Member Spotlight: Meet Joseph Were - Empowering Communities Through Mentorship

Hello Friends,

We are excited to put the spotlight on one of our dedicated members, Joseph Were, who is making a remarkable impact on his community through mentorship and community development. In our exclusive interview, Joseph shares his remarkable journey from a struggling student to an accomplished mentor, researcher, and social entrepreneur, emphasizing the role of mentorship in shaping his path.

Q1: Hi Joseph, Could you tell us more about your journey with your project and what you've been up to lately?

I am 30 years old from Kenya. As a community health and development worker, I have had an overwhelming journey of community work as mentor, mentee, community-led researcher, and social entrepreneur. I started this journey in 2016 after graduating from college with a diploma (associate degree). Due to my childhood journey of struggling to make ends meet and financing my education, I never hesitated to look for employment but used the knowledge gained in school to work towards my life fortunes by co-founding a community-based organization (CYAN Kenya) to propel my passion for community development. It has not been an easy journey to become an experienced community mentor and researcher, but with passion, dedication, and learning through mentorship from experienced mentors, it has made me the change maker of today. Currently, CYAN Kenya focuses on community-led innovation and peer social enterprise for vulnerable youths in rural communities with a goal of self-resilience against the triple threats of HIV infection, teen pregnancies, and gender-based violence in Homabay, Kenya.

Q2: What were some of your greatest fears and challenges on this path, and how are you overcoming them?

Community-led organizations have the greatest challenges in the donor world, despite their ability to help solve the world's most pressing challenges. This has been my challenge in getting support for my community development initiatives. The fear of not being able to meet donor prerequisites like audited accounts and budgets to win support has often loomed over me. I believe in the power of partnership and collaboration, especially in light of the United Nations' SDG17, which is crucial to achieving SDGs by 2030. I have experienced that partnerships and collaboration will enable me to overcome these fears and challenges.

Q3: What are your hopes and dreams for the future, both personally and professionally?

Personally, I have hopes and dreams of seeing a community without poverty, having access to health and income. Additionally, professionally, I hope and dream of attaining a Ph.D. by 45 years of age and becoming a great social entrepreneur.

Q4: Looking back, is there something you wish you knew before that could have helped you that you know now?

Yes, I didn't know I would be a researcher when I was in school. I had no idea that I would have to work extra hard to raise capital to join the university to attain a degree, master's, and Ph.D. in my early days to become a renowned researcher. However, I console myself that it was not possible then and I hope to still achieve this.

Q5: Have you had any positive mentoring experiences you can share?

In my life, I never believed in being an experienced researcher and a mentor too. Through the RHAY program (Reducing HIV among Adolescents and Youths in East and Southern Africa), I have been mentored from scratch to become a researcher. This experience has enabled me to conduct one successful research in HIV. I have also been mentored under AMREF (Africa Medical and Research Foundation) Health community systems strengthening (CSS), which has enabled me to currently lead two studies in HIV and Malaria under AMREF Health and the Global Fund.

Finally, I have been mentored on entrepreneurship under the United People Global (UPG) Biashara program, which equipped me with knowledge and skills on successful entrepreneurship, a success gained through the Konseye: The Mentorship Network as a golden ticket winner in 2023.

Giving back, I am currently a volunteer research and development lead with the Kenya Malaria Youth Corps. I mentor my fellow volunteers in research and abstract writing. In this role, I have mentored 20 youths in abstract writing and presented at local and international conferences. In my community development work, I have mentored over 2500 adolescents and youths in school and out of school, which has turned out to be a great success. Most notably, I have mentored teen mothers to become change makers in the community and have happily witnessed some girls giving back to the community by empowering others.

Joseph Were's journey is a testament to the potential for positive change through mentorship. His dedication, collaboration, and lifelong learning are inspiring, and we are proud to have him as a valued member of the Konseye community. We encourage you to share your thoughts, comments, or any questions you have for Joseph. Your input could be featured in our upcoming highlights.

This member spotlight series aims to showcase the incredible achievements of our members while fostering a sense of community. If you would like to be featured in an upcoming member spotlight, please comment or send us a message. Your journey is unique and valuable, and we believe in celebrating each other's successes, no matter how big or small. Thank you for being part of this inspiring community.

Have a great week!

Remember, with the right network, anything is possible!

Team Konseye