In late April, female bishops from across Africa gathered in Nairobi for a morning of prayer and reflection. Known as the “Africa Six,” the bishops from Lesotho, Eswatini, South Sudan, Angola, and Kenya are part of a growing movement for greater inclusion of women in church leadership.

From left to right: The Rt Revd Filomena Tete Estevão, Bishop of Bom Pasteur (Angola); The Rt Revd Dr Emily Onyango, Bishop of Bondo (Kenya); The Rt Revd Dr Vicentia Kgabe, Bishop of Lesotho; The Rt Revd Rose Okeno, Bishop of Butere (Kenya); The Rt Revd Dr Dalcy Badeli Dlamini, Bishop of Eswatini; The Rt Revd Elizabeth Awut Ngor, Bishop of South Sudan; Fran Mate, Senior Regional Manager for Africa USPG.

Hosted at All Saints’ Cathedral, Nairobi, by the Centre for Anglican Women’s Leadership and Research in Africa (CAWLRA), the event fostered honest dialogue, strengthened partnerships, and renewed commitment to collaborative ministry. This gathering marks another important step in USPG’s ongoing support for theological leadership in Africa and the advancement of gender justice across the Anglican Communion.

Speaking at the gathering, The Rt Revd Dr Vicentia Kgabe, Bishop of Lesotho and Chair of CAWLRA, emphasised that:

We know and see that there is a growing number of young women who seek to enter the spaces of leadership. [And so] we should not be gatekeepers. We should open the doors, mentor, inspire and encourage. CAWLRA seeks to create a legacy that will empower both lay and ordained leaders for generations to come.

Senior Regional Manager for Africa, Fran Mate, was privileged to represent USPG, deepening our partnership with CAWLRA and reaffirming our shared vision of inclusive leadership in the Church. CAWLRA, hosted at St Paul’s University in Limuru, Kenya, has a vital role in equipping women for ministry through bespoke training, mentoring and leadership development.

Looking ahead, USPG is delighted to be welcoming Bishop Vicentia Kgabe as a keynote speaker at our 2025 conference this summer. Her voice and vision will bring valuable insights as we explore the theme ‘We Believe, We Belong?’.