Biography

Prof. Rubai Mandela is an Associate Professor of Education at Kenyatta University with over 20 years of research experience, anchored in her doctoral research on Gender and HIV/AIDS Education in Refugee Schools. While specializing in gender, she has conducted substantive research in values and life skills, served as the process manager for ALiVE Co-Impact Design Phase in 2024 and contributed to WERK’s VBE project of 2015. A highly published scholar with numerous peer-reviewed journal papers and books, she has won prestigious funding, including a senior research grant from CODESRIA. Her deep research footprint in marginalized communities and girls’ education spans key roles in the KNATCOM FGM research, the landmark Wasichana Wote Wasome project, and the Bill and Melinda Gates-funded KU-WEE Hub. Prof. Mandela has authored training modules, trained teachers in gender-responsive pedagogy, and equipped Civil Society Organization leadership to lead with a gender lens through targeted organizational gender audits and transformative training. She mentors vulnerable girls and founded the Awinja Education Centre to nurture young transformational leaders. In 2025, she won a national award for her substantive contribution to the National Gender Research Agenda (NGRA). A trusted academic authority, she serves as an external examiner for the University of Nairobi, peer-reviews for Elsevier, and has supervised numerous postgraduate students.