DePaul Honors Social Justice Champions in Kenya

Two Kenyan crusaders who are using dialogue and education to reform their deeply divided country were recently recognized by DePaul University with honorary doctorates for their distinguished careers and service to others.

Sister Ephigenia W. Gachiri, a renowned educator and activist who has dedicated herself to improving the lives of young women in Kenya; and Mary Getui, an established expert on the roles of religion, family and public health in Africa; received a Doctor of Humane Letters degree during a Dec. 1 ceremony at Tangaza College in Nairobi, Kenya.

The ceremony was part of commencement activities for an undergraduate degree program offered by DePaul’s School for New Learning in partnership with Tangaza College. Twenty two students graduated with degrees in leadership and management from the program, which is now in its fifth year.

Students in the program include laypeople and religious men and women who are chosen by their communities because of their leadership potential.

DePaul’s president, the Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, awarded the degrees. Founded in 1898, DePaul is the largest Catholic university in the United States. Tangaza College, which is also a Catholic institution, prepares graduates for ministerial and social work.
       
“This year’s graduates have dedicated themselves to serving others in social service organizations and religious communities. That level of dedication honors the work of our namesake, St. Vincent de Paul, who served and cared for those that society left behind,” Holtschneider said, in a news release.

In order to earn their degrees, students in the program completed advanced projects, similar to a senior thesis, and put their research into action by implementing their projects.

One of the students in this year’s graduating class plans to build homes for low-income families. He began by building homes for his own family and now has plans to build complexes of homes for families in need.

“The leadership and management program at Tangaza enables students to pursue these valuable projects by teaching them how to think strategically and how to run a nonprofit business,” Holtschneider said, in the release.

Another graduate researched cross-cultural communication as a tool for effective leadership of women religious formation programs in Africa, while another studied the effect of institutional care on the parenting styles of young mothers.

The degree program, which is designed for adult learners, was established at Tangaza College in 2006 with a grant from the Conrad H. Hilton Foundation. Its goal is to educate a qualified workforce, build the capacity of Catholic religious congregations to carry out their missions and contribute to the revitalization of Africa.

The two distinguished Kenyans who received honorary doctorates at the commencement have also contributed greatly to societal changes in Africa.

One degree was conferred on Sister Gachiri, who joined the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also known as the Loreto Sisters, in 1965 with the hope of educating young women. She is widely regarded for her fight against the practice of female genital mutilation. She has written four books on the subject and has spoken at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

Getui, the other honorary degree recipient, presents a strong voice on some of the most pressing issues facing Africa, including the advancement of women and the HIV and AIDS crisis.

In 2009, Kenya’s president appointed Getui as chair of the National AIDS Control Council. Under her leadership, the council coordinated Kenya’s response to the AIDS crisis, ensuring Kenyans have access to testing, counseling and treatment, while educating them about how to prevent infection.

Editor's Note: The above information was provided by DePaul University.

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