Book Review: Women’s Spiritual Leadership in Africa. Tempered Radicals and Critical Servant Leaders

A review on research carried out on women’s and gender studies by researchers and activists based in English-Speaking sub-Saharan Africa identified: health; gender-based violence; sexuality, education, globalization and work; and politics, the state and nongovernmental organizations as the common feminist issues (Ampofu, Beoku-Betts, Njambi & Osirim, 2004). Few studies have focused on women leadership in Africa beyond the political realms, an area that is profoundly gendered. The central focus of Faith Wambura Ngunjiri’s book is to determine how women interpret their experience as leaders, including how they are able to thrive and be effective in spite of challenges to their authority. At the heart of the book are diverse experiences provided by sixteen women leaders in Kenya. The participants comprise of women belonging to varying age groups ranging from 40-80 years. The women work in different professions and bear distinct social backgrounds. A common thread that runs through the narratives is a professional focus on social justice issues. More specifically, some women work in politics, economic empowerment of women, education, human rights arena, religious organizations an