BACKGROUND TUNAWEZA EMPORWERMENT PROGRAM:

Tunaweza Empowerment Organization CBO was established in the year 2015 with a group of young women who had been discriminated in their own society,
because they refused to undergo female genital mutilation and had wanted to end the vice among girls and young women in Kuria – Migori County.
TEO is a non-profit women’s rights, survivors-centered, and youth development advocacy community-based or-ganization that exists to catalyse the power of the most vulnerable girls, young women, and youth to create the fu-ture they imagine –for themselves, for their society, and for the world; working in Migori County and focuses its interventions in all the 10 sub-Counties. Tunaweza Empowerment Organization CBO was established in the year 2015 with a group of young women who had been discriminated in their own society because they refused to un-dergo female genital mutilation and had wanted to end the vice among girls and young women in Kuria – Migori County, Kenya.

Anchored on our foundational human rights-based approach of service to humanity to achieve social justice, gen-der equality, and poverty eradication. TEO’s vision is pursued through seven (7) program pillars namely Women Voices & Gender Equality, Good Governance & Human Rights, Sexual Reproductive Health Rights, Community Dialogues & Engagement, Media Advocacy, Environmental &Climate Justice, and our signature Leadership Devel-opment Program.

Tunaweza Empowerment believes in working with marginalized groups in the society; from poverty and exclusion homes. Tunaweza; a Swahili word meaning ‘we can’ was driven on the principle that together we can implement vibrant programs that would impact the greatest change in the lives of communities on relationships which capital-ize on the use of community-led innovative strategies in order to build and realize a just, equitable and progressive society which women, girls and youthfully enjoy their social, economic and political rights.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :

• Advocate of socio-economic and political rights of women, girls and young innovatives ;
• Sustained, and structured advocacy & empowerment interventions both offline ;
• Facilitating a greater access to Rights, healthcare, education, and improved livelihoods for young women, girls, and youth from poverty and exclusion ;
• Transformation to end all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) underpinning root causes & conse-quences.

POWER TO YOUTH PROJECT :
The vision of the Power to Youth consortium is that Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) from under-served communities make informed choices, enjoy their sexuality, and are free from harmful practices in gender-equitable and violence-free societies
ACCESS TO SEXUAL REPRODUCTION HEALTH SERVICES BY ADOLESCENT AND YOUTH IN MIGORI COUNTY :
The program connects adolescents and youth through TIKO initiative to access reproductive health services to trigger positive life choices by young people and make an unsurpassed impact on global health and well-being in three wards in Migori County (Bukira East, Tagare and Isebania).
BUILDING NETWORK FOR THE SURVIVORS OF MODERN-DAY SLAVERY TO ENHANCE TRANS-FORMATIONAL LEADERSHIPS FOR PREVENTION AND RESPONSE IN KURIA-KENYA :
To uplift and support survivors as they take center stage in key leadership positions; step towards shifting the power back to those most impacted – and enabling the survivors to make a real difference in the fight against modern slavery.
Tunaweza Project
A youth program and devolution project, dubbed Tunaweza. Project aims to support youth at the county level to meaningfully and inclusively engage their local duty bearers to spur social accountability and community-driven development.
STOP KURIA FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION/CUTTING FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF GIRLS AND WOMEN RIGHTS :
Manage to plan and to rapidly respond to the violation of the rights of the girls and young women in Kuria this time by strategically demanding prompt protection, response and beefing of surveillance of the villages to avert further cases as reported in over 20 villages amongst the two clans of the Kuria community out of a total of four clans.
Livelihoods Development
Household economic strengthening through individuals and group-based support. • Environmental conserva-tion for economic empowerment and inheritance for the coming generations • coaching and mentoring women on financial literacy and management. • Solar Renewable energy and environmental conservation • Agribusiness and value addition
Education and Life skills
Vocational Training and skills development • Financial Education and entrepreneurship • Human, women and children Rights (lobbying and advocacy)
Community Health and Sanitation
Water Sanitation and Hygiene • Health promotion • Behaviour change communication, participant & em-powerment for health promotion.
Life skills and living values
Teenage mothers, widows and people living with disabilities
Smart farming and Animal keeping/Poultry
Capacity building
Community public awareness
Drinking water supply and sanitation
Human rights [lobbying and advocacy]
Women, teenage mothers, children and people with special needs
Agribusiness and value addition
Financial Education and Entrepreneurships
Solar renewable energy and environment
Teaching in Kuria Community schools to impart basic education. Volunteers work in community schools and teach subjects such as English, Maths, General knowledge, Geography and Sciences. The schools in Kenya are open for the following months/terms: January to March, May to July and Sep to Nov. enquire more
FGM- Campaign against Female Genital Mutilation and early forced marriages among girls and keep them in schools. This is a great opportunity for volunteers to participate in girl child programs. Girls are circumcised at pu-berty (as young as 10 years old). They are kept out of school for 3-4 months, and then married off.
-IGA IDEAS-Sensitize and empower girls and women on sustainable Income Generating Activities for self-reliance. Women are very vulnerable and due to lack of knowledge and cultural pressure (a place of a woman) they cannot explore various sources of income to be self-reliant. They entirely depend on their husbands to bring everything home.
Volunteers also have the opportunity to participate in outreach programs including;
• Sporting
• Youth mentorship programs in local schools
• Repairs and renovation of schools
• Donating education materials e.g. books, pens etc.
• Home visits and nature walk
• Construction work

