ENCINITAS — Kenyan educator, activist and campaigner for social justice, Wahu Kaara, visited the Grauer School Center for International Education Nov. 3.
Kaara is renowned for her work as a gender trainer and community mobilizer and serves as the Executive Director of the Kenya Debt Relief Network, an organization she helped found in 1999. In recognition of her accomplishments, Project Concern International and the Gem Foundation honored her with a humanitarian award Nov. 5. The Gem Foundation supports community-led health and development around the world by creating collaborative networks that invest in people’s capacity to transform their own lives.
While in San Diego, Kaara was recorded for The Grauer School’s online “Living Library,” a project that documents elder legacies for student research. She imparted her lifelong experiences leading up to her participation as a member of the 1,000 women Nobel Peace Prize nominees for the year 2005. In partnership with Brazilian President Lula Ingacio d’Silva, she launched the Global Call to Action against Poverty in Porto Alegre, Brazil in January 2005, the single largest global mobilization of citizens against poverty. Since 2005, Kaara has been a member of and advocate for Jubilee San Diego, raising awareness of the global debt crisis. Members from the Grauer School International Center will be rejoining Kaara in December this year at the Parliament of World Religions in Melbourne, Australia.
In addition to serving on the council of the Africa Social Forum and the Africa Women Economic Policy Network, she is currently involved in the creation of the Africa Mother’s Foundation, an organization that will document the contribution of women in the development of Africa. Her political aspirations include her plans to run for president of Kenya in 2012.
For additional information, call (760) 944-6777 or visit www.grauerschool.com.
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