Subject Areas
Micro-enterprise: Small Business Management, Entrepreneurship, Strategic
Management, Marketing, Strategic Business Development, Business Development,
Social Entrepreneurship, New Enterprises, Community Financial Institutions,
Budgeting and Financial Management
Health: HIV/AIDS, Public Health, Exposure Assessment, Reproductive
Health Care and Rights, Disease Prevention, High-Risk Behavior
Women’s Empowerment: Awareness and Prevention, Education, Cooperative
Development
Youth and Education: Communication, Social Leadership, Child and Adolescent
Development, Teaching
Organization Objectives
Kwacha’s mission is to
empower local communities, particularly youth, to elevate their economic and
social status through the implementation of various development initiatives. Its
goals are to:
- Promote open dialogue on
reproductive health issues
- Equip community youth with
tools to implement change
- Develop
HIV/AIDS programs geared towards specific community sectors
- Implement
sector-specific sustainable/viable economic practices
Program Information
<![if !supportLists]>1.
<![endif]>‘Keeping It Real’:
HIV/AIDS Awareness Program
The ‘Keeping It Real’
program promotes the awareness of fundamental reproductive health issues, both
within and outside the classroom. As a result of the prevalent misconceptions
regarding these issues, many young community members engage in high-risk
behavior, including prostitution, drug abuse, and pre-marital affairs that
increase the possibilities of STIs, HIV/AIDS, and health-related school withdrawal.
Opportunities
- Organize workshops on HIV/AIDS issues, life
skills, and reproductive health
- Assist with youth-focused school outreach,
debates, picnics, and quiz competitions
- Research and introduce new topics and
implement methods for instruction
- Monitor weekly discussions with the same sample
group of 40 students in the seven community schools
- Evaluate current projects for grant
consideration
- Design and execute an impact assessment of
current projects
- Train and assist with grantwriting and the
grant application process
- Work with youth to develop new projects
Requirements
- Relevant experience or education in areas of youth
education, community outreach, HIV/AIDS education, reproductive health,
group leadership, and/or counseling
- Desire to work with youth and foster a collaborative
role within the organization
- Excellent group management skills
- Ability to work with a diverse population on all
subjects related to sexual health and reproduction
Program Supervisor
Brenda
Nekesha has a diploma in Community Development and is trained in peer
education, monitoring and evaluation, adolescent and reproductive health, basic
counseling, community mobilization, strategic planning, facilitation, and
leadership. She supervises HIV/AIDS-related activities, writes monthly reports,
evaluates program activities, and acts as a facilitator for the community.
<![if !supportLists]>2.
<![endif]>Magnet Theater
Outreach
Kwacha Afrika
regularly stages magnet theater outreach performances centered on the issues of
HIV/AIDS, stigma and discrimination, Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT), Prevention
of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT), and positive living. The volunteer-based
theater also serves as a source of income to cover operational costs for the
organization.
Opportunities
- Assist in overall magnet performance
production and staging
- Develop strategic marketing effort to attract audience
- Integrate question and answer sessions and
discussion into performances
- Develop and implement new performance material
and programs
- Teach skills related to directing, producing,
script writing, and acting
- Lead post performance discussions and
question-answer debates
- Assist in developing additional arts-related community
awareness programs
Requirements
- Relevant experience in theater, performance,
acting, and/or public speaking
- Directing, production, and/or writing
experience desirable
- Marketing skills not mandatory but helpful
- Willingness to learn/speak Kiswahili (mandatory)
- Interest in working with youth
Program Supervisor
Evans Kasena is a
founding member and director of Kwacha Afrika. He has a diploma in Community
Development and has been trained in management, micro-computer applications,
business start-up, participatory monitoring and evaluation, HIV/AIDS, magnet
theater, production and theater, life planning, stepping stone methodology,
fundraising and report writing, group dynamics, bookkeeping, and peer youth
education. He has received numerous
awards for his performances, including best actor and outstanding performer,
and has been recognized for his leadership and script writing skills.
<![if !supportLists]>3.
<![endif]>Micro-enterprise
Program
Kwacha currently
supports micro-enterprise groups in Malindi and Tana. Through its website and
community contacts, Kwacha sells handmade baskets and bags made by male
artisans of the Chamlala, kizaa-zaa, and fikirini group. These men range in age
from 55 to 82 and are either retired or excluded from the mainstream job
markets. The majority of the proceeds benefit the Chamlala group.
