Emergency WASH Volunteer Officer - TEREF
Job Location:Nairobi - St John Programs in Kenya (SJKP) Headquarters
Job Description:
We work with communities, our dedicated volunteers, Government
line ministries and various relevant departments and likeminded stakeholders to
deliver this.
Our Approach
St John Kenya Programs has been forging partnerships with
communities in need to address complex problems related to health, economic
development, disasters, Conflicts and nutrition, and building effective
governance and institutions.
Program Background
For nearly 83 years SJKP has been on the forefront in
facilitating sustainable appropriate, affordable health and development to the
hard to reach and poor of the poor communities.
We work with communities, our dedicated volunteers, Government
line ministries and various relevant departments and likeminded stakeholders to
deliver this.
Our Approach
St John Kenya Programs has been forging partnerships with
communities in need to address complex problems related to health, economic
development, disasters, Conflicts and nutrition, and building effective
governance and institutions.
The Tana River Emergency Program (TEREF)
During the recent inter ethnic clashes conflicts in Tana River,
more than 100 people were confirmed died, hundreds of households displaced,
houses and livelihoods were destroyed. Hospitals and clinics were overwhelmed
by the increased number of patients, and their supplies rapidly depleted.
Nurses and doctors from ‘wrong’ communities had to flee for
their lives even as tensions and ethnic animosity escalated. Hundreds had gone
through traumatic experiences; women and children had been forced to flee their
only shelters and homes.
Majority of the IDPS have now been integrated into communities
around, however poor Sanitation and hygienic practices have rendered
many children susceptible to life threatening diseases like diarrhoea and
Respiratory Tract Infection (RTI). Normalcy is slowly returning, although
inter-ethnic cohesion is still a dream that is yet to be realized
Since February 2013 SJKP in partnership with MoH and
other stakeholders with support from the International Office designed
the TEREF
The main objective of the programme is to improve the holistic
well being of victims of adversarial groups in Tana River, specifically women
and Children
Program outcome: increased resilience and coping mechanism levels among
women and children at risk in Tana River County through the following key
strategic interventions
Job Summary
The WASH Officer’s main tasks lie in the assessment, analysis and prioritization of urgent WASH response needs, the designing, implementation and coordination of emergency WASH interventions, and the training of local staff and stakeholders in WASH related topics.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Assessment
Job Summary
The WASH Officer’s main tasks lie in the assessment, analysis and prioritization of urgent WASH response needs, the designing, implementation and coordination of emergency WASH interventions, and the training of local staff and stakeholders in WASH related topics.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Assessment
- Provide
water, sanitation and hygiene sectoral leadership and expertise in
relevant needs assessments and analysis.
- Conduct
initial rapid assessment of current situation in collaboration with health
workers and affected population; determine priorities and immediate
activities and resources.
- Represent
SJKP to stakeholders and Governmental and non-Governmental agencies
- Assess
in-country resources and capacities (human, material and financial) for
response with relevant staff and agencies.
2. Programme Design
- Define
aims and objectives of the overall WASH response programme.
- Design
an appropriate overall response to the current emergency, taking into
account the needs of the community; the current levels of capacity and
cooperation within the Health structures; and eventual expanding of
current programs.
- Select
and design water systems including source selection (ground water, surface
water), abstraction, storage, treatment and distribution for new systems
and/or the rehabilitation of old systems.
- Select
and design the most appropriate form of sanitation system (to include
excreta disposal, vector control, solid waste disposal, drainage) taking
full account of local conditions, resources, customs and cultural norms.
- Select
and design, in collaboration with other actors a suitable hygiene
promotion strategy
- Ensure
that issues of protection, gender, livelihoods, DRR and environmental
impact, operation and maintenance and sustainability are factored into the
programme design.
- Ensure
Sphere standards both qualitative and quantitative are considered and any
departures documented.
- Develop
letters of intent, concept papers, budgets and proposals in respect of the
above.
3. Response Management and Implementation
- Plan
and manage WASH programme in a phased and prioritised manner with full
consultation and co-ordination with SJKP staff and other agencies both
governmental and non-governmental.
- Ensure
gender is fully considered throughout the project cycle with women being
enabled to influence decision- making around WASH issues.
- Organize
with the logistics and finance departments materials and support needed
for all activities.
Job Requirements:
- Bachelor’s
degree (emphasis in Water/Public Health/Sanitation)
- 1+
years of relevant work experience (minimum of 1 years in humanitarian situations;
camp settings a plus)
- Experience
in emergency response, including rapid assessments and needs analysis
- Experience
in hygiene promotion in humanitarian contexts
- Ability
to work in extreme weather conditions
- Profound
cross-cultural awareness and sound knowledge of public health issues
- Ability
to exercise sound judgment and make decisions independently
- Extremely
flexible, and have the ability to cope with stressful situations and
frustrations
- Ability
to relate to and motivate local staff effectively
- Creativity
and the ability to work with limited resources
- Sense
of humor
- Fluency
in English (both oral and written skills)
Applications to be emailed to lotern.brown@stjohnkenya.org