You may remember that in 2022, Empower in Africa went from U. S. led to, as one of our Kenyan partners said, “us” led. And true to this calling, our partners are doing great things. Below is a summary report from Executive Director for Africa, Dr. Frank Tweheyo.
While our international partners are going fabulously, Empower still needs to provide financial support. If you would like to support their incredible work, please go to our website for instructions and options — https://empowerinternational.org/support-us/. As always, we are grateful for your interest, support, and prayers!
Carrie Miles, President, Empower International Ministries
From Dr. Frank — 
We would like to give glory to God for the year that is coming to the close. During this year, great strides have been taken in Empower ministry across Africa.
1-Nairobi Diocese, Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK)
First of all, Empower was so glad to be invited to participate in the Enthronement and Consecration of Canon Jonathan Kabiru, as the Bishop of ACK Nairobi Diocese in March this year. Bishop Jonathan, a graduate of NMNWNL at St. Paul’s University, is also the husband of our Senior trainer, Mama Faith Kabiru.
Bishop Kabiru’s Consecration and assumption to the office of Bishop of Nairobi has already proven to be a huge blessing. He has appointed a clergy in charge of Training, Rev. Mary, to be the focal point for Empower programs in the Diocese. Already, one cohort has been trained and some of them did the Master Class in the recently concluded training at St. Paul’s. Together with Mama Faith, they are keen to see that every clergy and their spouses are trained in the NMNWNL, Master Class and finally TOT, so that the can continuously run their programs.
Mama Faith is so passionate about Empower message. Her position as Mother’s Union President in the Diocese and being the Bishop’s wife is a great blessing to Empower. So far she has connected us to other Dioceses like Mount Kenya South, whose Clergy participated in the NMNWNL seminar at St. Paul’s and some in the recently concluded Master Class at the same venue.
Several other ACK Dioceses are lined up to do the seminar and the MC next year.
Mama Faith also connected us to Pioneer University, and together with her, we did a Vison casting at the Theology School of the University in Muranga County, attended by the Proprietor, Dr Monga, and the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Gideon Mania. We will begin trainings next year.
2- St. Paul’s University Outreach Programs
St. Paul’s University SPILL has arranged several outreaches, among which is the Diocese of Makueni. We did the NMNWNL seminar and are scheduled to do the MC Next year (Hopefully in March when Dr Carrie Miles is scheduled to visit Africa). Bishop Francis Matui of Makueni is so enthusiastic of the program, having gone through the seminar himself some years back at St. Paul’s, as well as sending some clergy to go through the seminar. One of the clergy in the diocese, Ven. Canon Dr Scholar, is also a senior trainer for Empower.
Further more, last month (November), we did a very successful training with most of the clergy of Mbeere Diocese ACK. Mbeere is in the Eastern Region in the greater MT. Kenya Region. Overall we trained 78 clergy led by the Bishop, Rt. Rev. Prof. Moses Masamba and his Assistant Bishop. The program was so successful that the Bishop has requested (me) to come and address the Synod ( the highest decisional body of the diocese) that sits once a year, as well as inviting Dr Carrie Miles to visit the Diocese when she travels to Africa.
Other Outreaches being planned under St. Paul’s initiative are Bondo Diocese ACK, Maseno West ACK, Maseno East ACK among others.
3- African Prime Leadership Training Institute (APLETI)
This institute, whose Proprietor and Director is our close friend and long-time Partner, Dr Zablon Bundi, has done several trainings since its inception, last year 2024. Many participants so far have gone through this institute for the seminar as well as MC. Next year we will do a TOT for them so that they can begin to run their own programs. The NMNW programs have gotten so popular that there is almost always an overflow of participants with many being referred to the next training. As I write, there is another training taking place at the same Institute.
4- Teen Challenge Nairobi.
For over 12 years , Empower has partnered with the Teen Challenge to train their students in the New man New Woman new Life program. The students are men and women who are undergoing healing from several addictions including Alcohol, sex , drug other addictions. the NMNWNL program has become so popular that many times the TC combines their three campuses (The Woman, The main(male) and the Nakuru) to do the NMNWNL seminars. Some of our graduates include lawyers, engineers, teachers, accountants etc. and some of them have remained close to us and often participate in trainings at TC and other places within Nairobi.
