Mercy Jepkurui
Eldoret
Summary
A committed and highly motivated feminist activist serving as a special elected member to the County Assembly, with extensive experience and significant executive leadership, I bring a robust background in community development, human rights, and program management. Demonstrating excellent leadership and interpersonal skills, I have a proven track record of making significant contributions across various roles. Possessing strong diplomatic skills, I naturally excel in cultivating relationships and persuading, convening, facilitating, and building consensus among diverse individuals. My foundation in community development is underscored by extensive experience in roles that reflect a steadfast commitment to creating a positive impact within communities. As a Member of the County Assembly (MCA) at Uasin Gishu County Assembly, my leadership and legislative skills have come to the forefront. Effectively representing the interests of youth, girls, and women, I oversee the implementation and expenditure of the County Government. Active involvement in the Gender and Youth Committee demonstrates my dedication to promoting gender equality and youth empowerment through policy-making. My passion for community work extends to active engagement in various committees and professional affiliations. I possess a strong aptitude for solving complex problems, employing excellent judgment and decision-making skills. As a management professional, I have successfully developed and implemented support programs, remaining dedicated to making a positive impact through my work.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Founder & Executive Director
Kimoi Foundation
01.2024 - Current
- Lead a grassroots feminist organization advancing gender equality, women’s rights, and economic empowerment.
- Develop and oversee strategic programs focused on education, SRHR, climate action, and digital safety for women and girls.
- Advocate for policy reforms addressing GBV, harmful cultural practices, and socio-economic barriers affecting women.
- Secure funding, build partnerships and implement sustainable initiatives to expand the foundation’s impact.
Coordinator
End Femicide in Kenya Movement
01.2024 - Current
- Leadership and Coordination: I lead the efforts within Uasin Gishu County to combat femicide by coordinating with various stakeholders including government agencies, law enforcement, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community leaders, and activists
- Strategic Planning: I develop comprehensive strategies and action plans tailored to the specific needs and challenges within Uasin Gishu County to effectively address femicide
- Resource Mobilization: I identify and secure funding and resources necessary to support initiatives aimed at preventing femicide, providing support to victims, and holding perpetrators accountable
- Advocacy and Awareness: I advocate for policy changes and reforms at the county level that address the root causes of femicide, raise public awareness about the issue, and promote gender equality and women's rights
- Capacity Building: I facilitate training programs and workshops for law enforcement officials, healthcare providers, social workers, and other relevant stakeholders to enhance their capacity to respond to cases of femicide sensitively and effectively
- Collaboration and Networking: I forge partnerships and collaborations with local organizations, academic institutions, and international agencies working on similar issues to leverage expertise and resources
- Community Engagement: I engage with local communities to promote dialogue, challenge harmful gender norms and stereotypes, and encourage community-led initiatives to combat femicide
Member of County Assembly (MCA)
UasinGishu County Assembly-Eldoret, Kenya
09.2022 - Current
- Championing the interests and concerns of youth, girls, and women in the County Assembly, emphasizing critical issues like SGBV, youth unemployment, and women's empowerment
- Monitoring the implementation of County Government programs and expenditures to ensure accountability and effective service delivery to the communityContributing to policy formulation and the passage of bills within the Department of Gender, Social Protection, and Culture to establish crucial guidelines for service delivery.
- Serving on the Education, Youth, and Sports Committee to provide expertise and solutions for enhancing educational services and increasing youth engagement with government opportunities.
- Assuming the role of Vice Chair of the ICT, Innovation, and E-Government Committee to lead and promote the digitization of government services for greater efficiency
- Participating in the vetting of county officials for appointment to the executive cabinet by the Governor, ensuring the selection of competent individuals for key roles
- Actively participating in national and international gender, youth, peace, and sports events to advance personal passion, career, network, and expertise
Head of Secretariat
Jubilee Party, Nairobi, Kenya
03.2022 - 08.2022
- Facilitating the integration of new members into the secretariat team by ensuring their familiarity with roles, party policies, and the work environment.
- Established a comprehensive database of aspirants from various regions to streamline the registration process, thereby enhancing efficiency
- Advocated for inclusive gender equity and equality within the party, notably by advocating for a reduction in women's registration fees, resulting in an increased number of women aspirant
- Ensured compliance with the party's policies on persons with disabilities within the secretariat team, implementing disability-friendly options, and subsequently increasing the number of aspirants with disabilities in the party
- Provided effective leadership to the secretariat team by ensuring timely fulfillment of their needs and payments, thereby motivating the team to achieve commendable results.
