterprise Coaching- Mental Wellness support- and Linkage to access to microfinance.

We are grateful to our partners Haella Stichting and Clarity4D for providing the resources that made this possible.

In this post, we want to share with you some of the benefits and challenges of our program, as well as some success stories from our participants. Our program is based on the premise that women's entrepreneurship can be a powerful tool for economic growth, social inclusion, and gender equality.

According to various studies, female entrepreneurs represent a fast-growing category of entrepreneurship worldwide, but they face many barriers and obstacles that limit their potential. Some of these barriers include a lack of access to credit, education, training, networks, markets, role models and mentors. Moreover, many women entrepreneurs operate in low-growth sectors or necessity-driven activities that do not offer much opportunity for innovation or scaling up.

“Women and Entrepreneurship in Colour!” aims to address these challenges by providing women with a holistic approach that combines personal development, business skills, mental health support, and financial inclusion. Using Clarity4D's color energy profiling system, we help women identify their personality preferences, strengths, and areas for improvement. This helps them gain self-awareness, confidence, and motivation to pursue their entrepreneurial goals. We also offer them coaching sessions on how to lead themselves and their enterprises effectively, covering topics such as goal setting, planning, decision-making, problem-solving, communication, and teamwork. Additionally, we provide them with mental wellness support through counseling sessions that help them cope with stress, trauma, and emotional issues that may affect their well-being and performance. Finally, we link them with microfinance institutions that can offer them loans or grants to start or grow their businesses.

Our program commenced a couple of months ago and we have already enlisted over 200 women from different backgrounds and sectors. Some of the outcomes we have observed include:

- Increased self-esteem and empowerment among our participants.
- Improved business skills and knowledge.
- Enhanced innovation and creativity.
- Expanded networks and market opportunities.
- Higher-income generation and savings.
- Reduced poverty and vulnerability.
- Greater social impact in their communities

We are proud of our participants' achievements and we want to share some of their stories with you:

• Namelok is a 23 year old mother of 4 who runs a bead making business in Impiro center, Kajiado County, Kenya. She joined the program having survived intimate partner violence from her husband for a couple of years. She could not leave the marriage as she hadn’t any income to support her young family. Having been married while still a teenager and transitioning to motherhood before she was even 16, she only had basic literacy and numeracy skills. From her mother and grandmother, she had learned the art of beading. Through coaching and micro-financing from the project, she has started earning income for herself and with support from other women, emancipated herself from domestic abuse. With renewed confidence in herself and skills, she is hopeful for a thriving bead-making business. She has more friends now and participates in community activities, previously, a taboo.

In the end, we are grateful to our partners Haella Stichting and Clarity4D for providing the resources that made this possible, and we are thankful for all the participants.

Our esteemed MasterPeace Kosovo Club - SIT, is delighted to announce the successful integration of Program Y – Youth as "Thematic Modules for Child Protection" into Kosovo's formal education system. This momentous achievement is the culmination of years of unwavering dedication and strenuous efforts within the "Future for Youth" project.

This accomplishment represents a profound advancement in the promotion of a healthy lifestyle, the prevention of peer violence, the advocacy for gender equality, and the cultivation of collaboration among various stakeholders, including young individuals, educators, school representatives, and the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI).

What was once a cherished aspiration has now transformed into one of the most remarkable achievements for Program Y – Youth. This accomplishment serves as an indisputable testament to the power of collaboration and the unwavering commitment of all stakeholders. It signifies a significant leap toward enhancing the educational landscape in Kosovo and fostering a safer and more equitable environment for the youth.

As we celebrate this achievement, we also acknowledge that this is just the beginning of a journey towards a brighter and more promising future for Kosovo's youth. The MasterPeace Kosovo Club - SIT, alongside its partners, remains dedicated to continuously improving and expanding upon this initiative, ensuring that the benefits of these "Thematic Modules for Child Protection" reach every corner of the educational landscape and touch the lives of as many young individuals as possible. This integration is not just a success story; it is a testament to the power of collaboration, perseverance, and a shared vision for a better future. It is a commitment to nurturing the potential of youth and ultimately building a stronger, more inclusive, and harmonious society in Kosovo.

Storytelling is a powerful tool for education, communication and cultural preservation. It can stimulate creativity, enhance critical thinking, and foster social cohesion among learners. Storytelling can also help learners develop their literacy and numeracy skills by engaging them in oral and written narratives that involve counting, measuring, sequencing, problem-solving, and reasoning.

