Mentor - Balesa

Role Overview

This field-based position places you at the heart of BOMA’s SOIL Program in Marsabit County, working directly with households and community groups to deliver coaching, training, and follow-up support that strengthens nutrition, livelihoods, savings, and resilience. As a Mentor, you are the frontline link between the program and participating families, and you play a central role in helping participants turn realistic goals into lasting improvements in their daily lives. Reporting to the Field Officer, you will lead participant mobilisation, group formation, capacity building, progress monitoring, and data collection while ensuring all activities meet BOMA’s quality and safeguarding standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Build trusting relationships with assigned participants and households, providing monthly coaching and mentorship that reflects each household’s specific circumstances, goals, and challenges.
• Facilitate the formation and strengthening of Savings Groups and Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), guiding members on savings, borrowing, budgeting, and effective use of loans.
• Deliver practical trainings on entrepreneurship, life skills, agri-nutrition, financial literacy, and market linkages using BOMA’s approved manuals and standards.
• Support participants to identify viable livelihood and enterprise opportunities, develop simple business plans, and strengthen core business skills such as record keeping, cash management, customer care, and stock control.
• Conduct regular household follow-up visits to assess adoption of nutrition, food security, and livelihood practices, and provide targeted support to households falling behind.
• Facilitate monthly agri-nutrition sessions covering dietary diversity, food production, food utilisation, kitchen gardens, poultry keeping, and other nutrition-sensitive activities.
• Coach households on resilience, regenerative agriculture, climate-smart practices, and sustainable natural resource management, helping them prepare for and recover from shocks.
• Capture and submit accurate participant and group data using BOMA’s digital systems and reporting tools, maintain records, document success stories, and promptly escalate risks or concerns to the Field Officer.
• Refer participants to health, nutrition, protection, or other specialised services when needed, following program protocols and collaborating with Community Health Promoters and other stakeholders.
• Plan daily field activities, manage assigned resources responsibly, and submit operational documentation such as movement plans, fuel usage, and activity records on time.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Must be a resident of Marsabit County and a member of the community where the SOIL Program is implemented, with a clear understanding of local culture, language, and geography.
• Demonstrated experience in community mobilisation, facilitation, training, or mentorship, preferably in livelihoods, nutrition, savings groups, or women’s empowerment programs.
• Practical knowledge of VSLA/Savings Group methodologies, enterprise development, and household coaching approaches.
• Experience using digital data collection tools such as tablets or mobile phones for field monitoring and reporting.
• Ability to work independently in remote, hard-to-reach areas, plan field visits, and manage time effectively across multiple households and groups.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with fluency in the local language(s) of Marsabit County and the ability to work respectfully with diverse community members, including men, women, youth, and vulnerable groups.
• Understanding of safeguarding principles, confidentiality, and responsible handling of participant information.
• Willingness to travel extensively within the assigned project area, including by motorcycle or on foot in sometimes challenging terrain.
• Basic report writing and data management skills, with attention to accuracy and timeliness.