Theresia Mutua
Drylands Natural Resources Centre (DNRC) - Kenya
Theresia Mutua is the program manager at DNRC; DNRC is a NGO in Kenya promoting sustainable development of natural resources of the dry regions of Kenya in order to bring about improved livelihoods of the marginalized communities and people living there. The organization equips subsistence farmers in drylands to restore their degraded lands and address the challenges of deforestation falling agricultural yields, failing livelihoods, water scarcity, loss of traditional knowledge and climate change variation through permaculture and Agro- ecology best practices. DNRC is currently working with 800 households (about 4200 people) and 15 schools (about 3000) pupils) in the drylands of Kenya in Makueni county Mbooni East. Theresia holds a bachelor’s degree in integrated community development. she took her permaculture design course (PDC) training early 2015 with Nicholas Syano and Joseph Ntunyui well known PDC facilitators in East Africa. Since then, Theresia has been practicing permaculture and agro- ecology at personal level and at DNRC which is a wellknown mature permaculture site. Theresia has overseen the success and growth of DNRC as the program manager since 2012 and day to day running of the same as well as human resource person. She writes proposals for funding, sensitize, mobilize and train farmers’ groups especially on leadership and leading women to benefit from government grants. She is a key facilitator in PDC courses hosted by DNRC thrice per year. Theresia takes part in external consultancies for DNRC on permaculture and Agro-ecology. She also worked in CONGRI Nyumbani village Kitui dealing with orphans and vulnerable children for three years.
My expectation for joining women's leadership circle is to learn more on leadership, management and networking.