Board of Trustees

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Terms of Reference - Board of Trustees

This Ability Trust’s board is seeking to appoint three new members to ensure we have the capacity and skills to oversee the next phase of our work; our preference is for individuals with experience in the following areas:

1. Law and Governance 
2. Finance and Audit
3. Marketing and Sustainability

The roles are unpaid voluntary positions. Reasonable expenses are paid. 

As a Trustee, you will be involved in several Board and Committee meetings throughout the year. Generally, the Board participates in up to 4 meetings (half day to one full day). Board meetings are held at This Ability Trust hub in Thogoto, Kikuyu and via teleconference (for up to 2 hours) from time to time. There is an expectation that you will attend and participate in all the scheduled Board meetings, and activities to represent This Ability Trust and other special meetings or attendance as necessary.

Positions are advertised for a period of 3 years (term may be renewed).

About This Ability Trust

We are a registered charitable trust under the provisions of the Trustees Perpetual Succession Act Cap 164 Laws of Kenya. A Board of Trustees governs This Ability Trust. Its operation is overseen by a Managing Trustee who is supported by a Management Team, coordinating the Projects, Finance and Administration of the Trust. The organization also employs Project Officers who support the implementation projects to communities of women with disability across Kenya. This Ability Trust hub is in Thogoto, Kikuyu, Kiambu county, however, it delivers its services to women and girls with disability across Kenya. 

This Ability responds to the prevalent violence experienced by communities of women and girls with disabilities due to intersectional discrimination and exclusion. Studies found that women and girls with disabilities are three times at greater risk of rape, are twice as likely to be survivors of domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence and are likely to experience abuse over a longer period and with more severe injuries than women without disabilities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 15% of the world's population has a disability, translating to over one billion people globally. The average prevalence rate in the female population 18 years and older is 19.2%, compared to 12% for males, representing about 1 in 5 women. 

For This Ability, this means women and girls with disabilities must be at the center of efforts to end violence against women and girls.

Our work has focused on the intersection of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights and economic rights, climate justice, governance, education and technology. Our programmatic goals, outputs and outcomes are linked and contribute to our four strategic pillars on Empowerment, Advocacy, Social Norms and Sustainability through our main programs listed below:

1. Mama Siri is our GBV and SRH toll free referral service for women with disabilities by women with disabilities.
2. Hesabika, is our USSD registration platform that allows persons with disabilities to self register from any basic application based phone via the short code *548#
3. Skills, is our eLearning platform that offers capacity building content to women with disabilities and other stakeholders.
4. SRHRplusD Festival, is our 5 day community festival celebrating the bodily autonomy of women and girls with disabilities

Our Vision

To be a dynamic organization that facilitates the realization of a society in which the rights of women and girls with disabilities are respected and upheld, allowing them to live fully integrated lives politically, economically and socially.

Our Mission

Advancing the rights of women with disabilities in Kenya.

Our Core Values

Accountability, Respect, Inclusion, Integrity and Equity

Organizational Objectives:

a)   Training and leadership development for Women with Disabilities

b)   Increasing visibility and representation for Women with Disabilities

c) Strengthening Advocacy for Women with Disabilities

d)   Education and Awareness creation for Women with Disabilities

e) Research and data collection.

Role and Responsibilities of the Board of Trustees

The management and control of the business of This Ability Trust is vested in the Board. All Trustees must make decisions objectively in the best interests of the Trust. As a Member of the Board of Trustees, you will be required to: 

• Guide strategy and policy making to achieve and maintain high quality services in harmony with the beliefs and values of This Ability Trust. 
• Ensure that the financial affairs of This Ability Trust are conducted on a responsible basis in accordance with established policies. 
• Oversee the outcomes of the work of This Ability Trust. 
• Encourage effective communication within the whole organization, especially between Members, This Ability Trust, and other stakeholders; and 
• Actively participate in committees and task groups.

About the roles 

We are seeking to recruit three members of the Board of Trustees, and expect that different candidates will bring a range of skills and experience to the Trust. Our general expectation is a commitment to the objectives of the Trust and willingness to act as an ambassador for This Ability Trust.

Expected Experience:

• Experience of nonprofit finance and audit processes. 
• Fundraising (e.g. from individuals, partnerships with business and/or civil society organizations, sales of goods and services).  
• Lobbying policymakers and Policy influencing (analysis, formation and/or framing).  
• Developing business models in organisations with a comparable mission to the Trust.  
• Board level experience, ideally at a charity or reputable NGO or INGO
• Media and communications or PR, including social media.

Desired Skills 

• Ability to understand and interrogate financial reports  
• Strategic planning skills  
• Risk management skills  
• Analytical skills  
• Management / project management  
• Ability to operate as part of a team 
• Ability to work in collaboratively as part of a team

How to apply 

Please submit a CV and a cover letter by 15th April 2023, stating why you wish to be considered for the role, by email to info@this-ability.org Your cover letter should show how you meet each of the relevant requirements in the person specification Prospective members of the Board of Trustees who best meet our requirements will be invited to speak to some of our existing Trustees thereafter.

N.B. Qualified women with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Exclusion Clauses

1. This Ability Trust has zero tolerance for corruption and fraud. You are required to go through the anti-bribery policy to get a better understanding of this and the other policies that the Trust’s operations focus on.
2. This Ability Trust has a zero-tolerance policy against sexual harassment. The Trust makes available annual sexual harassment prevention and response training for all supervisors, managers, and consultants. You are required to go through the Safeguarding policy
3. The Trust affirms its established policy of non-discrimination in employment and its commitment to affirmative action in being an equal opportunity employer, particularly in the employment of women with disabilities. 
4. This Ability Trust reserves the right to offer comparable assignments to those qualified candidates that may not have been selected for this consultancy assignment which they applied for. These offers will be based on the needs of the organisation, appropriateness and relevance to the candidate’s educational backgrounds and work experience. Only those candidates in whose qualifications and experience the Trust has further interest will be contacted for subsequent interviews.

Mbo-mboini road, off Dagoretti road, Thogoto| P.O.Box 2074-00902, Kikuyu| Office: 254 748 263763|