Joseph Were’s Journey Towards Social Work: From Impoverished Farmer’s Son to Champion of Youth

Being there for someone might be the hardest thing one can do. It takes patience, courage, and most importantly a lot of time and effort to help the other person. The most precious thing in life is when you learn from your experiences and are ready to use those values and knowledge to benefit society. A true example of this would be Joseph Were, who despite having a hard childhood, made invaluable contributions to his community. Joseph’s story offers hope to millions of enduring hardships, and inspires even more, to aid others.

The Beginning

“Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the action that we do.”, Mother Teresa

Let’s start the story from the very beginning to truly understand where Joseph’s love for his community comes from and is shown in such a demonstrative way. 

His Childhood

Joseph Were was born in the rural village of Kasgunga, Mbita Sub County in Homa Bay County, Kenya. He is one of seven siblings, and growing up his family struggled to provide enough food, pay for school fees, and meet the other basic needs of raising a large family. Despite these challenges, Joseph’s parents prioritized his education and made sure he attended school every day. However, it was not easy for him as he had to walk 3 kilometers on an empty stomach each way. This made it difficult for him to focus in class as he was both hungry and tired before the day even began.

Joseph greatly admires his parents for instilling in him the importance of hardwork and resilience. His mother would gather firewood and sell it to earn additional money, as well as make charcoal for cooking on stoves. This was essential in their rural community and prevented his family from experiencing hunger. Similarly, his father worked tirelessly each season on the farm to provide nutritious greens for a healthy lifestyle. Despite having strict parents, Joseph was able to have an enriching upbringing filled with valuable lessons. As a result, he developed into a diligent individual.

Joseph noticed the example his parents set by giving back to the community. They were caring people who would try to give food to anyone who would come to their home and request some meals. They always gave whatever little they had to show togetherness in the neighborhood and they passed this caring nature onto their son. 

His Journey Towards Social Work

Joseph studied social work and community development in college, and after finishing his studies in 2015, he began to volunteer in the social sector. Working as a youth peer provider and mentor at a local private hospital (Med25 International Hospital), Joseph found his calling. He knew without a doubt that he wanted to work with young people in his community.

It was during this time that a young pregnant teenager came to visit him. In her first year of high school, she was desperate for help. The girl wanted to end her pregnancy as the baby’s father was no longer in the picture and her family refused to support her. Her parents said she was too young to look after a child and they wanted her to finish her education. Upset, she ran away from home and asked Joseph for his help.

Joseph made a referral to the hospital believing they would look after her. However, he witnessed a scenario he didn’t expect to see. Right in front of his eyes, he watched a catastrophe unfold. The doctors had rejected her plea for an abortion advising her instead to carry the child to term and then return to school. After quitting school, the distressed teen tried to abort the baby herself and tragically died from the experience.

This was a heart-wrenching moment for him, but one that would impact his future.  As a changemaker, Joseph began to think of ways he might be able to help other young girls in similar situations. From that day to now, he engages with youth to teach them about economic empowerment and helps them build innovative solutions like creating a business that will help sustain them during difficult times.

The Middle

Joseph has dedicated the past eight years to advocating for social causes while also supporting himself through work with small businesses. He strongly values independence and believes in promoting self-sustainability, which he emphasizes when working with organizations. Joseph follows the mantra of “thinking globally but acting locally” and helps his community by mobilizing resources, creating proposals, obtaining local resources, and collaborating with other stakeholders. This approach is crucial since external support can be unpredictable and taken away at any moment.

Joseph collaborates with his community and has confidence in their ability to collectively find the most effective solutions to any issue. He implements interventions and policies that effectively address the needs of the people. Additionally, he conducts thorough research, particularly in public health, which is often at the core of many related issues.

His Guiding Lights

The illumination of a vision is only possible when a group of intelligent individuals unite to ignite it. Like many others, Joseph struggled with reluctance which hindered him from discussing various societal issues due to the fear of criticism. However, he credits the community for guiding him and encouraging his active involvement in these discussions. 

Joseph holds deep appreciation for his recent encounter with Dr. Paul Macharia, who has been an invaluable mentor since they reconnected after the pandemic. During his Ph.D. studies, Dr. Paul Macharia provided guidance that helped Joseph successfully complete his first research project. The extensive knowledge gained from their friendship holds great significance in Joseph’s heart and has motivated him to continue conducting research and even publish his own manuscript soon.

The Biggest Celebration

Joseph Were, who has never celebrated his own birthday, will be bringing happiness to the children of Chamakowa Primary School by hosting a festive celebration for his upcoming birthday. On February 22nd, he plans to provide a hearty meal of porridge for one hundred students from his school. Having experienced the long trek to school himself, Joseph recognizes the importance of providing energy for these children.

The concept originated from his wife’s suggestion to explore agriculture, as she shares his passion for philanthropy. In his initial harvest, he yielded five shacks of maize and shared them with his parents. The following year, he successfully grew ten shacks of maize and felt compelled to show gratitude to God for the abundance.

This led him to reflect on his own childhood experiences and prompted him to reach out to the head teacher of his former primary school. She enlightened him about the struggles children faced in accessing education due to long distances and exhaustion from walking. It was this revelation that sparked the idea for Birthday Charity, as he reached out to friends and others who could contribute sugar and other necessities towards its success.

But the goal doesn’t stop here, he plans to continue this forever. He needs to raise 1500 dollars to feed 100 children for an entire year and with a goal to feed 10,000 children by 2030 with a daily cup of porridge. Girl Power USA is happy to be a part of this celebration and has contributed 350 dollars from their side. To see the smiles on children’s faces and the shine in their eyes knowing that these meals will help them shape their future is something that Girl Power USA truly started for. 

Definitely Not the End!

Joseph Were is deeply rooted within the community and has been working endlessly for many years to make their lives better. He is the co-founder of Cyan Kenya, which is a Community-Based Organization focusing on adolescents and youths. He sees himself as a technical advisor for the organization, and in the future, he will continue the chain of volunteerism. He wants to focus on nurturing growth and bringing in new people to help the community. 

When asked what brings him the most joy and fear, he had a beautiful response. He revealed that hunger was his biggest fear, as it could hinder his ability to chase after his goals. This worry extended to his community as well, motivating him to make a difference and lend support. His happiness comes from supporting others in their pursuits, especially children and their dreams within the community. His ultimate vision is for all individuals to have access to resources that allow them to thrive and passionately chase after their aspirations. This is a mission he will always strive towards.

Joseph Were’s remarkable journey from impoverished beginnings to change in Kenya’s communities exemplifies the transformative power of resilience and compassion. Through his tireless dedication to youth empowerment and community development, he continues to inspire countless individuals to believe in the possibility of positive change.