Programme Lead
Azadi, Nairobi, Kenya
05.2021 - 02.2022
- Strategized, implemented, and executed donor-funded projects while maintaining meticulous documentation, resulting in commendation for timely and comprehensive reporting, reduced report backlog, and effective communication with donors.
- Formulated a community outreach curriculum and conducted various learning and development workshops, leading to a notable increase in workshop frequency per month and heightened community awareness.
- Orchestrated and chaired internal organizational meetings on a weekly and monthly basis, resulting in increased attendance, well-structured meeting programs, and needs assessments focused on solution-oriented outcomes for organization.
- Engaged in fundraising, advocacy, and policy-making activities, earning praise for crafting detailed proposals to secure funding and significantly contributing to the organization's growth.
- Conducted monitoring and evaluation for specific projects, leading to successful completion with timely reports, solution-oriented goals, and achievement of intended objectives.
- Managed Azadi's social media pages, resulting in increased interactions and engagements, as well as scheduled and timely communication to effectively reach the organization's audience.
Programme Manager
Awareness Against Human Trafficking, (HAART)
06.2020 - 04.2021
- Developed, executed, and managed donor-funded projects, involved in all stages from proposal creation to detailed reporting.
- Mobilized and facilitated community engagement on human rights and human trafficking issues, fostering awareness and action.
- Coordinated and organized inter-departmental meetings to encourage collaboration and synergy among teams.
- Drafted and oversaw budgets for donor-funded projects, while also approving requisitions for various activities and initiatives to ensure financial compliance.
- Participated in fundraising activities, advocacy efforts, and contributed to policy-making processes to support the organization's mission and goals.
Volunteer
Awareness Against Human Trafficking (HAART) Kenya.
04.2019 - 05.2020
- Facilitated outreach activities aimed at building community awareness of the organization's mission and activities, fostering engagement and support.
- Assisted in the development of grant proposals to secure funding for the organization's initiatives, ensuring alignment with objectives and requirements.
- Developed and maintained accurate records of programs and services, ensuring proper documentation and evaluation of organizational activities.
- Participated in meetings with stakeholders to discuss program objectives and strategies, fostering collaboration and alignment of efforts towards shared goals.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - International Relations
United States International University-Africa
08.2019
Skills
- Leadership and Team Management
- Project Management
- Communication & Advocacy
- Capacity Building
- Administrative Proficiency
- Community Engagement
- Detail-Oriented
- Resource Allocation
- Relationship Building
- Time Management
Affiliations
- Member of Kenya Young Members of the County Assembly (KYMCA)
- Member of the Association of Uasin Gishu County Assembly Women Caucus
- Vice Chair of ICT and Innovation Committee
- Member of Youth and Sports Committee
- Member of the Gender, Culture, and Social Protection Committee
- Member of the Education and Vocational Training Committee
- Member of 10th Ilead Fellowship Cohort
Certification
- Certificate of Leadership Training- Emerging Leaders Fellowship (ELF)-Africa 2023.
- Certificate of Participation- Feminist Leadership Academy. YWLI 2024.
Interests
Hiking
Reading
Baking
References
- Rachael Mwikali Mueni.
Co-Founder and Convener
Coalition For Grassroots Human Rights Defenders-KENYA
mwikali.m.rachael@gmail.com
+254723764748
- Shadrack Choge,
The Clerk, UasinGishu County Assembly.
Schoge2030@gmail.com
+254722335157
Timeline
Founder & Executive Director
Kimoi Foundation
01.2024 - Current
Coordinator
End Femicide in Kenya Movement
01.2024 - Current
Member of County Assembly (MCA)
UasinGishu County Assembly-Eldoret, Kenya
09.2022 - Current
Head of Secretariat
Jubilee Party, Nairobi, Kenya
03.2022 - 08.2022
Programme Lead
Azadi, Nairobi, Kenya
05.2021 - 02.2022
Programme Manager
Awareness Against Human Trafficking, (HAART)
06.2020 - 04.2021
Volunteer
Awareness Against Human Trafficking (HAART) Kenya.
04.2019 - 05.2020
Bachelor of Arts - International Relations
United States International University-Africa
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