Who We Are

From hotel table conversations to a grassroot movement for human rights

Our Origin Story

The She Main Table began in 2017 as something beautifully simple: passionate women meeting every fortnight around prominent tables in Nairobi hotels. For 2-3 hours in the evenings, about 9-15 of us would gather to undertake the difficult conversations on issues affecting women that are ordinarily swept under the carpet.

What started as a support space for women experiencing toxic work spaces quickly evolved. We added a 'feel good aspect' to validate our worth and ourselves. These conversations snowballed to include women beyond work spaces, specifically in urban slums and Indigenous communities.

As we continued meeting, we started identifying and linking those in need of professional legal and psychosocial assistance. From these conversations, The She Main Table transformed organically into a formal entity focused on women's experiences of human rights violations and the need to harness their capacity and passion to change their fate.

The She Main Table was born of the need and desire to elevate the agency of women to positively influence the human rights situation.
Image: Early gathering of The She Main Table members around a hotel table in Nairobi, 2017

Our Vision

A society where social, economic and cultural rights are enjoyed by all.

Our Mission

The She Main Table is dedicated to community organizing by mainstreaming the voices of women in marginalized urban poor and Indigenous communities through supporting knowledge and skills enhancement, strategic linkages and visibility for power.

Our Goal

Grassroot women influencing state's compliance on economic, social and cultural rights.

Our Core Values

Gender Equality, Inclusion & Meaningful Participation

We center the voices and experiences of women, ensuring meaningful participation in all our work.

Responsibility, Transparency & Accountability

We hold ourselves and duty bearers accountable while maintaining transparency in all our actions.

Strong Bias with Marginalized Communities

We deliberately center and prioritize the most marginalized in our society.

Care, Respect & Trust in People's Agency

We believe in the inherent capacity of communities to organize and advocate for themselves.

Empathy

We approach our work with deep understanding and compassion for the experiences of the women we serve.

Radical Solidarity

We foster love, resilience, and empowerment through unwavering support and mutual accountability.

Honesty

We commit to truth-telling and integrity in all our interactions and advocacy work.

Our Theory of Change

The She Main Table uses community organizing as a tool for building collective power for women in marginalized communities where they identify issues affecting them and co-create solutions using a human rights framework.

1

Enhance Capacity

Grassroot women gain skills, knowledge and attitude in claiming their human rights

2

Build Confidence

Women develop confidence, knowhow and desire to actively engage duty bearers

3

Demand Accountability

Communities hold duty bearers accountable towards compliance to state obligations

4

Realize Rights

Snowball effect leading to realization of human rights and dignity for all

Our People

The She Main Table is comprised of a versatile and committed team of nine professionals currently offering their Pro Bono services to the organization.

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Naomi Barasa

Founder & Lead Organizer

nbarasa@theshemaintable.org
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Nicholas Dola

IT Engineering

ndola@theshemaintable.org
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Kimwaf Mwikali

Communication & Project Management

fmwikali@theshemaintable.org
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Fred Otieno

Peace Building & Conflict Resolution

fotieno@theshemaintable.org
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Beryl Adhiambo

Gender & Development

badhiambo@theshemaintable.org
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Steenie Njoroge

Law & Strategic Campaigning

snjoroge@theshemaintable.org
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Roy Kimathi

Human Resource & Administration

rkimathi@theshemaintable.org

Want to Learn More?

Download our complete organizational profile for detailed information about our work, approaches, and impact.

Download Full Profile (PDF)

Collaborate With Us

We believe in the power of partnerships and collective action. Whether you're an organization, funder, researcher, or individual passionate about human rights, there are many ways to work with us.

Fund Our Work

Support community organizing and rights advocacy in marginalized communities

Partner With Us

Join forces for greater impact on economic, social, and cultural rights

Volunteer

Share your skills and expertise with our movement

Research Together

Co-create knowledge through participatory action research

Get In Touch