A multidisciplinary research team from Kibabii University has received a KShs. 1,099,725 (One Million, ninety nine thousand, seven hundred and twenty five) grant from the Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health (TICAH) to undertake a groundbreaking study titled “Exploring Cultural Approaches to Addressing the Root Causes of Violence against Women and Children” in Mt. Elgon Area, Bungoma County, Kenya.
The award follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Kibabii University and TICAH on 17th October, 2024, through the Institute of Gender and Development Studies (IGDS). This marked the beginning of a strategic partnership focused on community-based research and advocacy around indigenous knowledge systems.
Leading the Kibabii University research team is Dr. Rispah Wepukhulu (Principal Investigator), supported by Onex Opati (Co-Principal Investigator), Isaac Manje and Claartje Wakhungu (Research Assistants), and Martin Cherotei (Translator/Interpreter). The team will collaborate closely with TICAH representatives Jedidah Maina, Peter Otieno and Mordecai Odera (Co-Principal Investigators), and Anastasia Onyango (Research Assistant) for technical and logistical support.
The study seeks to interrogate the complex cultural dimensions surrounding Violence against Women and Children (VAWC) by identifying and documenting local practices that either contribute to or help curb violence. Key objectives include examining community perceptions of cultural responses to VAWC, assessing the effectiveness of existing cultural practices in prevention efforts, and proposing policy recommendations that can inform national frameworks and interventions.
Dr. Rispah Wepukhulu, who serves as the Director of the Institute of Gender and Development Studies expressed her appreciation by stating that, “We are grateful to TICAH for this generous support and to Kibabii University for creating a strong research environment that encourages collaborative solutions to pressing societal issues. This study is not only timely but critical in uncovering culturally grounded strategies that can complement formal systems in addressing violence against women and children.”
Violence against women and children remains a deeply entrenched problem across Sub-Saharan Africa, driven by a mix of harmful cultural norms, economic challenges, and systemic inequities. The Kibabii-TICAH research initiative aims to create actionable knowledge that uplifts community voices and provides culturally relevant pathways to lasting peace and safety for vulnerable populations.
This collaborative effort reaffirms Kibabii University’s commitment to impactful research and community engagement that advances social justice and inclusive development, and TICAH’s commitment to community-led research, preservation of indigenous knowledge, and promoting culturally grounded solutions to social challenges such as violence against women and children.
research team
