Women Volunteers for Peace (WOVOP)

What Women Volunteers for Peace (WOVOP) does

Women Volunteers for Peace (WOVOP) is a young women-led community-based nonprofit organization headquartered in Kisumu County, Kenya, operating within the Lake Region Economic Bloc of Western Kenya. Founded in August 2018 as the Students Talks Program and registered as a community-based organization in 2019, WOVOP supports at-risk girls and young women aged 13 to 35 through six core programmatic areas: Youth, Women, Peace and Security; Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health; Mental Health; Cross-Exchange (Volunteer and Internship); Climate Adaptation; and Covid-Response. The organization is led by Executive Director Ms. Grace Orao, supported by 15 paid staff and a network of over 420 volunteers deployed across Kenya and beyond.

WOVOP's operating model is rooted in direct community engagement delivered through secondary schools and universities, annual international observance events (International Day of Women, International Day of Peace, Good Deeds Day, International Day of the Girl), mentorship chains connecting beneficiaries to counselors and community leaders, and a Cross-Exchange program recruiting local and international volunteers. The organization reports reaching over 3,000 community members through Good Deeds Day initiatives, convening 30 young women leaders annually for its leadership summit, and engaging 100 girls annually through International Day of the Girl programming. Its programs operate under the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

WOVOP funds its operations through charitable donations collected via the M-Changa Africa mobile fundraising platform and through institutional partnerships with UNDP, UN Women, Shamiri Institute, Arigatou International, the Kenya State Department of Social Protection, the Volunteer Involving Organizations (VIO) Society Kenya, and the Council of the European Union. All services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries. WOVOP's value proposition centers on the intersection of peace education, health promotion, and psychosocial support for a demographic that faces documented gaps in security awareness, adolescent health access, and trauma support in the Kisumu County region.

Name

Women Volunteers for Peace (WOVOP)

Legal name

Women Volunteers for Peace (WOVOP)

Website

https://wovop.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Women Volunteers for Peace (WOVOP) is a young women-led community-based nonprofit in Kisumu County, Kenya, delivering peace education, adolescent health, mental health, climate adaptation, and volunteer programs to at-risk girls and young women aged 13-35.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Peacebuilding Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

Keywords

• Peacebuilding programs
• Community health services
• Psychosocial support services
• Adolescent reproductive health
• Volunteer mobilization

Headquarters

HQ city

Kisumu

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: WOVOP accepts donations through the M-Changa Africa platform, a mobile-based fundraising solution popular in Kenya. The organization relies on charitable contributions from individuals, organizations, and partners to fund its programs.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Women Volunteers for Peace (WOVOP) is a young women-led community-based organization delivering a portfolio of six core programs: Youth Women Peace and Security education, Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health, Mental Health and trauma-healing mentorship, Cross-Exchange volunteer and internship placements, Climate Adaptation, and Covid-Response sensitization. All programs are delivered free of charge to at-risk girls and young women aged 13-35 in Kisumu County, Kenya, through schools, community events, and volunteer-led mentorship chains.