Opportunities
- Assist in product marketing locally as well as
electronically through Kwacha’s website
- Develop and implement additional income-generating
activities for Kwacha
- Assess best practices and efficiency of
current programs
- Carry out program evaluations and research for
grant development
Requirements
- Education or relevant experience in marketing,
micro-enterprise, and small-scale business management
- Excellent organizational skills
- Ability to work in both an independent and
team setting
Program Supervisor
Salim Ibrahim has been
trained in record keeping, leadership, women and youth in development, HIV/AIDS
counseling and care, community-based first aid, and disaster management as well
as general welding and fitting.
<![if !supportLists]>4.
<![endif]>Girl’s Forum
With the help of a former FSD
grant, Kwacha initiated a female youth run forum targeted towards girls in the
fall of 2005. The forum aims to empower and educate girls within the community
on positive life skills as well as their reproductive health and rights as young
women. Regular meetings are held at Kwacha.
Opportunities
- Assist in developing relevant trainings,
workshops, or educational materials for the forum
- Teach girls to effectively manage and run the
forum
- Support the maintenance of existing programs
- Design and implement an impact assessment of
current projects
- Evaluate current projects for grant
consideration
Requirements
- Experience in group leadership, management,
education, and/or reproductive health
- Interest in women’s issues
- Ability to work with youth with limited
resources
- Ability to work effectively in both an
independent and team setting
Program Supervisor
Brenda Nekesha has a
diploma in Community Development and is trained in peer education, monitoring
and evaluation, adolescent and reproductive health, basic counseling, community
mobilization, strategic planning, facilitation, and leadership. She supervises
HIV/AIDS related activities, writes monthly reports, evaluates program
activities, and acts as a facilitator for the community.
Note: Responsibilities
offered to each participant will be proportionate to their level of experience.
Participants who are new to development work may predominantly support and
assist current project agendas, while those with much applicable experience may
be able to assume greater responsibility. Research projects are strongly
encouraged by this organization to support each program’s objectives because
minimal resources are currently allocated for research.
Working Conditions
Kwacha Afrika’s office includes a small
resource center, computer center, office space, and rehearsal space for
performances. Depending on the participant’s work, up to 50 percent of the time
may be spent conducting outreach activities within the neighboring communities.
Several school sites are within walking distance from the office or approximately
an hour’s ride south of Kisauni to the Likoni Division.
Organizational Background
Kwacha Afrika, an
indigenous coastal phrase which means Arise
Afrika, is an organization that was founded by a group of young volunteers
in 2000 who aimed to explore theater as a tool to build community awareness on
issues of adolescence, reproductive health, and the negative impact of HIV/AIDS.
It employs a participatory educational theatre (PET) approach to convey its
messages. The organization has evolved from a purely theater-based organization
to a broad resource center for behavioral change in the seven districts of the Coast Province.
In January 2004, Kwacha Afrika was registered with the Ministry of Culture and Social
Service as a Community Based Organization and later as an NGO in November 2005.
Kwacha Afrika is now an award-winning performance group.
Several development
actors have supported the organization’s activities over the years. These
include the youth, the general community in Coast province, Action Aid
International Kenya (AAIK), Population Service International (PSI), DANIDA
Health Project, Family Health International (FHI), KANCO, PATH, FSD, and many
more.
Awards:
2002
Theatre Youth Festivals on reproductive health and
HIV/AIDS organized by UNFPA through Mombasa Youth Counseling Centre: Best Item on HIV/AIDS, Certificate of Participation, Most Outstanding
Performance Group, Best Presentation Group, Winning Team of the Year, Best
HIV/AIDS Campaign Group
Theatre Youth Festivals on reproductive health and
HIV/AIDS organized by UNFPA through Mombasa
Youth Counseling Centre: Most Outstanding Performance,
Partnership Award, Best Theme
Theatre Youth Festivals on reproductive health and
HIV/AIDS organized by Family Health International through Kizingo Arts: Best Presentation, Winning Play, Best Scripted Play, Best Production,
Most Original Play
Theatre Youth Festivals on reproductive health and
HIV/AIDS organized by UNFPA through Mombasa
Youth Counseling Centre: Best Mime, Best Actors
and Actresses, Winning Play, Best Production, Winning Coral Verse, Best Scripted
Verse, Best Verse in Kiswahili, Best Costume and Decor, Best Presentation, Most
Prolific Group, Best Scripted Play, Most Entertaining Items
Theatre Youth Festivals on reproductive health and
HIV/AIDS, drug abuse organized by Kenya Young Christian Workers in
Malindi: Winning Item, Best Team,
Winning team
