Rona Foundation – Our Staff
Roseline Orwa
Roseline is a social entrepreneur with a focus on gender and rural development. She holds a non-graduate degree in Public Relations and Communication from Daystar University, Diploma in Printing and Graphic design from the Technical University of Kenya, and a Diploma in Project Management and Innovation. In addition, she has undertaken a number of short courses in the area of gender, Media and Advocacy. Roseline is a lifelong Fellow of the Atlantic Social Economic and Equity Program at the London School of Economics for social and economic equity. And an Aspen 2021 Fellow.
Roseline has worked with both county and state, and consulted with different local and global civil organisations on widow rights. Ms. Roseline Orwa is an experienced grass root gender and development expert with a wealth of experience spanning over 10 years. She has major competencies in; Sex and Gender Based Violence issues, Gender mainstreaming, and Rural Women empowerment programs in Kenya. She is also well versed in public policy advocacy, access to gender justice, and general gender mainstreaming particularly in livelihoods, agriculture and micro-finance.
Roseline is an international award winning widow advocate, a chapter leader with Modern Widows Club, and also serves as an appointed Commissioned Expert with the Ministry of Labour and Social Services in Kenya.
Rose Akoth – Project Assistant
With over 5 years’ experience in project implementation, she oversees our advocacy and scholarships projects. Rose holds a diploma in Community Development and is very passionate about women-widow empowerment through EEP (Economic Empowerment Programs). She has served at the Red cross around emergency response actions and qualitative and quantitative research. Her highlights of the job include taking the widows to a step further in accessing their rights! “Nothing feels better than justice attained”, Rose sums it.
Roccette Juma
Roccette is a Gender and Development Studies graduate with experience in project design, execution and impact assessment. She is very devoted in pursuing and advocacy for marginalized demographics of people especially women, and mostly rural widows. She has had previous experience in empowering marginalized women in organizations like Women’s Empowerment Link and I choose Life Africa. Currently she is our Programs Officer under our Voice to Action and Advanced Advocacy project, also our Communications and visibility intern, working to learning and highlighting widows’ /stories achievements in their quest for justice using Rona online platforms. She enjoys seeing a positive turn around and success stories in widows empowerment!
Lorna Apudo
Lorna is our financial Manager –responsible for our financial analysis, budgeting, accounting and development of financial reports for the different projects. Her course-work study includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Statistics
She oversees all financial operations and ensures the organization is up-to date in all fiscal compliances
Michael Onyundo
Mike holds a certificate in fashion and design, assuming the roles of our designer, tailor and driver. He also manages our development office, overseeing general organisational tasks and errands. He has apt problem solving skills and facilitates communication both internally and externally. He offers support to our departments and is an asset in our organisation operations and projects.
Vincent
Vincent works in our Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Department as an intern as he is currently undertaking his diploma course and Mount Kenya University. He works closely with the department to ensure smooth. Proper handling of hardware and software technology materials in the organization and development of new tools for use .He enjoys working with our Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC) –since kids hold a special place in his heart.
Emmanuel Omondi
Emmanuel is our newest team member, with a Diploma in Accounting. He has worked as an accounts clerk in a Housing Co-operative, Costain construction Ltd, Ngong veg, and Bands Sacco Ltd. He enjoys the exciting new learning opportunities and humanitarian dynamics his role comes with and is very enthusiastic on fulfilling his duties under the guidance and leadership of our Finance Department! “Raised as an orphan this new role is fulfilling”, he sums it so.
Esther Oulo
Esther is our secretary intern – with the duties and responsibility of file maintenance, attending to calls, visitors and handling correspondence, recording meeting minutes and reports. She also manages database for our organisational staff and our project participants.
Steven Agunda
He is our paralegal officer and works to report, document widow / child safeguarding cases and offer referral pathways to the survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence to relevant duty bearers and institutions. He also represents the organization in stakeholder meetings and provides feedback for best practices and lessons learnt.He works with the County Government to ensure that widow rights are upheld –through conducting policy education forums and representing the organization in stakeholder meetings. He is a passionate male champion and has a keen interest in widows’ access to justice!