5. Uganda
Joyce Ouko, the President of Empower Uganda, together with her husband Julius and their teammates have conducted many seminars in diverse places in the country, some of which are very hard to reach Islands on the great Lake Victoria. A visit to the reports they send confirms the impact of these trainings. Trainings have taken the Ouko’s’ and their team to Northern Uganda, Karamoja region, Central Region (Luwero, Lugazi etc.), and wherever they go, transformation is realized and new invitations are received. Next year, with availability of funds, will be a busy year for the Uganda seminars and MC’s.
KEST (Kampala Evangelical School Of Theology): Our long-time partner and friend, Pastor Emma Akatukunda who is the Dean at this school, recently graduated with a PhD. Since he is now settled, he has requested that we resume NMNWNL seminars at KEST. Plans are underway to have a training there in the first quarter of thee year.
6-Rwanda.
Ongoing programs are at East African Christian College and Byumba Diocese. They were temporarily halted due to the government’s closure of some religious institutions in the country , but set to resume next year. Strategically, another institution is being added on our Rwandan Radar: The African College of Theology (ACTS), where one of our senior trainers, Dr Judith Tindimwebwa, is the Quality Assurance Officer.
Several other Anglican Dioceses in Rwanda have invited us: Butare and Kibungo Dioceses. Kigali Diocese under Bishop Amooti Rusengo has also shown interest and will be followed up this coming year. There will be a need to revisit our Kinyarwanda mannual to compensate for those who don’t speak English.
7-Burundi.
Burundi programs were temporarily put on hold due to political instabilities that have bedeviled the country, with border with Rwanda closed and war in the neighboring D. R. Congo destabilizing the region. We hope and pray that next year things will stabilize so that we can resume trainings. The Anglican dioceses of Matana and Rutana are waiting for us and are ready for the seminars.
8-Malawi.
Pastor Arnold Phiri and Pastor Dr Sally Bryant have continued to do a great job in Malawi. Sally has continued to do her yearly visits which are continuing to produce a lot of fruit. Next yea, we are planning on joining her and Arnold to extend the trainings among our new-found friends in that country, in Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu.
9-Zambia.
Next year, Carrie and Frank will conduct a MC for the class that Phobice and Frank did two years ago. Zambia has capacity to expand these trainings to the greater Southern African Region.
10-West Africa.
I (Frank) had the opportunity to be invited to Nigeria to speak in a Conference in August this year. I made contacts with our friends with whom we conducted NMNWNL seminars in 2012 (in Benin City and Lagos). As well, we made new contacts with influential Bishops in the Republic of Benin who invited Empower to go and train there. Benin is the origin of Voodoo worship and other African Animist religions and the message of NMNWNL would greatly influence the great people of Benin toward redemption and transformation.
11. Why are the NMNWNL programs are ever increasingly becoming popular?
Much of the cultural setting of Africa promotes the systemic patriarchal cultural practices such as Bride Price, FGM, etc., that demean and subjugate women and other disadvantaged groups. These are normally seen as being reinforced by the Bible, such as the “Curse” narrative in Genesis 3 and Paul’s purported use of the Words: Submission, headship etc. NMNWNL Manual goes back to rectify the erroneous traditional understanding of these scriptures, and help align them with the Redemption message.
When participants learn that they were never cursed, and that God’s original intention of Man and Woman was to be one, equal, Naked and unashamed, many begin to repent, call, their wives to share PIN numbers or bring them the next day, share PIN numbers and Bank Accounts when they go back home, and life becomes good. Clergy men and women repent of teaching false doctrines that man and woman were cursed , that woman is a weaker sex and should not be trusted, or that women should not inherit property. Others stop beating their wives, while others begin to share meat (meals) with their wives.
We take this opportunity to thank you, Dr Carrie Miles, for the passion toward these and many other programs as well as those who support you financially, morally, prayerfully and otherwise. Your support is making African cultures to be transformed and individuals to be redeemed and great many people becoming new Men New Women and enjoying new Life in Christ!