Product overview

Women Volunteers for Peace (WOVOP) is a young women-led community-based organization offering a portfolio of community service programs focused on peace and security, health promotion, and resilience-building. The organization operates six core programmatic areas: the Youth Women Peace and Security Program, Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASHR) Program, Mental Health Program, Cross-Exchange (Volunteer and Internship) Program, Climate Adaptation Program, and Covid-Response Program. These programs collectively support at-risk girls and young women aged 13-35 years in Kisumu County, Kenya, within the Lake Region Economic Bloc. The organization began as the Students Talks Program in August 2018 and evolved into a registered community-based organization in 2019, now supported by over 420 volunteers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth, Women, Peace and Security Program Peace and security education program focused on understanding peace, identifying threats in learning institutions and communities, and providing information on how to report and mitigate potential threats to peace. Aimed at at-risk girls, young women, students, and community members in Kisumu County, Kenya.
• Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASHR) Program Community health program that supports young people and local communities in preventing and managing adolescent sexual and reproductive health issues to reduce the burden of disease and ensure health equity in Kisumu County and beyond.
• Mental Health Program Program creating a sisterhood chain of mentorship between girls and women for trauma-healing support, connecting beneficiaries to counselors, community leaders, and influential figures for psychosocial and economic support.
• Cross-Exchange Program (Volunteer and Internship) Volunteer and internship program providing local and international volunteers and interns with placements to support WOVOP's projects, with opportunities for young people within and outside Kenya.
• Climate Adaptation Program Program implementing policies, strategies, and actionable measures to bolster the resilience of women, girls, and urban and rural communities against natural disasters and hazards.
• Covid-Response Program Initiative championing preventive measures through sensitization, making, and distributing protective gear in Kisumu County during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Shamiri Thrive Fellows Program Partnership offering with the Shamiri Institute placing Shamiri Thrive Fellows based in Kisumu West, East, and Central to deliver mental health support initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 needy community members reached through Good Deeds Day initiatives
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Council of the European UnionflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 September 2022WOVOP's Executive Director Ms. Grace Orao received a special invitation from the Council of the European Union to participate in the Women in Conflict studio production in New York City, hosted by the President of the European Council Dr. Charles Michel. This participation highlighted African young women's needs in conflict situations and represented WOVOP's work under UNSCR 1325 prevention and protection pillars.
• UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWOVOP has established a partnership with UNDP as part of its network of organizations working on peace and development initiatives. UNDP's logo appears in WOVOP's partner section, indicating a collaborative relationship supporting peacebuilding and development programs in the Lake Region Economic Bloc.
• UN WomencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWOVOP collaborates with UN Women as part of its commitment to women-led peacebuilding initiatives. UN Women's logo appears in WOVOP's partner section, reflecting alignment with global frameworks such as UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security.
• Shamiri InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWOVOP partners with Shamiri Institute on mental health programming. This partnership enables delivery of the Shamiri Thrive Fellows program and clinical supervision for mental health initiatives in Kisumu West, East, and Central. Shamiri Institute provides technical expertise in adolescent mental health and psychosocial support.
• State Department of Social Protection (Kenya)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWOVOP collaborates with Kenya's State Department of Social Protection and Volunteer Involving Organizations (VIO) Society in hosting Good Deeds Day celebrations. This partnership enables WOVOP to co-host events in Kisumu County alongside government-led initiatives.
• Volunteer Involving Organizations (VIO) Society KenyaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVIO Society Kenya partners with WOVOP in organizing Good Deeds Day celebrations across Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu counties. Since 2017, VIO has led and co-hosted GDD celebrations in these counties.
• M-Changa AfricaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWOVOP uses M-Changa Africa's fundraising platform (mchanga.africa/fundraiser/48171) to accept donations. M-Changa provides mobile-based fundraising infrastructure enabling individuals to contribute to WOVOP's programs.
• Baptist College CentreminorOthersWOVOP's headquarters is located at Baptist College Centre in Kisumu. This appears to be a hosting or facility partnership arrangement with the Baptist educational institution.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO): Kenyan community-based organization serving slum communities in Nairobi and Kisumu with programs in education, health, and economic empowerment for women and girls. Directly comparable as a CBO delivering multi-sector programming to at-risk girls and young women in Kenya.
• Wangu Kanja Foundation: Kenyan nonprofit focused on supporting survivors of gender-based violence and advocating for policy change, headquartered in Kenya. Comparable as a Kenyan grassroots nonprofit addressing safety, mental health, and rights for women and girls.
• Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW) Kenya: Kenyan women's rights organization working to end gender-based violence through advocacy, community engagement, and survivor support. Comparable to WOVOP through its peace-and-security lens and grassroots Kenyan delivery model.
• Africa Women and Child Organization (AWCO): African NGO implementing community-based programs on health, education, and protection for women and children across multiple countries. Comparable through multi-sector grassroots programming targeted at women and youth.

Broad incumbents

• Plan International Kenya: Established international NGO operating in Kenya with programs in child rights, education, and adolescent sexual and reproductive health. Comparable through overlapping ASRH and youth empowerment programming, but at much greater scale and resourcing.
• UN Women Kenya:
• Restless Development: Youth-led development agency operating across Africa and Asia with peer educator and leadership programs for young people. Comparable through its youth-led delivery model and emphasis on volunteerism to drive social impact.
• Girl Effect: International nonprofit using media and technology to empower girls across East Africa including Kenya. Comparable through its focus on adolescent girls and ASRH-adjacent outcomes in the same regional geography.

Regional players

• Femme International: Tanzania-based nonprofit delivering adolescent sexual and reproductive health programming in East Africa. Comparable through ASRH program focus for at-risk girls, but does not directly compete in WOVOP's Kenyan geography.

Emerging players

• Peace Direct: Global nonprofit that funds and partners with local peacebuilding organizations, including women's-led groups in Africa. Comparable through shared emphasis on grassroots peacebuilding and support for at-risk communities affected by conflict.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Women Volunteers for Peace (WOVOP)