ADVOCACY INITIATIVES

Stakeholders and Likeminded Organizations

Love and Hope Centre has been closely working with various stakeholders and Likeminded Organizations. In the thematic area of Health, where the Organization majorly falls, we have closely worked with the Ministry of Health since 1998. Here is a snapshot of some of our Key Likeminded Organizations.

·       National Government – Through the County Commissioner’s office we closely work with area administrators such as deputy County commissioners, Assistant County Commissioners, chiefs, Nyumba Kumi members, Community policing committees, Community GBV committees etc. Our major engagement was in 2017 – 2020 when we facilitated the establishment of Community GBV committees in eight informal settlements of Nakuru town East and West though a project funded by United Nation Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. Other agencies of National Government that we closely work with are: Departments of Gender, Youth, Social services and GOK Affirmative action Funds, National Gender and Equality Commission etc.  

·       National Police Service – We closely work with Police station and Police posts particularly gender and children desks/Units. This has been through our GBV prevention and response in our target commonalities.

·       Ministry of Education and Teachers service Commission. We build the capacity of teachers and students in prevention and respond to child abuse cases. We have established Rights of Children clubs in schools, trained teachers and school management teams on how prevent respond to GBV cases in schools. We also train boys to become male champions in preventing violence perpetuated toward girls.

·       County Government of Nakuru. Under the County Government of Nakuru we work with the department of Health. Since 2012 we have consistently worked with 25 community volunteers who were seconded to Love and Hope Centre by MOH. During the emergence of COVID-19, the ministry of Health seconded additional 15 Community Health Volunteers in order to enhance community response to COVID-19 prevention and response. Through the support of United Nation Trust Fund and Misean Cara, we have been building the Capacity of Health care providers and Health facility Management Committees in the areas of management of sexual gender based violence and management of health facilities respectively. Other County Government departments that we work with are Directorates of Gender, Youth and social services.

·       Love and Hope Centre has a very cordial relation with other Civil Society Organizations in Nakuru County and beyond. This relationship has seen Love and Hope Centre establish Consortiums that have successfully delivered on projects. Key among them was a ‘Joint prevention of violence against women and girls in Nakuru Municipality 2017 to 2020’’ The project was funded by UN Trust Fund and Coordinated by Trocaire Kenya. Love and Hope Centre (LHC) was the host of this project that was jointly implemented by LHC, Centre for Enhanced democracy and good Governance (CEDGG), Legal Resources Foundation Trust (LRF) and Women Empowerment Link (WEL). LHC is a member of Nakuru County Civil Society Organizations Forum (NACCSOF), the Current Chair for Nakuru Town East and West GBV Cluster group and also a member of Nakuru County GBV Technical Working Group. As an Organization we have continually enhanced the capacity of Civil Society Organization in delivering their mandates in HIV/GBV prevention and respond, good governance and system strengthening, referral and Case management.

·       Community at Large. LHC is a grass root Organization in Nakuru County. Our Community presence particularly in Nakuru Municipality is comparable to none. For over twenty years we have continued to build community competences in addressing their concerns in a holistic and sustainable manner. We have trained hundreds of community focal point persons such as Community advocacy champions, Community facilitators, Community GBV committees, Community - Home based care providers, male and boda boda(motorcyclist) champions on Violence against women and girls etc. Though this partnership we have witnessed communities exercising their civil rights by demanding resources for their priority projects from both National and County Governments. The community has also participated in social audits of project hence ensuring accountability and transparency in utilization of Government funds etc. We have also continued to experience community ownership through the generous gesture either in cash and/or in kind extended to LHC from our surrounding community.