Accommodation is provided within a host family. There is shower and tap water at the accommodation, and with electricity.

During your stay on this project food will be provided by your host family, volunteer will be provided with three meals a day (break fast, lunch and dinner), food will be prepared by the host with the help of volunteers.

Most foods are locally made and fresh produced.

Excursions at Maasai Mara game reserve and visiting touristic destinations around the county of Rusinga Island.

You'll need to meet certain requirements, including age, health, and attitude. You'll also need a passport and visa to enter the country.

1. Age: You must be at least 18 years old (if you are below 18 years you need written consent from a guardian), or the age required by your program ;

2. Language: You should be able to speak at least basic English, or the language required by your program ;

3. Passport: You'll need a valid passport to enter Kenya ;

4. Visa: You'll need a Single Entry Visa or tourist visa to volunteer in Kenya ;

5. Travel insurance: You'll need to have travel and health insurance ;

6. Background check: You may need to provide a criminal background check report ;

7. Vaccinations: You may need to get certain vaccinations before entering Kenya ;

8. Training: You may need to participate in training provided by your organization ;

9. You should also be open-minded, flexible, and patient, and willing to step outside your comfort zone ;

10. A positive attitude towards independent progress of others ;

11. A willingness to adapt to local conditions.

Arrival Terminal - Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Nairobi.

Day 1: Arrival and pick up from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, in Nairobi, Kenya and transfer to host family home or hostel.

Day 2: Morning: registration and start of orientation. About 4 hours lecture at the home of your host. Topics covered during orientation lecture will include East African culture, history, customs, politics, geography, and necessary health precautions, and various other topics, such as the diversity of Kenyan life. Afternoon is free for exploring rural Kenyan life and getting to know your host family.

Additional requirements :

1. Some programs may have additional requirements, such as a registration fee or program fee ;
2. Medical volunteers may need to provide college enrollment documents ;
3. Volunteers working with children may need to provide a criminal background check report.

Participation fee : 400 Euros per months (12 months).

The project fee or extra fee includes : airport pick up, airport transfer, food, accommodation and host, transport from Nairobi to the project and back to Nairobi after the project, city tour, 2 days host In Nairobi on your arrival and last day after project, 24 hours Agape Centre Of Hope Office Support and project monitoring.

Duration of the project : 1-6-12 months.

This project is ran all throughout the year and is open to applications at all times.