ABOUT US | Jifunze

jifunze international

Founder and Executive Director Victoria Porter first visited Kenya in December 2017 / January 2018. It was during this time she witnessed first hand the repercussions poverty was having on the health and wellbeing of families and their children in the Kitengela community. The specific issues identified at the time were in relation to lack of education around puberty , sexual health and sexual violence. It was clear that we needed to highlight and emphasize the need to empower the woman and children.

In 2020 Jifunze International was established as an Australian not for profit company and from the outset Victoria has been very clear that no Directors or board members will be paid. She wishes to express her sincere thanks and appreciation to all Directors and board members now and in the future for their dedication and support to this organisation where 100% of donations and fundraising dollars will go directly to the projects.

Working within schools and the local hospital has allowed us to understand the needs of the community. The needs which have been identified exist due to extreme poverty and lack of education around health and well being. Our mission is to ensure that young girls and woman are provided with the knowledge and resources they need to manage their menstrual cycles, ensure their sexual safety and grow with comfort and dignity. Jifunze International has also continued to work alongside members of the Kitengela community to identify the needs of everyone in the community. The initial needs identified were knowledge about first aid, nutrition and best water practice. However during our first year in operation we had the unexpected arrival of COVID 19 and this became the priority as we responded with the provision of personal protective equipment and COVID 19 information leaflets and posters

In March 2021, Jifunze International was officially recognised by the Australian Charities and Non for Profit Commission as a benevolant institute and gained Deductible Gift Receipt Status. This means any donation over $2 is tax deductible.

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OUR People

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Victoria Porter (PHF)

CEO, Executive Director

Founder and Chairperson

Victoria has been entangled in charity events from a young age from following her dad around and helping out with his many events which were run to support disabled children, school fundraisers and notably sending a shipping container of school supplies to Romania. After joining Townsville Central State School following her family's migration to Australia she as awarded the Malcolm Molomby Award for community service within the school.

Since she finished school she has lived and worked overseas. Returning to Australia in 2012 to return to studies. She now holds a Bachelors Degree in Business and Events a Diploma in Youth Work and a Masters in International Development.

In 2016/7 she spent a substantial time volunteering at the Salvation Army in Melbourne as well as Don Bosco Youth Centre in Brunswick, and often said it was the best part of her week.

At the end of 2017 she took a trip to Africa, stopping for a duration in Kenya. The experience changed her life. She has since returned to Kenya multiple times and built connections with Ujamaa education provider, the teams at Days for Girls as well as local education and health leaders in the community.

She was honoured to receive a Paul Harris Fellow awarded for the work that she has done in Kenya from Mundingburra Rotary Club in District 9550 at their District conference in Alice Springs where she was a guest speaker. And was invited to be a founding member of the Rotarian Action Group for Menstrual Health & Hygiene which is currently being established.

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Roberta porter (PHF)

governance director

public officer

Roberta is a Registered General Nurse, Registered Mental Health Nurse and has a Post Graduate Certificate in Health Service Management. She has worked in Mental Health Services for over 40 years in both Clinical Practice and Acute and Community Service’s Senior Management.

She has been involved with Rotary since 1996 and is currently a member of Rotary eClub One where she holds the position of Administration Chair. She has hosted and supported a significant number of Rotary youth exchange students from Norway, Belgium, Brazil, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan and more over a 10-year period. Her commitment to children is also evidenced in her support of children through Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children.

Roberta is passionate about educating and supporting young and vulnerable people to achieve better overall health and well-being and finds opportunities to do so in a number of areas of her life.

Her previous experiences are highly valued in Jifunze International’s leadership team.

sally lay

Director

SUSTAINABILITY AND ETHICS

Sally Maria Lay finished a Master of International Community Development from Victoria University in 2019. Her interests include community-led approaches to social change, environmental sustainability, social finance and impact investment.

She has experience in community development in Timor-Leste, where she worked with youth and rural communities in permaculture and sustainable development programs. Her experience working with migrant women in Australia and youth in Timor-Leste has reinforced her belief that a focus on building the strengths and capacities of women and children is essential to the success and sustainability of development in communities.

