About Wezesha
Founded in 2010, Wezesha Swahili for “empower” or “enable” is an African Diaspora-led development organisation dedicated to advancing the rights, dignity, and socio-economic wellbeing of African women, youth, and children affected by conflict, violence, and poverty. Established by two members of the African diaspora living in Ireland, Wezesha was created to translate knowledge, skills, and lessons learned in Europe particularly in women’s empowerment into meaningful and sustainable impact in communities of origin.
Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Wezesha works in collaboration with diaspora communities across Ireland and Europe to mobilise resources, strengthen solidarity, and promote sustainable development initiatives in Africa. Since its establishment, the organisation has implemented and supported programmes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Kenya. Wezesha Kenya and Wezesha Congo are independently registered entities with their own legal and governance frameworks, ensuring strong local ownership, accountability, and long-term sustainability.
Guided by principles of empowerment, solidarity, and capacity building, Wezesha works closely with local partners and stakeholders to combat sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), address structural poverty, and promote women’s economic independence. Through a sustainable development approach, the organisation supports income-generating initiatives, particularly in agriculture and horticulture, equips women with entrepreneurial and vocational skills, and facilitates access to medical, legal, and economic resources. In Kenya, for example, women from the Majengo informal settlement collectively purchased rural land where they now engage in agricultural production a transformative step toward economic self-reliance.