About Me

MERCY AKINYI OTIENO

Tel: +254 700 384 677

Email: [email protected]

PROFILE SUMMARY

I am an industrious and self-motivated Community Development professional keen on participating in activities and projects that are keen on improving the lives of individuals in marginalized communities. My competencies lie in; community development, program management, community mobilization, training and disaster management. Currently, I work as a volunteer at Kenya Red Cross where some of my duties include; providing emergency disaster response services and support, compensating families affected by floods in Mukuru Kayaba slums, collecting and taking donations to children homes and providing support to the families of the victims of the Garissa University attack. Given my passion for engaging in such projects and making a difference in the lives of individuals, my focus is to secure a position that will enable me exercise my skills in community empowerment, community health and community mobilization with a view to help improve the lives of community members.

PERSONAL DETAILS

Year of birth:   1989

EDUCATION BACKGROUND

·        Bachelor of Science in Community Resource Management – Kenyatta University; 2009 to 2013

·        Certified Public Accountants, Section 6 – Strathmore University;  2010 to 2011

·        Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education- Sacred Heart Kyeni Girls High School; 2003 to 2007

KEY SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES ACQUIRED

·        Community Empowerment:  Successfully acquired knowledge on how to offer encouragement, counselling and sensitizing women, children and the youth, in order to make of them better people who can sustain themselves both economically and socially.

·        Community Mobilization: Ability to mobilize a community towards a particular goal. I have engaged community members and interacted with them in various activities and projects.

Program Management: Successfully participated in the designing of programs, assisting in monitoring and evaluation and ensuring quality assurance in empowerment programs amongst the community.
·        Public relations in community development- Acquired knowledge on how to communicate effectively with different members of the general public using appropriate public relations tools.

·        Team working skills: Ability to work with a team of other colleagues and my supervisors in a bid to realize organizational objectives.

·        Communication skills: Gained skills in interacting with people on the phone and in field assignments all which are interactive and effective.

·        ICT competence: Highly capable of navigating all MS packages, internet and email.

WORK HISTORY

1. Volunteer

Kenya Red Cross Society; 2015 to date

Duties and Responsibilities
·        Providing emergency disaster response services and support.

·        Providing support to the families of the victims of the Garissa University attack.

·        Assisting and compensating families affected by floods in Mukuru Kayaba slums.

·        Collecting data using questionnaires on the extent of damage caused by the floods.

·        Collecting and taking donations to children homes.

·        Visiting children homes and providing support.

Key Achievements:

·        Provided assistance and support to many individuals especially victims of disasters.

2. Volunteer

Hearts of Compassion Group, Redeemed Gospel Church; 2017 to date

Duties and Responsibilities
Hearts of Compassion is a group that aims to help the poor and the needy in the society.

·        Receiving and distributing donations of food, clothing and funds to the needy.

·        Taking part in free medical camps to offer free medical services to the poor.

·        Assisting the less privileged to start and run businesses.

·        Planning and budgeting for the activities of the group.

·        Preparing and sending notification of the activities to the members of the group.

·        Briefing members during meetings on the activities carried out.

·        Writing minutes of the meetings.

Key Achievements

·        Appointed the secretary of the group.

3. Programme Assistant – Community Health Program

St. John’s Community Centre; 2013

Duties and Responsibilities
·        Assisted in sensitizing and training community members on communicable diseases, proper sanitation and proper nutrition.

·        Sensitized children on proper hygiene and communicable diseases.

·        Assisted youth groups to start and run businesses in Majengo slums.

·        Ran environmental clubs in schools, sensitizing children on the environment, planting trees and kitchen gardens.

·        Organized for environmental clean ups in Majengo slums.

·        Carried out a project to end open defecation in Majengo slums.

Key Achievements:

·        90% of children in all the 8 classes significantly improved in hygiene.

·        Empowered the children through talks and sensitization.

4. OTHER PAST EXPERIENCES

·        Administrative Assistant – Metropolitan Cannon Life Assurance Limited; 2015 to 2016

·        Administrative Assistant – DHL Express; 2013 to 2014

REFEREES

Mr. Bobby V. Ochieng

Relationship manager

Safaricom Limited

Tel: +254 708 440 383

Email: [email protected]

Mrs. Felicita Muli

Hearts of Compassion

Chairlady

Tel: +254 720 732 442

Mr. Benjamin Ilagosa

Project Manager

St. John’s Community Centre