Unbowed Women: Jackline Odhiambo
I heard about Nyanam through my good friend Teddy. In the very infant stages of Washa, my friend and I met for a casual drink and as all good friends do, he asked me what I needed help with. At the time, I was so inundated with the operations of the business, that I hadn’t put any thought or time to vet a good cause to support - which is a huge part of our mission. I needed a cause that truly went to the grassroots to uplift marginalised women in Kenya, so when Teddy told me about Nyanam, it was a no-brainer. Moreover, when I heard of Jackline Odhiambo, Nyanam’s ever-humble, ever-brilliant founder, I was ready to support.
Who is Jackline?
I am many things, which I love. A child of God, a grateful daughter to my mother, a public health researcher with a focus on women's health and health disparities, an advocate for widows, a pan-Africanist, and a delighted aunt to 6 Nephews and 2 Nieces.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Konyango village in the Nam Lowle (Lake Victoria) region in Kenya. I love living in rural areas and places near water bodies. I did my undergraduate in the Purple Mountains at Williams College. I have also lived in rural Rwanda, in Liverpool UK near the Merseyside River, and in San Fansisco Bay area.
Where is she now?
Currently I am a PhD student at Maseno University in Kisumu Kenya, through a sandwich program between Maseno and University of California San Francisco. I am also leading Nyanam Widows Rising, a restorative justice organization providing holistic empowerment to widow women in the Nam Lolwe region.
Why Nyanam?
I have been raised and loved by widows (my mother, my grandmother, my aunt, my host mother as a student at Williams). In my mother, I saw a resilient woman, making life happen for me and my siblings amidst loneliness and financial hardships. When my friends and I began giving back to Konyango through a school project and then a water project, we began to see the predicament of widows at societal level. Then one widow began approaching us to ask for help. Because of her persistence, we finally invite a few widows to ask if a community of widows would be a helpful resource for them. While we waited for 20 widows in a local church, 80 of them showed up and they resolved they wanted such a community to offer each other love, encouragement and economic support. We established Nyanam 2 years later as a way to love widows and help shape our communities to respect and support widows. Nyanam focuses on the personhood of widows and provides holistic support in health, justice, leadership and livelihood.
What inspired the name?
In Dholuo,”Nyanam” literally means “Daughter of the Lake” Culturally, Nyanam is used as a term of endearment for women from the Lake Victoria region.
What’s your favorite kenyan food?
Ugali , Fish and Mboga ya kienyeji. My favorite non-Kenyan food is Mexican food
What has been the greatest challenge as a young woman living abroad? (if any)
Missing family.
What’s your fav/worst memory of Nairobi?
I haven’t lived in Nairobi much but my least favorite part is the heavy traffic even at unexpected hours of the day
We’ve partnered with and promote the efforts of Nyanam International, who continue to empower and protect women in Kenya. Washa also donates 2% of candle sales to Nyanam International.
