Kipepeo Community Empowerment Program: Community service projects in Kenya

Kipepeo Community Empowerment Program (KCEP) is a community based organization initiated in October 2009 to help spearhead community driven development initiatives. We welcome volunteers who are self-motivated and willing to make a difference in someone's life. both skilled and un-skilled volunteers are welcome.

Projects include: HIV & AIDS education, awareness and advocacy, rehabilitation of street children, support for vulnerable children, deployment of both local and international volunteers  to various community projects, microfinance training and monitoring (community savings and lending), capacity building, computer training for orphans and vulnerable youth in the community, computer services to the community, community library, educational support initiative for bright orphaned and vulnerable children, organic farming and technology training, eco-tourism and environmental education and management.

The program is designed to respond to youths’ and women's needs and assets; the KCEP Project aims to empower youth and women to make sound life decisions for sustainable economic development. The project is also building the capacity of local institutions and networks to sustain the much-needed services that KCEP will provide. Specifically, the KCEP Project offers youth and women a series of inter-connected interventions to: build skills, facilitate appropriate career choices, provide employment, engage in voluntary service in the communities and income generating opportunities, bridge technical and university education opportunities and provide fun and safe spaces for their involvement in development decision making.

KCEP is located at Kima Market Wekhomo Location, Emuhaya District, in Vihiga County, Western Kenya.

VISION
A better future and right livelihood for families and individuals in our villages and self sustainable communities

MISSION
Our mission is to improve the quality of life of the local communities in Emuhaya District through sustainable local development initiatives.

CORE VALUES
1. People are at the very center and heart of development; they are the forces behind all we do and every endeavor we undertake.
2. Transparency and accountability drive our actions.
3. Sustainability is built into every intervention we pursue.
4. A holistic approach is essential to our treatment of ourselves and one another, with the aim of developing the whole person: health body, healthy mind, and healthy spirit.

GOAL
Our goal is to enhance capacity, improve living standards and quality of life for needy and vulnerable community groups in Emuhaya District.

OBJECTIVES
1. Empower community groups through microfinance development through saving and lending.
2. Enhance and develop the spirit of volunteerism by deploying both local and international volunteers to community projects.
3. To enhance productive livelihood and well-being for people living with HIV/AIDS and their families.
4. Support for orphans and vulnerable children, street children and open an orphanage for their care and rehabilitation.
5. To establish a community resource centre aimed at facilitating learning for orphans, vulnerable children, and street kids, as well as serving as a source of practical community and career development information to local community members and CBO-affiliated groups.
6. To engage community group members in an effort to mobilize and enhance income-generating activities and thus improve the communal asset base.
7. To assist community groups in initiating enterprises that will increase economic productivity, and lead to poverty-reduction and wealth creation.
8. To establish KCEP's own long-term and self-sustaining income-generating projects to support organization’s activities.
9. To involve ourselves in the social empowerment of youths (orphans, street children) through community events such as capacity-building, youth trainings, and social activities which bring our youths and communities together.
10. To develop eco-tourism and environmental management activities in the region as a source of revenue for people in the villages.
11. Build reading programmes with local community schools designed to build and improve childrens' reading skills and English performance. We do this by enlisting volunteers and obtaining reading material from willing partners and volunteers. This will be an ongoing educational project for the long-term future.

ACTIVITIES.
1. Mobilizing community groups in a service network of savings and loans for community-based microfinance
2. HIV & AIDS awareness, counseling, support innovative programmes in orphans and vulnerable children and home based health care (HBC) for the HIV affected
3. Free computer training to orphans, vulnerable youths and women in the community.
4. A rehabilitation program for street children to support their basic needs and provide them with community-based education,
5. Educational support initiative to orphans, street children of Luanda and vulnerable children.
6. A capacity-building structure which involves educational training programs in leadership, group management, and financial skills
7. A volunteer program ; deploying of international volunteers and places villagers in groups charged with specific community tasks in relation to their skills, strengths, and interests
8. Alternative to violence peace trainings (AVP) for the community members.
9. Eco-tourism and environmental management
10. Programmes for cultural exchange
11. Computer services to the community, internet services
12. Provisional computer services for the community, such as typesetting, printing, photocopy services etc.
13. Youth empowerment activities such as sports, theatre, career development and drug abuse training, as well as building overall awareness and engagement through youth group projects.
14. women and sisters empowerment activities, empowering women to realize their potential and engage in development
15. Community library for reading, borrowing and exchange of ideas.

AREA OF OPERATION:
We operate in Emuhaya District and its surrounding District(s).The Emuhaya District. Covering Elukongo Division, Esiembero, Luanda Township Division and Ekwanda Division. It consists sixteen administrative locations namely; Emusenjeli, Iboona,Wekhomo, Ebusiratsi, Emakunda, Ebusamia,Ebubayi, Echichibuli, Luanda Township,Ebusakami, Ipali, Emasaba, Mukhalakhala, Maseno, Tongoi and Ebukanga

TARGET GROUP.
KCEP works primarily with orphans, vulnerable children and street kids, people living with HIV and AIDS, people with disabilities, widows, youths and women who live in Emuhaya District and within its township. The target group is an important and essential component of this project. It’s expected that significant changes, learning and development will take place for our target group and have access to basic needs education, care, protection and a sense of belonging to the society.

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