Being a refugee migrant, her experience growing up in Australia and navigating the internal/external struggles of identity, place and belonging has informed her passion for equality and social change.

Katie olsen

member

secretary

Katie has a passion for learning, creativity and wellbeing and is currently studying Arts and Music Therapy. She also has a Diploma in Fashion Design and has a strong interest in all health and creative-arts fields.

After working in the fashion industry for a number of years, including running her own fashion label, Katie lived and worked overseas for some time where she met Victoria.

Since her return to Australia, she has worked in administration roles across various industries including mining and resources, law, finance, and health. She currently works with a consulting engineering firm, focusing on project administration, quality assurance, and document control. She brings these skills and experience with her to Jifunze in the role of secretary.

Jifunze’s vision resonates deeply with Katie as she is a strong believer in empowering women and girls through education, health, wellbeing, community, and support. She has followed and supported the evolution of Jifunze since its very beginning and is proud to be a member and to have the opportunity to learn and contribute more to this fantastic organisation.

Robert ouma

member

photographer (Paid) / projects assistant (Voluntary)

Robert is a young, vibrant, film enthusiast. He was born, raised in the slums of Kibera. He is passionate about photography and videography. He earns a livelihood as a film maker being the Owner / Manager of RB Media Productions. He began the film production company in 2021 and in a year he has been able to employ a number of people on contractual basis for various projects as well as conduct five free film trainings in Kibera.

Immediately after his secondary school in 2016 he joined Tell a Tale (film production company). He volunteered as an equipment manager and over the years he has acquired the necessary training to become a competent film maker and specializes in sound engineering.

His education and upkeep since he was ten have been catered for by a charity organization in Kibera called Reaching Out With Compassion (R.O.C.K). Robert currently serves in the organization as Head of Operations and Planning, he is also in charge of their social media accounts.

Robert's professional work has earned him the pleasure of working with many other charity organizations in Kibera, including Passion to Share Foundation, Kara Kids Centre, and The Rotary eClub District 9212 where he has been an active member since 2021.

At JI Robert is a board member. He shares in the same spirit of the organization of reaching out to the needy and marginalized in the society having personally hailed from the same background. He is determined to change the lives of many especially when hope seems lost.

Lilly lay

member

social media manager

Lilly completed her Bachelor of Arts from La Trobe University. Following this, she worked in the retail industry for 7 years, where she honed her skills in customer service and communication.

Deciding on a career change, she completed a Cert IV in Disability, and later on, Advanced Diploma in Community Sector Management. Lilly is a 2IC in supported accommodation, and her time in the disability sector has deepened her understanding of the issues and barriers people with a disability face. Her work focuses on creating opportunities for people with a disability to access the community and achieve their goals.

She is passionate about her work. She is a steadfast ally for people with a disability, and she regularly advocates for their right to be included in society.

Lilly enjoys reading, travelling and sampling world cuisines in her spare time (as well as being Jifunze International’s social media manager).

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jan johnson (PHF Saphire)

Member

fundraising specialist

Jan has been a Secondary School Teacher for 50 years and has taught in a wide range of age groups, she has held middle management positions and in retirement is still enjoying supply teaching.

She joined Rotary 26 years ago and enjoys the friendship of fellow Rotarians. Jan was awarded a PHF for services with Rotary Youth Exchange (YEP) having been a District Committee member and Country co-ordinator for USA, Finland, Denmark and Sweden.

For the last 10 years Jan has been involved with RAWCS (Rotary Aust World Community Service) and has been to Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Kenya with the Helping Hands Project ..fitting artificial hands on mainly land mine victims, but also domestic violence and work placed accidents victims.

She is now District Chair for Rotary Friendship Exchange and recently was in the team who completed a return visit to Virginia USA.

It was during a Rotary meeting when Victoria Porter visited Mundingburra R.C. In Townsville QLD D9550 asking for support with her education programs in Kenya that Jan knew which project she was supporting next...and an interesting journey it has been so far! Jan believes diversity is Rotary’s strength that transforms lives.