“The HRD Academy turned a solitary struggle into a shared journey, and that is a gift I will always carry forward.”
When we sat down with Paul Mnang’at, a passionate advocate from West Pokot, he shared with Defenders Coalition a story rooted in legacy and community.
“I grew up watching advocacy unfold,” Paul began. “My late father would gather people to talk about justice in West Pokot.” His father, once employed by the World Bank, turned to civil society work after losing his job, dedicating his life to empowering others. “I walked beside him,” Paul recalled, “learning that speaking up for our community was both a duty and a legacy.”
That early exposure would later shape Paul’s own path. He traced his formal entry into advocacy back to 2010, during Kenya’s constitutional referendum. “I saw how illiteracy allowed budgets to be twisted and misused,” he told Defenders Coalition. Standing alongside his father, Paul helped demystify governance and amplify the voices of ordinary citizens who had long been ignored. “That experience planted the seed that has grown into the work I do today,” he reflected.
Though his current professional life is rooted in animal welfare, Paul says human rights have always remained at the center of his journey. Before joining the Human Rights Defenders (HRD) Academy in 2017, his work in advocacy often felt scattered and lonely. Intimidation, threats, and isolation were part of the struggle.
“When I joined the HRD Academy, everything changed,” he said. “It equipped me in ways I had not imagined.” Paul spoke about learning digital and physical security, data management, and documentation techniques; skills that transformed his ability to protect himself and others.
“I still remember the thrill of being taught how to detect if a device had been compromised,” he shared, “and how to secure information safely.”
Beyond the technical lessons, what stayed with Paul most was the sense of community the Academy fostered.
“It was transformative,” he said. “Engaging with other HRDs expanded my network and gave me the courage to return home and mentor others.” Today, he proudly notes that more HRDs in West Pokot are active and unafraid, a testament to the ripple effect of that training.
Some memories from the Academy, Paul told Defenders Coalition, remain etched in his heart: witnessing the Sengwer community win a landmark ruling, listening to Okiya Omtatah speak in person after only seeing him on TV, and learning the importance of self-care. “Even defenders must pause, breathe, and heal,” he emphasized.
Paul Mnang’at’s story reminds us that advocacy begins with community and grows through solidarity.