Esther Kimani

Esther Wambui Kimani is a Pan African Feminist thought leader and the founder of Zamara Foundation. Her work is rooted in the principles of justice, equity and intersectionality. Esther leads the Zamara Foundation (ZamaraFdn), a feminist organisation working towards strengthening the voices of women and girls in marginalised communities to challenge and transform the status quo. ZamaraFdn’s strategy focuses on movement building and community activism, advocacy, and intersectional feminist leadership development for adolescent girls and young women in all their diversities. In advancing reproductive justice in Kenya, ZamaraFdn trains young women on intersectional feminist leadership so they do not have to pick and choose which rights to advocate for. The organization creates safe spaces for adolescent girls, young women, young mothers, and young women sex workers. ZamaraFdn has supported young women in influencing the East Africa Community Sexual and Reproductive Health Bill 2021 at the East Africa Legislative Assembly.

Esther has been at the forefront of the feminist movement dedicated to challenging oppressive structures, dismantling patriarchal barriers, fostering siblinghood, and catalyzing transformative change. Esther has been keen on amplifying the voices of women across the continent by centering the unique experiences and challenges faced by women in Kenya. She has led interventions that address the intricate tapestry of intersectionality, recognizing the diverse identities and struggles within Kenya and Africa. She has extensive experience in feminist leadership development, sexual and reproductive health rights and justice, movement building for social change, and advancing women's and girls' rights and advocacy. She has over 13 years of experience with program development and design, management, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and learning. Esther has written opinion pieces in Kenyan newspapers and contributed to knowledge products such as the Beijing Dispatch Journal by Akina Mama wa Afrika, the pan-African feminist leadership development organization. She is also a founding member of the African Young Women and Advocacy Alliance, a network of young women leaders keen on influencing policy processes at regional and national levels. Esther holds a BA in Psychology from Egerton University in Kenya.