Kenyan Staff
ACCOUNTANT
JF Onyango, qualified accountant.
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR
Leonora Obara. Part time. Using her vast experience as a social worker in Kibera, Leonora plans, oversees and directs the entire programme. She is dearly loved and respected by Kibera residents, who regard her as one of their own rather than an outsider.
PROJECT ADMINISTRATOR
Andrew Obara. Full time. Andrew uses his vast experience in administration and project management to run all the programmes and activities
COMMUNITY EDUCATOR.
Neddy Mutstotsi Part time. Ms Mutstotsi is the lead person running a vibrant program on community education. She secures speakers to give talks on relevant topics, e.g. health nurse.
Ms. Mutstotsi is living positively, and knows how HIV has affected the lives of people in the community. She shares her own attitude with others and helps them to live positively too.
COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER.
Leah Atieno (right). Trained as a social worker, Ms Atieno leads discussions at the women’s empowerment meetings, does school and home visits, encourages guardians and offers psycho-social counselling. Leah was brought up as an orphan and so she has a heart for orphaned children.
KENYAN BOARD
Roseline Akinyi Ochieng’, Chair of BoardRoseline Akinyi Ochieng’, Chair of Board for Kijiji Cha Upendo Children’s Project
Trained Counsellor, Teacher in Drama and Sports, Masters Degree in Education. A member of the Guidance and Counselling Department, Ms Ochieng’ counsels individual students in school. She serves as a board member of Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya (WOFAK) and helps women and children affected by HIV&&AIDS, is a patron of the SCAD club (Students Campaign Against Drugs) and Assistant Patron for the school Drama club, and is delegate and Branch chairperson (Nairobi Branch) of Mwalimu National Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Limited. Ms Ochieng’ is a trained Peer Educator under the Mwalimu Stop AIDS programme.
“I want to apply my professional qualifications, work experience and personal drive to the needy cause of orphaned and disadvantaged children. I want to give back to humanity and to give hope to the hopeless, by adding life to their days rather than days to their lives.”
Dorothy OnyangoDorothy Onyango
Dorothy Onyango is the Executive Director of Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya (WOFAK). She co-founded the organization in 1994, four years after learning that she was HIV positive. Today, Dorothy sits on a number of boards of strategic organizations in Kenya, including the National AIDS Control Council (NACC) and chairs the National Programmes Committee. She previously served as the Chairperson of National empowerment Network of people living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya (NEPHAK), and also sits on the board of the Society for Women and AIDS in Kenya (SWAK). Dorothy has been an active member of the treatment access coalition movement, responsible for the current drop in costs of treatment for persons living with HIV & AIDS in Kenya and has been at the forefront in fighting for the rights of women living with and affected by HIV & AIDS. She is the former global Co-Chair of the International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW) and was recently appointed by the Kenyan government to serve on the board of National Council for Children’s Services. As well, she is the representative of NGOs on the Kenya Coordinating Mechanism for Global Fund to Fight HIV, TB and Malaria, and a Chairperson of the Pan African Positive Women’s Coalition PAPWC. Dorothy’s vision is to see a world free from HIV infections and in which women can achieve their full socio-economic and political potential without undue hindrances.
Leonora ObaraLeonora Obara
Program Administrator for Kijiji Cha Upendo. Social worker with WOFAK (Women fighting AIDS in Africa). Widely respected for her knowledge of HIV&AIDS and gender related issues, Ms Obara has been brought to Canada by three different organisations, including the Stephen Lewis Foundation to advise on TB, HIV/AIDS and treatment for women severely traumatised by sexual violence in Congo.
She and her husband Andrew have raised ten orphaned children in addition to their own five children.
Ambrose GandiAmbrose Ngonyo Gandi
Mr Gandi has a diploma in marketing and is skilled in communications and negotiation. He is a leader and activist who brings the ability to mobilise communities and engage them in development projects such as fish farming, bee keeping and rabbit keeping. He organised for his location to get piped water and helped resolve disputes between different ethnic groups during the 2007/2008 post election clashes.
A caregiver to orphans and vulnerable children, Mr Gandi is secretary to the community welfare group dealing with orphans and vulnerable children. He assists in vetting local recipients of church and government school bursaries and is a founding member of Community Policing in his neighbourhood, serving as the chairman of his Village Community Policing group. He established a networking relationship between the community and the provincial administration/ Government departments, specifically the children’s department. He is a member of the area Catholic Community.
“I am an OVC (orphans and vulnerable children) caregiver who has seen the plight of OVC’s in my area. In my day to day work I got to know many people who were good parents, who cared for their children, but were infected by HIV&AIDS and succumbed to AIDS related complications. As a result the children lacked parental care, access to basic services and they lost any inheritance. Hence my support for this initiative that addresses the needs of OVC’s.”
Andrew ObaraAndrew Obara
Project Administrator for Kijij Cha Upendo. Mr Obara has a Diploma in Supplies Management and brings a wealth of administrative experience from working in the business world and with NGO’s as a volunteer. As part of his work as Secretary General for the Church of God’s Last Appeal (2004 to 2011), he organised support for orphans and vulnerable children and widows. Mr. Obara sits on the Faith Based Technical Committee of the National AIDS Control Council of Kenya, and he is a member of the Area Advisory Committee of the Lang’ata District within which Kibera is situated. Mr. Obara sat on the committee that merged the split church of God’s Last Appeal, and is the coordinator of activities for that church. On two occasions he has led Runnymede United Church Youth Groups in touring Kenya and in building classrooms in Zedekiah Odumah Academy, in Usenge.
“If children are offered the opportunity, and are placed in an environment that enhances their capabilities, then they can realise their potential. Kijiji Cha Upendo is a vehicle that can do this. The Caregivers have the love. Our Donors have the material resources. Together, we can provide OVC’s with everything they need!”