Meet Karen Founder Zero Stains Intiative

I remember my mentor once told me , we are never meant for average but to thrive,we are never meant for ordinary life but extra ordinary, to be there, we need to do extra ordinary things that have not been done before, it means to keep doing something you find fulfillment in even when the excitement you had to commence  it is all gone ,it means to remain consistent to feed what sets your heart on fire  and not allowing the storms of life break you down, it means allowing your uniqueness make a difference in the world .

There is something about anyone who refuses to just be normal and make a difference in the world, there is something about people who are envoys of change and just want to see others  become better, there is something about arising and taking action, there is something about doing little things in big ways , that thing sustainable transformation, its fulfillment, its impact and its leaving the world better than we found it .

Meet Karen Ondwasi , the founder and Director of Zero Stains Initiative who arose to make the world a better place for women in Busia County,she is such a power house and she is so passionate about what she does!

Karen Ondwasi Founder and Director of Zero Stains Intiative

Who is Karen?
Karen is a 25 year old girl who passionate about advocating for gender equity and equality and advocating for the rights of underprivileged girls and women.She is a Founder and Director of Zero Stains Initiative, a community based organization that has been in existence for three years and works to reduce dependency in communities by giving needy girls access to education, opportunities, resources and support to pursue their dreams. Zero Stains also empowers young mothers economically by starting small businesses for them to support their families.

Her passion for this course has led her to working with different Pan-African organizations that support women empowerment. She is currently working with Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) which works to promote access to quality education among girls and women.

 What drives you in life?

I am believer in creating change in whatever capacity you have be it small or big . I love to see positive change and therefore I work towards empowering the people around me and helping them to be better.

Tell us about Zero stain initiative
Zero Stains is a charity initiative based in Nambale, Western Kenya . It seeks to reach out to young girls from vulnerable backgrounds, give them a platform to have their voices heard, help them access education and motivate them . Our programs include sanitary towels and underwear donation, starting small business for young mothers,  and mentorship for out of school and school going girls

one of the events they had in 2018

What inspired you to bring the initiative?

I come from a community where girls and women are not adequately empowered. This therefore leaves them vulnerable to different forms of discriminations, gender based violence and poverty. These women give birth to children who are raised in the very same circumstances. At the end of the day, we are left with a whole impoverished community. The cycle of poverty continues, and that needs to stop. There needs to be change. Change can only happen when we take action, and for that reason I took action to empower the women in my community to enable them access opportunities and resources that would help better their lives.

young women in her community in mentor-ship class

Who is your mentor?

Ms. Hendrina Doroba- African Development bank

What are your future plans for ZSI?
To grow the Initiative to other areas in Busia County instead of just Nambale
To run more programs that will equip girls with skills.

 Success of the initiative
To see beneficiaries of the initiative complete school/training and are able to earn an income and support their families
To see child mothers go back to school
To see young mothers grow their business or find alternative sources of income to ensure their children never go a day without basic needs.

What are the challenges of the initiative?
Lack of adequate funds to run projects
Poor attitude in the community towards women empowerment.

Advice to people who want to make a difference?
Don’t be afraid to start small. Whoever starts small creates a bigger impact than a person with great ideas with no action.

 lastly ,How can others be of support?
Start with your neighbors, are the girls in that home well empower? Can you support them in one or two things? By doing that you will be contributing to the bigger goal of Zero Stains
Get involved in community mentor-ship activities that the organization does.

if you can start then God will provide forces to back you up.

 Are you passionate about something but you just don't know how to start ? As karen puts it ,just start in what ever small way you can and you will get there ,there's  someone out  there  waiting  for you to take action in order for them to hope for a better tomorrow , turn your thoughts and passion to actions,the reason God placed that fire in the inside of you is because He knew how many people will need that fire to enter their place of power and purpose, you are enough , you dont need to be someone else.

Arise, leave the world better than you found it. You are unstoppable.