Elizabeth Njambi is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya. She is the Founder and CEO of Wakili.sha Initiative, a non-profit promoting access to justice for children in conflict with the law.
In Kenya, a staggering 80% of children in conflict with the law lack access to legal representation. This is why Elizabeth founded Wakili.sha. It is the only organization dedicated to children in conflict with the law in Kenya. Wakili.sha's main work areas are legal aid (free legal representation), mentorship & skills development and public awareness & advocacy.
Access to legal representation ensures that children in conflict with the law are guaranteed their constitutional right to a fair trial. Even so, going through the justice system means their education is disrupted. Adding salt to injury, they are often turned away from school and labelled as "delinquents or problematic children".
Their families often cannot afford private education. So out of desperation, many turn back to crime. Wakili.sha conducts mentorship and skills development training to increase their employability, thus empowering them and reducing recidivism.
Wakili.sha also has a Podcast that raises awareness on children's rights in conflict with the law (CICL), including the right to education. The aim is to shift harmful bias against CICL: to have them seen as children needing care and protection instead of offenders. Elizabeth is a co-host of the Wakili.sha Podcast.
Elizabeth is also a Development Podcasting Strategist using podcasts as an advocacy tool for change. Elizabeth envisions a world where youth have indiscriminate access to justice, education and employment.