In Kenya, storytelling is a rich and diverse tradition that reflects the history, values and beliefs of different communities. However, many learners in urban and rural areas lack access to quality education and learning materials that can expose them to the benefits of storytelling. Moreover, many teachers are not trained or equipped to use storytelling as a pedagogical method in their classrooms.

The Hadithi Hadithi Project is an initiative that aims to improve the learning outcomes of learners in four locations in Kenya: Majengo, Kajiado, Mathare and Kisumu. The project will use storytelling as a means of enhancing literacy and numeracy skills among learners aged 6-14 years. The project aims at making storytelling interesting by further developing stories from the communities themselves and publishing them for their readership, in brief, help the children learn from their own environment that they can relate with. It’s in partnership with The Solomundo Foundation.

The project objectives are:

- To train teachers on how to use storytelling as a teaching strategy for literacy and numeracy.
- To provide learners with books, audio-visual materials and digital devices that contain stories relevant to their contexts.
- To facilitate storytelling sessions among learners where they can listen to, read, write and perform stories.
- To document and evaluate the impact of storytelling on learners' academic performance, motivation and attitudes.

The project activities are:

- Organizing workshops for teachers on how to integrate storytelling into their curricula.
- Distributing books, audio-visual materials and digital devices with stories to schools.
- Establishing storytelling clubs where learners can meet regularly to share stories.
- Organizing inter-school competitions where learners can showcase their storytelling skills.

The project outcomes are:

- Improved literacy and numeracy skills among learners who participate in the project.
- Improved confidence among the learners in their ability to communicate in English and solve mathematical problems.
- Increased interest and engagement of learners in reading, writing and performing stories.
- Enhanced cultural awareness and appreciation among learners who interact with stories from different communities.
- Improved teacher capacity and confidence in using storytelling as a teaching method.

Story of Change – Faith Muthoni

I have always loved stories since I was a little girl. They transported me to different worlds and made me imagine new possibilities. But I never thought that stories could also help me with my studies. That changed when I joined a storytelling club at school, there, I engaged with a story developed by other children in the community, about our community. This improved my communication skills, creativity, and confidence. I noticed that these skills also helped me in my academic subjects, especially because the Dandora Boy story has numeracy lessons entwined with the story. I could write better essays, solve problems more creatively, and participate more confidently in class discussions. Stories made learning fun and meaningful for me. Thanks to storytelling, I improved my performance in school and discovered a new passion.

Three days full of exchanging ideas, bonding with new and old friends, learning, and empowering each other! In the enchanting city of Kosice, Slovakia, hosted by EDU4U, 45 COOLeaders hailing from 15 diverse countries shared a common mission: to collectively cultivate peace during the MasterPeace Europe/MENA Bootcamp “EYE 2023 | COOLeaders; European Youth Leaders Empowered’. 

Our overarching objective was clear: to enhance the capabilities and expertise of our clubs while facilitating the exchange of best practices and knowledge. The BootCamp commenced with an exhilarating day dedicated to the vibrant exchange of ideas and knowledge. Within the conference room, a lively atmosphere prevailed as participants freely shared insights, passed around materials, swapped books, and drew inspiration from one another.

While exploring the captivating landscapes of the Vysoke Tatry region, participants not only forged connections with each other but also immersed themselves in the rich cultural heritage and history of the area.

The second day delved deep into subjects such as Doughnut Economics by Rob Shorter from DEAL (Doughnut Economics Action Lab), Artivism, and Social Entrepreneurship. Innovative workshops, method-sharing sessions, and project revelations were the highlights. Club representatives enriched their understanding, honed their skills, and expanded their knowledge base. They offered mutual empowerment, shared their expertise, established meaningful connections, and laid the groundwork for scaling their projects and methodologies, all within the dynamic setting of "Sponeja Skola" in Sečovce.

Adding a personal dimension to the event, the second day concluded with a heartfelt show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people. This moving moment culminated in a storytelling session led by our colleague Taras from MasterPeace Ukraine. Through compelling narratives, all the youth leaders explored the challenges of being catalysts for change in demanding circumstances.

Participants further deepened their bond with nature and honed their interpersonal skills through a variety of engaging methodologies and workshops. Their voices resonated in harmony as they sang the E(art)h Heartbeat song, symbolizing peace and unity with the Earth.

The primary focus was on cultivating core competencies and methodological expertise in innovative approaches to engage, connect with, and empower their ultimate beneficiaries—the youth. True magic had unfolded on multiple levels. As the BootCamp concluded, the enchantment did not dissipate; it left an indelible impression on the hearts and minds of all who gathered in Kosice.