OUR MISSION
To create an enabling environment for culturally discriminated and under-privileged girls to realize their full potential through education and empowerment
ABOUT LULU
Lulu Community Empowerment (LUCEP) is a registered Community Based Organization (CBO) that was founded in May 2011 with the aim of addressing human rights and development issues in Samburu County, Kenya. Christine Terina, the founder of LUCEP is a resident of Lulu village in Samburu. Her NGO seeks to empower women from Lulu, Baawa, Ngari, Suguta and Lkuroto. LUCEP aims to tackle girls access, retention and transition from primary to secondary level education. It furthermore creates opportunities through income generating projects for women, advocates for inclusion of women in leadership and decision making positions. We also reduce levels of poverty, hunger, inequality, conflict and insecurity and contribute to sustainable development goals through our work. Learn more about what we do.
VISION
We are committed to living out our core values through our staff, our partners, and with all whom we interact. In upholding our core values we have zero tolerance for all forms of exploitation, abuse, fraud, bribery and any other conduct which is incompatible with these values
VALUES
IMPARTIALITY & TARGETING
We are committed to reaching the most vulnerable girl child and women, selected on the basis of need alone, regardless of their tribe or clan.
ADVOCACY
We are committed to influencing key decision-makers to make and implement policies and practices that improve the lives of girls and women.
GENDER
We are committed to seeing transformation through restored relationships between men, women, boys, and girls and ensuring equal value, participation and decision making by all.
ACCOUNTABILITY
We are committed to being fully accountable to project participants, communities, partners, supporters and donors for the work we undertake and for the resources entrusted to us.
SUSTAINABILITY
We are committed to empowering staff and partners and to seeing that the work that we support has a lasting impact, being built on acceptance and local ownership.
Lulu is a Samburu word meaning “sacred water.” The Samburu are the “care-givers” of the grazing land throughout Northern Kenya. Lulu Community Empowerment is the care-giver of the pastoralist community regarding human rights, education, healthcare, and land.
Pastoral women face double marginalization. First, being from retrogressive cultural practices that violate their basic human rights. Demeaning their value to lesser human as well as denying them opportunities to realize their full potential and worth.
The second marginalization comes from Government and leadership through policy gaps, access to leadership positions and unequal resource distribution.
While we recognize the gains that the new Kenyan Constitution has brought to women, it is evident that much more efforts is still needed to make sure they enjoy these rights. Women and girls continue to survive practices like Female Genital Mutilation, early forced marriages, no right to own land and other economic resources, access to leadership positions; both political and non political to mention but a few.
It’s against this background that Christine Terina the Founder and CEO of Lulu Community Empowerment who herself is from the pastoral communities decided to establish this organization to empower women to break the silence, know and demand their rights. LUCEP engages men to enable women and girls make choices about the way that they want their lives and that of the community to have a bright future. LUCEP educates indigenous people and brings pastoral professionals to engage in advocating for women and girl’s empowerment, develop their capacities in a participatory approach by all levels of the community for a prosperous future.
Christine Terina, Founder
Christine Terina (left) is a resident of Samburu County, Lulu village. She is the founder of Lulu Community Empowerment, an organization that seeks to empower women from Lulu, Baawa, Ngari, suguta and Lkuroto in Samburu County, Kenya. Christine is a humanitarian, environmentalist, political activist, and an entrepreneur.
Christine was born and brought up in a Nomadic pastoral set up in Lulu village. She worked at the Teachers Service Commission and has long been working in projects such as Amref Kenya to improve the health and living conditions of her people.
Christine understands the plight of the girl child among the pastoralist people having escaped the retrogressive practices while growing up. Long before the birth of LUCEP, Christine had been instrumental in a personal crusade to rescue girls from FGM, Child Marriage and beading since 1998 when she had completed high school and was facing discrimination as a human rights defender.
Christine now brings all that passion and experience to LUCEP where she knows she can truly make a difference.
Board of Directors
Christine Terina – Founder & CEO
Silvana Lesuuda – Director & Board Secretary
Justine Leisiano – Special Needs Education
Benedict Lolkoki – Economic Development and Statistics
Solomon Sankara – Environmental Conservation
Grace Natasha – Community Development services
Laureen Natalia – Youth Representative
James Lparari – Community Representatives
Resianoi Lolkoki – Community Representative