Elizabeth Ogott
Education Development Trust
Kenya
Libby is the Africa Region head of programmes at Education Development Trust, an organization committed to transforming education systems to improve learning and life outcomes for all learners.
She is also on the board of a startup Obu Lamu, that is dedicated to improving the wellbeing and mental health of children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Libby’s lifelong purpose is to empower children to establish a strong foundation that will enable them to succeed in school, transition to solid employment and lead meaningful lives. Over the course of the WLW fellowship, Libby looks forward to learning from women who are intentional about making positive changes in the world and to channeling this renewed energy into making a difference in the lives of young people across Africa.
About
Me.
What is your story?
What drives your work?
I grew up in a polygamous family with my father being largely absent in my life but lucky enough to have a mother who was very compassionate, empathetic, empowering figure who encouraged me to work for and support causes that benefit fellow women. On the back of this, I always wanted to work in development, championing causes that improve livelihoods for women and girls. I have been privileged to work in organizations that support a woman's right to choose if and when she wants to have children. The reproductive rights work I was involved in for most of my career laid the foundation for the new direction in my a career. My current work is dedicated to improving the lives and livelihoods of all young people learning and life outcomes in part through improving confidence, self esteem of young people to improve their ability to learn and this can be achieved through a focus on mental health using art therapy as an enabler. My work is driven by my lifelong commitment to improving the life outcomes of children in particular marginalized groups like girls.
Describe your biggest strength as a leader
I have the ability to turn life's setbacks into a future successes-I have been laid off 3 times in my life but this has not deterred me, instead it has opened up avenues to explore new career paths e.g. my work in the education sector was born out of the closure of one of the organizations I was working in. Being unemployed for a year allowed me to explore jobs in education after many years working in reproductive rights.
I also have the ability to mobilize hope and urgency. I honed these skills as a reproductive health champion and will channel that experience to mobilize a community of changemakers to champion prioritizing mental health for children
Describe your biggest challenge as a leader
I tend to be very self critical which can lead to self sabotage. I have worked on this in the past with a professional coach and I have made some strides.
About the
Organization
and the Project.
Sector
Not-for-profit
Website
Vision & Mission
Vision: Our vision is a world in which all lives are transformed through excellent education. We strive to improve education for learners globally, grounding our work in research and evidence.
Mission: We support leaders to raise standards, improve school performance, develop great teachers and open career pathways – transforming lives and futures in contexts as diverse as Brunei, Kenya, England, Rwanda and Dubai.
Year Founded
1968
No. of Employees
2 full-time employees and 10 volunteers
Years in the Organization
1 year 10 months
Annual Budget (USD)
$5,000
Geographical Area Served
UK, Africa, Middle east, asia
Organizational /
Project Description
Direct impact
Goal: To improve health and wellness of children from disadvantaged backgrounds in Kenya by providing a safe space for their mental, physical, spiritual, emotional and social wellbeing.
Outcome: Build a community of 300 lead wellness volunteers that will train 1200 teachers to use creative art as a tool to create a safe space for 24,000 children from disadvantaged backgrounds, enabling them to express themselves more openly, improving their mental health and relationships with others.
Creative Arts Therapy is an approach where participants are supported to use various forms of art including painting, drawing, carving, sculpting, collages, dance, music and drama to express their deepest thoughts and feelings promoting healing from trauma, conflict and distress. The volunteers do not have to be trained psychologists or artists to use this methodology
Delivery approach
Month one tasks: 1. map out schools and children homes 2. Reach out to respective school and children homes and sign an MOU to partner on art therapy 3. Identify teachers to be part of the programme 4. Build capacity of lead trainers/volunteers through training and coaching
Months 2-5: 1. Train teachers in batches2. Develop fundraising strategy to scale programme 3. Write targeted proposals for funding 4. Conduct community awareness sessions
Month 6: Conduct first biannual impact assessment-mainly through gathering and analysing stakeholder feedback
Months 7-12: 1. Scale programme to other schools 2. Conduct community awareness sessions. 3. Conduct second biannual assessment"
Why is this project important and timely?
What is the target population of your project?
Target demographics
According to the National Violence against children survey in 2019, around one in two young adults in Kenya experienced violence as a child. This project will target 1200 teachers who will use art therapy methodologies in the classroom targeting around 24,000 children (ages 2 to 18) from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom experience abandonment, domestic abuse, emotional trauma and other psychological issues. A The art therapy sessions can be tailored to suit children of different ages.
How will you know that you have achieved that impact? What data will you use to assess your impact?
Participant feedback-we will conduct surveys at the end of every session and biannually to allow participants (teachers and children) to share their inputs, concerns and complaints on project activities anonymously. These insights will be used to adapt the art therapy sessions to better suit the needs of the target audience. Participants will be assured that their feedback is anonymous and that their input will be acted upon. Where appropriate, participants will be encouraged to provide verbal feedback at the end of every session.
How do you anticipate this unique leadership education impacting you personally? What new skills are you hoping too develop & grow through this experience?
This fellowship will allow me to be part of something exceptional-where I will horn my skills as a change maker under the tutelage of women who are leading the way. It will also allow me an opportunity to build my confidence, my social capital and self awareness which are critical for anyone who wants to elevate their leadership
Where would you like to see yourself professionally in the next 3 years?
I see myself working in development, leading global programs. I also see myself becoming a thought leader in mental health using art therapy in Kenya.