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ELIMINATE POVERTY ORGANIZATION
— · EIN · www.povertyafricakenya.co.ke
profile · synthesized from sources

POAK (Poverty Africa - Kenya) is a community-centered nonprofit founded in 1997 that works to alleviate poverty across Kenya. It empowers vulnerable communities through programs focused on education, community empowerment, peer support, and mental health & nutrition. The organization emphasizes community-led, data-driven, and partnership-based approaches to achieve sustainable development.

named programs · 3 · from sources

what they call their work

Community Empowerment Program
Develops financial literacy and economic independence for men and women through Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) groups, business training, and access to micro-loans.
Education Program
Connects youth to digital skills training and scholarship opportunities through a network of partner institutions, providing certifications, internships, and career guidance.
Peer Program
Creates safe spaces for boys and girls through "Boys for Boys" and "Girls for Girls" initiatives, offering mentorship, life skills workshops, sanitary pad distribution, and menstrual health education.
activities · 6 groups

what they do

  • Education Sponsorship and Academic Support 1 activity
    • Education infrastructure and student support programs
      Renovates classrooms to improve learning environments and supports students through scholarships, learning materials, and mentorship, achieving an 85% school retention rate among over 400 supported students. Engages with at least 15 schools through various education initiatives.
  • Maternal and Child Health Support 1 activity
    • Maternal and child health support
      Provides maternal mental health screening and promotes child well-being through community health programs, contributing to improved maternal and child health outcomes in target communities.
  • Youth Psychosocial Support and Life Skills 1 activity
    • Peer counselor and community health volunteer training
      Trains youth and community health volunteers as peer counselors to deliver mental health first aid, basic nutrition advice, and reproductive health education. Has trained 30 peer counselors and provided mental health training to Community Health Volunteers (CHVs).
  • Safe Spaces with Empowerment Activities 1 activity
    • Peer-led mental health and life skills program
      Creates safe spaces for boys and girls through peer-led mentorship circles and support groups that address gender-specific challenges including mental health stigma, period poverty, and lack of role models. Conducts life skills workshops on self-esteem, decision-making, and future planning, reaching over 150 girls and 80 boys across 12 schools.
  • Digital Skills Training for Youth 1 activity
    • Youth digital skills and scholarship support program
      Builds a network of training providers to deliver digital skills programs for Kenyan youth and facilitates access to full and partial scholarships for eligible participants. Provides pre-enrollment counseling, application assistance, and follow-up mentoring to learners.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Community nutrition and food security education
      Conducts community-based nutrition workshops focused on cooking demonstrations, food budgeting, and improving physical and mental health. Has delivered over 30 such workshops and distributed over 50 nutrition packages to vulnerable households.
    • Women's and girls' economic empowerment and education retention initiative
      Supports girls' education through provision of monthly sanitary pads, menstrual health education, and mental health workshops to reduce period poverty and improve school retention. Operates Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) groups to promote women’s financial inclusion, with over 1,500 members mobilizing KSh 3.2 million in savings.
relationships · 7

who they work with

  • Board of Directors Partner — Governing body overseeing organizational strategy and operations
  • Broad Experiential Limited Funder — Account holder for M-PESA donations to fund the program launch
  • Broad Experiential Limited Government — Account holder for donations supporting POAK Kenya's scholarship initiatives.
  • Broad Experiential Limited Partner — Account name for donations to the Peer Program.
  • Broad Experiential Limited Partner — Financial partner receiving donations via PayBill for the Mental Health & Nutrition Wellness program.
  • NGOs Partner — Works alongside other NGOs to achieve poverty alleviation goals.
  • government Partner — Collaborates with government entities as part of its partnership and collaboration value.