64 ORGS · 473 ACTIVITIES ← all strategies ·
approach →

Amplifying Lived Experience

By centering programs on the lived experience of beneficiaries through peer leadership, storytelling, and community-led design, we produce more trusted, relevant, and sustainable outcomes, because shared experience builds authenticity, reduces stigma, and increases engagement in ways that external expertise alone cannot. This strategy involves systematically integrating the knowledge, voice, and agency of people with direct experience of a social issue—such as drug use, disability, gender-based violence, or poor health—into service delivery, advocacy, and program design. It distinguishes itself from top-down or expert-driven models by treating lived experience as a form of expertise that enhances program legitimacy, cultural resonance, and behavioral impact. Unlike general community engagement, this approach positions affected individuals as leaders, educators, and change agents rather than passive recipients.

64
orgs running it
473
activities of those orgs
12
activity groups touched
who runs it

organizations running this strategy · 64

+ 34 more orgs
what it looks like in practice

activities of orgs running this strategy

A sample of programmatic activities from the orgs above. These are what the strategy looks like on the ground.

  • Community-based outreach and health education OMARI PROJECT
    direct service
    Delivers essential services and health education to underserved communities through volunteer programs, including a community-based outreach program launched in 2006 targeting people who use drugs.
  • HIV harm reduction and prevention OMARI PROJECT
    direct service
    Implements peer-led outreach programs that deliver HIV harm reduction interventions and provides education and support to prevent HIV transmission and reduce stigma among vulnerable populations.
  • Partnership for capacity building OMARI PROJECT
    capacity building
    Formalized a partnership with the USAID-funded Capable Partners (CAP) Kenya Program through a grant agreement in February 2007.
  • Substance use treatment and rehabilitation OMARI PROJECT
    direct service
    Provides treatment and rehabilitation services for heroin users, including community-based follow-up support.
  • Digital health outreach and care coordination MOBILE HEALTH SERVICES
    direct service
    Uses mobile phone technology to deliver tailored health education, appointment reminders, and follow-up care coordination to patients engaged in mobile health services.
  • Mobile medical screening services MOBILE HEALTH SERVICES
    direct service
    Deploys state-of-the-art mobile medical units to deliver free CT scans and diagnostic screenings—including blood pressure, cholesterol, lung health, and mental health risk assessments—to underserved communities.
  • Population health data research MOBILE HEALTH SERVICES
    research
    Collects and analyzes de-identified population health data from mobile screenings to support public health research and inform policy development.
  • GBV Peer Advocacy Capacity Building WAKE-UP INTERNATIONAL
    capacity building
    Trains and builds the capacity of youth peer advocates in secondary schools to promote gender-based violence awareness and prevention within their communities.
  • Gender-Based Violence Awareness and Survivor Support Program WAKE-UP INTERNATIONAL
    direct service
    Conducts community education, school-based workshops, and awareness campaigns on gender-based violence (GBV), connects survivors to legal and psychosocial services, and enrolls vulnerable women survivors in economic empowerment programs.
  • Lea Dada Girl Child Empowerment Program WAKE-UP INTERNATIONAL
    direct service
    Empowers girls aged 13–18 through education, life skills training, sexual and reproductive health education, and leadership development to promote gender equity and personal growth.
  • Lea Ndugu Boy Child Mentorship Program WAKE-UP INTERNATIONAL
    direct service
    Provides mentorship and support to boys aged 13–18, particularly those from single-parent households, to build confidence, responsibility, and personal development.
  • Women Economic Empowerment Through Entrepreneurship (WEETE) WAKE-UP INTERNATIONAL
    direct service
    Provides entrepreneurial training, tools, and resources to vulnerable women aged 36+ in underserved communities in Kenya to support business development and economic empowerment.
  • Youth Capacity Building and Career Readiness Program WAKE-UP INTERNATIONAL
    capacity building
    Equips high school, college, and university students in Kenya with skills, tools, and resources for academic success, career readiness, and social mobility through targeted training and mentorship.
  • Youth Economic Empowerment Through Entrepreneurship (YEETE) WAKE-UP INTERNATIONAL
    direct service
    Delivers entrepreneurial training, tools, and resources to vulnerable youth aged 18–35 in Kenya to promote business growth and economic self-reliance.
  • 24-hour outpatient and inpatient care IMPACT IN HEALTH
    direct service
    Delivers continuous outpatient and inpatient health services on a 24-hour basis.
  • Covid-19 isolation facility IMPACT IN HEALTH
    direct service
    Operates a 6-bed isolation unit for patients confirmed positive for Covid-19.
  • In-house laboratory testing IMPACT IN HEALTH
    direct service
    Operates on-site laboratories that conduct basic and specialized tests with results available within 24 hours.
  • Medical case management services IMPACT IN HEALTH
    direct service
    Provides direct medical case management, having completed over 400 medical cases to date.