Volunteer; you learn more and gain practical experience

Joseph is a veteran activist in the NGO sector, one of the foremost development crusaders in the country.

He is credited with a couple of innovative programmes, such as the score card, social vetting and social audit and is currently designing a programme called ‘Nationhood’, to be steered by a multi-sectoral movement that provides alternative leadership for the country.

Are young people involved in the work of Community Aid International? What opportunities exist for them?

The work we do is designed in a very participatory manner, and over the years, we have worked with all layers of the population. In the 12 counties we currently work, the youth are not only some of the significant beneficiaries, but also active participants.

Starting next year, we will work with the youth in a deepened manner in our Community Aiders Programme, which will engage them in a practical-needs approach to development.

This is a long-term project which will see them work with households in various livelihood activities.

This programme will absorb volunteers and interns to be involved in actions that improve food security, agri-business and household income.

The other programme that we will roll out next year with members of our Jadili Coalition, and which will also have a huge youth component, is called Jadili Utaifa, (Dialogue for Nationhood), a multi-sectoral, citizen-driven programme that will present a platform for “other leaders” to provide alternative leadership alongside politicians to steer our country in the right socio-economic and political direction.

So, young university graduates should be on the lookout from early 2018 as we start implementing these two major programmes.

What would you say were the key turning points in your career that catapulted you to the position that you hold today?

I will begin with the key things that influenced my career choice in general: my personality, upbringing and socialisation, and my worldview.

I think my upbringing socialised me to wear clear lenses to notice and be sensitive about needs and challenges in society, and together with my extrovert personality, I think I am wired to want to respond and do something.

I initially worked as a District Information Officer, moved to the Nation Media Group as a sub-editor, then to Kenyatta National Hospital as a public relations manager before finding my home in the NGO world. I have worked in NGOs and the UN for the past 24 years.

My personality, socialisation and accumulated experiences from the previous positions gave me a firm grip of my career today.

What is the role of community development initiatives in young people’s lives in terms of governance, policy and their immediate lives?

NGOs and other development agencies provide interventions that complement the effort of the government in service delivery and development. Without these agencies, service delivery and socio-economic development will be low and slow.

But NGOs also empower communities to participate in governance, policy agenda and reforms.

Without the work of NGOs in, say, civic education, the citizenry would not only be disempowered and indifferent about public affairs, but would also be easy to manipulate by those in power and acquiesce to misrule.

What opportunities are available to youth trying to get into community development work?

There are opportunities in the public sector, the private sector or the corporate world, and other Non-State actors, including NGOs.

For NGOs, a background in the social sciences is in demand. Sociology, community development, anthropology, law, political science, communication, and the like are essential in the NGO sector.

But even people in the natural sciences such as doctors and nutritionists have chances. To position yourself even better, hone your communication skills; improve your writing skills and develop good verbal communication skills.

But most importantly, be willing to get in and volunteer as part of continuous learning and getting practical experience; it is easier for you to get absorbed when you are already in.

How would you say your interests (career-wise) have shifted over time? What informed these shifts and what have been your greatest lessons?

What happened over the years was me looking for something more fulfilling. I worked through the careers until I got to something that made me fully contented.

The greatest lesson is that no experience is wasted; all the jobs I took up along the way have hugely contributed to my career success today.

Where did you intern and how did that internship shape your career?

I got a job right after my graduation, so I did not intern. During my time, in the 1980s, graduates easily got jobs. Some organisations even came to recruit students at the university ahead of their graduation.

What was your greatest fear as a university student?

We did not have any social pressures. Maybe the only anxiety was to do with the huge responsibilities awaiting us to start working and support our parents, siblings and other relatives. Then, family and society looked up to us for all sorts of roles and responsibilities; one was a leader and a role model the moment they became a university student.

What was your greatest challenge when you started out your career?

I started a family right after I graduated, so my greatest challenge was how to provide for it with the little money that I earned – less than Sh4,000.

Life was also somewhat complicated for me because my first posting was to Mandera District. In addition to these, I had to provide for my mother and support extended family members.

Your organisation has very diverse programmes: Leadership and Governance, Poverty Reduction, Health and Environment. How does a young person intending to follow in your footsteps prepare for a career like this?

Once you have a university degree, add communication as a basic requirement just as you must have computer skills; the rest can be learned practically when you step into the sector.

Once you are in, position yourself to learn as much as possible within a short time, but it is important to add that you have to have passion for what you are doing for you to enjoy and advance in it.

What do you think is the greatest misconception about Non-Governmental Organisations such as yours?

One is that we earn and have a lot of money. NGOs are also sometimes wrongly viewed to be political actors.

The civil society does not fight or hate the government. The civil society does not compete for power; we don’t struggle to form the next government.

The civil society fights for social justice; that is, upholding of human rights, inclusivity, the rule of law, good (accountable) leadership, improved service delivery, participatory governance, and the like. And these issues are things we fight for regardless of who is in power.