Interdisciplinary Seminar:
Education for Employment, Economic Independence and Decision-making
Convener: Suhad Jarrar-Browne, Great Britain

Working with Kenyan women: knowing each other in a cultural journey towards development
Paola Bernardini Mosconi and Barbara Airò, Italian Federation of Women Graduates

This paper aims to present the activity of the Italian Federation of Women Graduates (FILDIS) concerning the promotion of sustainable development in Africa and the role of women therein. According to its mission, FILDIS is making efforts to work with African women and women’s organizations (such as the National Council of Women of Kenya) in order to

• enable them to improve their knowledge and skills;
• get an income allowing them to avoid internal and external emigration;
• promote social equality;
• safeguard their identity while knowing each other .

To make this possible, FILDIS is working with different projects in Kenya. The guidelines are:

• sending aid and equipment to women;
• building a multi-media education center for the diffusion of literacy skills among girls and women and for the promotion of computer literacy;
• proposing solutions to water problems.

This activity could contribute to amelioration of the life and health conditions of African women and promote sustainable development of the environment where they live and work; this activity is also oriented towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

Paola Bernardini Mosconi is a retired Professor of Zoology, who has been teaching at the University of Pavia and at the National Somali University. Since 1992, as a researcher at Nairobi University and at the National Museum of Kenya, she has directed the co-operative project for the Conservation and Development of Lake Turkana ecosystem. A member of the Italian Federation of Women Graduates since 1959, she has been President of the Pavia group, Coordinator for International Relations and National President; presently national co-president.

Barbara Airò , a graduate in Arabic Language and Literature of the University of Venice with a PhD in the History of Africa, teaches Arabic at the University of Pavia. She has been on study and research in Tunisia for two years. A member of the Italian Federation of Women Graduates, she is Coordinator for International Relations of the Pavia group.