About Us
In 2012 we started by working with students in primary and secondary schools, providing school sponsorship and family interventions. With time, we realized the importance of instilling mentorship and post-secondary opportunities for our students to make a successful transition to independent adulthood. With that realization, our university program was created with a robust mental health counseling and mentorship component. Since then we have demonstrated success with students who have transitioned through our programs from a young age and are now in the Kenyan job market as businesspeople and professionals.
In 2022 we recognized the way climate change is increasing poverty and stress on the people of Kenya and our largest current initiative involves alleviation of suffering for communities in Kenya impacted by drought. This includes provision of school lunch to over 78,000 students in drought affected Kajiado County. Intentional selection of students from this community for our high school and university programs help the community expand beyond pastoralism to more long-term sustainable careers which will not be so heavily affected by climate change.
It fills us with joy to see these students achieving their dreams and finding alleviation from the burden of consistent hunger. But we are not done yet. Still, only 15-17% of Kenyan girls graduate university, and there are still 90 schools in Kajiado County urgently in need of feeding intervention. We are not interested in putting band aids on an issue of systematic poverty; rather we are working to interrupt the systems and provide interventions that will break Kenyans out of the poverty cycle.
With the help of our very committed and talented staff, as well as individual and organizational donors, we know we can continue to light a path out of poverty for more deserving children, young adults, and families in Kenya in the years to come!
Who we are
Our mission is to provide education and health interventions which "light a path out of poverty" and bring hope for a brighter future for impoverished students and communities in Kenya.
We believe that simply being born into poverty should not dictate the end of an individual's story. Central to our mission is economic inclusion: ensuring that women, children and young adults from impoverished communities in Kenya can embrace hope for their futures. We place a special emphasis on empowering women and girls to strive for gender equality and boost economic growth, that allows for individuals to break out of the poverty cycle in the communities where we work. Since our founding in 2012 we have impacted over 78,000 individuals from impoverished communities across Kenya.
Program Officer - Project Wezesha
Job Location: Kajiado County
Contract Details: Fixed Term Nine (9) Months’ Contract, renewable subject to availability of funds and performance
Years of Experience: 3 - 4 years
About the Position
Job Summary
Supporting implementation and monitoring of Project Wezesha across Kajiado County with a critical focus on building community capacity on VSLAs and improving the general livelihoods within the communities the project serves.
Project Implementation
- Conduct daily monitoring of the project affiliated women groups to identify capacity gaps for training and capacity enhancement.
- Develop and initiate community empowerment plans in collaboration with women groups, community leaders and other relevant stakeholders.
- Coordinate and monitor community empowerment activities to ensure they align with the overall program goal.
- Serve as the primary contact between the women groups and the project
- Identify challenges the communities face and recommend the best approaches for program adaptive management
- Facilitate workshops and training sessions for the women groups and follow up on the VSLAs to ensure they reach their optimum capacity
- Link the women groups/communities to funding opportunities available within the county
- Prepare and submit monthly reports summarizing the program's status, impact, and areas requiring improvement.
- Contribute to the development of best practices for scaling the program to additional schools.
- Organize and facilitate training sessions to the community members especially the women groups focusing on VSLA development
- Promote the replication of project components at the household level.
- Mobilize community members and ensure meaningful participation of women in all project activities at all levels.
- Build strong relationships with community leaders, local institutions, and relevant stakeholders.
- Work with local extension officers and technical experts to deliver practical demonstrations.
- Collect data and document progress of VSLAs, kitchen gardens, deep tillage, tree planting activities and replication of the project components at the household/community level.
- Prepare field reports, success stories, and case studies in collaboration with the M&E team.
- Regularly share pictorial updates of the project’s initiatives.
- Monitor the participation and progress of women-led initiatives and provide regular updates.
Education, Qualifications, Skills & Experience Required
- Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences,Community Development, Development Studies, or related field.
- At least five years of experience in a related field with progressively responsible experience in similar roles.
- Experience working with rural communities, especially women and youth, is highly desirable.
- Knowledge of community economic empowerment, VSLA establishment and community mobilization is highly desirable.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Ability to ride a motorcycle and possession of a valid license is an added advantage.
- Comfortable utilizing different data collection and reporting systems e.g. Kobo, ODK, Google Forms, Excel/Sheets, etc
- Ability to work independently and in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
- Willingness to travel frequently between schools/communities and work in diverse, field-based environments.
Job Location: Nairobi, with 25 % travel to the project sites
Contract Details: Fixed Term One (1) Year Contract, renewable subject to availability of funds and performance
About the Position
Job Summary
The incumbent will provide efficient and effective procurement and logistics support in compliance with LUH’s and Donor policies and procedures.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Procurement
- Conduct cost effective end to end procurement of office and program supplies, share local purchase orders and expedite on delivery of goods and or services.
- Processing Supply Requests’ ensuring that they are authorized correctly and in compliance to the policies and procedures.
- Maintain an up-to-date supplier’s database, contracts and contacts for all service providers
- Develop and maintain a healthy supplier relationship, ensuring any arising differences are resolved amicably
- Provide technical support to staff on procurement processes and procedures.
- Develop and track an annual procurement plan while ensuring timely and accurate re-ordering of programs supplies
- In liaison with the tender committee, oversee open and closed tender procedures and perform bid analysis and filing.
- Responsible for submission of supplier’s invoices to the finance department and ensure timely payment processing
- Liaising and negotiating with suppliers and retailers for project procurement to ensure economies of scale and value for money
- Responsible for procuring of services e.g., Conferences/ Meals and accommodation
- Maintain up to date LUH Procurement data management system
Logistics
- Build good and trust-based relations with service providers and represent the organization in its relationships with them.
- Support the Executive Director on logistics related strategic planning and budgeting.
- Responsible for fleet of vehicles and motorbikes, ensuring that they are safe for use, insured and comply to statutory requirements
- Ensure efficient and cost-effective coordination of ground transport in support of programs through proper scheduling and planning the use, movement, maintenance and repair of vehicles and motorbikes.
- Ensure compliance to the transport and fleet management policy.
- Mentor and inspire the organization’s driver and riders to achieve best outcomes.
- Contributing as necessary towards the organization’s emergency response as and when necessary, while also acting as the security focal person
Job Specification
Essential:
- Degree in procurement and logistics, or related disciplines
- At least three (3) years’ experience in a similar role
- Proficiency with computers and Microsoft Office Excel and Word
- Good interpersonal and communication skills
- Fluent in both spoken and written English and Kiswahili.
Desirable:
- Member of KISM or other affiliate bodies e.g., CIPS/CILT
- Previous experience of working in an NGO is preferred
- Excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills
- Innovative, team player, with an ability to work under pressure
Equal Opportunity
Light Up Hope is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion within the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Light Up Hope makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and the general needs of the organization at the time.
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