{"id":16848,"date":"2026-07-27T08:56:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T08:56:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/?p=16848"},"modified":"2026-07-27T09:32:33","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T09:32:33","slug":"irene-cheruto-chemelei","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/irene-cheruto-chemelei\/","title":{"rendered":"Irene Cheruto Chemelei"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Irene Cheruto Chemelei<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t
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Irene Cheruto Chemelei is a passionate human rights and gender advocate dedicated to building a society free from all forms of gender-based violence. She serves as the West Pokot County Focal Person for the Youth Anti-FGM Network Kenya (YANK), a board member of I-REP Foundation, and currently works with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) under the Public Education and Training Department to promote and protect human rights. She is also a proud member of the Sister to Sister Initiative and an alumna and County Organising Secretary of Youth Alive Kenya (YAK).<\/span><\/p>

Her work is driven by one belief: communities can only thrive when girls and women are safe, educated, and able to realise their full potential. Beyond ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), child marriage, and gender-based violence, Irene is also a Young Women Mediation Ambassador, encouraging more young women to take up leadership roles in peacebuilding and mediation to bridge the intergenerational gap.<\/span><\/p>

Irene’s journey into advocacy began long before she held any leadership position. When she was about fifteen years old, one of her closest friends underwent FGM, dropped out of school, and was later married off. Watching her friend’s life change so drastically left a wound that has never healed. Years later, when she joined Machakos University in 2014, she realised there were only two Pokot women enrolled at the institution. That reality deeply troubled her and reinforced her belief that girls in her community deserved better opportunities.<\/span><\/p>

Although she trained as a teacher, Irene made a bold decision after graduation. Instead of seeking employment immediately, she dedicated her first five years to working with communities in hard-to-reach areas, creating awareness on FGM and promoting girls’ education. During that time, she came across the work of Domtila Chesang through Facebook. Inspired by her commitment to ending FGM, Irene reached out to her, and what began as a conversation between two passionate women grew into a long-standing partnership. Together, they have led mentorship programmes, radio discussions, and community outreach activities that continue to create change across West Pokot.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Today, Irene works closely with community members, particularly digitally connected young people, using both physical and online platforms to increase awareness on human rights and harmful cultural practices. She leads mentorship programmes in schools and safe spaces, conducts advocacy through social media platforms such as Facebook, X, and Instagram, hosts discussions on local radio stations including Kokwo, Kalya, North Rift, and Aperit FM, and facilitates online conversations through youth advocacy spaces such as the West Pokot Youths Anti-FGM WhatsApp network.<\/span><\/p>

Her work has directly reached more than 2,000 people across the county. She has facilitated over 30 mentorship programmes in schools, led four intergenerational dialogues on FGM in Pokot Central, organised five anti-FGM campaigns in partnership with the Anti-FGM Board, and supported the rescue of 25 girls who were at risk of FGM and child marriage. She has worked closely with rescue centres and schools to ensure the girls continue with their education.<\/span><\/p>

One rescue remains especially close to her heart.<\/span><\/p>

One evening, Irene received a call about a young girl who had escaped from home after her father attempted to force her into marriage in exchange for cattle. The girl was in Class Eight and preparing for her KCPE examinations. Having already lost her mother in a gold-mining accident, she suddenly found herself running for her life.<\/span><\/p>

Irene immediately stepped in. She secured a place for the girl at Ortum Girls Primary School, only to discover that she had already been registered for KCPE at her former school in Pokot North, where those pursuing her were still searching for her. Working closely with the chief and the police, Irene ensured the girl received security throughout the examination period while she remained in constant communication with the officers handling the case. The girl completed her examinations safely, performed well, and was later admitted to Propoi Girls Secondary School, where she is now in Form Four.<\/span><\/p>

For Irene, this case reminded her that timely intervention, strong partnerships, and determination can completely change the direction of a girl’s life.<\/span><\/p>

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The work has not been without challenges. Funding limitations have made it difficult to reach every community, especially those in remote areas where harmful practices remain common. Political interference has also slowed progress, as some leaders avoid speaking openly against FGM for fear of losing political support. Despite these challenges, Irene continues to push forward because she believes every girl deserves protection regardless of where she comes from.<\/span><\/p>

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One of the strengths of Irene’s work is her focus on building sustainable community structures. Through community dialogues led alongside chiefs and local leaders, mentorship programmes in schools, and community surveillance groups established in FGM hotspot areas, she has helped create referral systems that continue functioning even without her direct presence. These groups have strengthened trust, encouraged early reporting, and made it possible to rescue girls before they are subjected to FGM or forced marriage.<\/span><\/p>

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Responsibility is the value that guides Irene’s work. To her, sisterhood means women taking collective responsibility for protecting one another and standing together to address the issues affecting girls and women. She believes women are strongest when they work together rather than waiting for others to solve their problems.<\/span><\/p>

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Through the Sister to Sister Initiative, Irene says she rediscovered the importance of self-care and mental wellness. One lesson that has stayed with her is, <\/span>“You can’t pour from an empty cup.”<\/i><\/strong> She values the opportunity to learn from women across different communities, exchange experiences, and strengthen her skills as a grassroots advocate.<\/span><\/p>

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We invite donors, leaders and the global community to join us in investing in sustainable solutions that empower people, strengthen local capacity, and ensure that no one is left behind. Together, we can create opportunities, restore dignity, and build a future where every person has the chance to thrive.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Speaking about West Pokot, Irene describes it as <\/span>the land of hidden treasures<\/b>, a county known for its vibrant traditional dances, beautiful beadwork, natural honey, gold, and rich natural resources. While the media often focuses on stories of conflict, FGM, and child marriage, she believes these challenges should not define her community. Instead, she wants the world to see its resilience, culture, and potential.<\/span><\/p>

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Looking ahead, Irene dreams of becoming the Chief Executive Officer of the Anti-FGM Board Kenya. She also hopes to earn a PhD in Gender and Development, continue supporting her family, and live a meaningful life dedicated to serving others. Above all, she wants to see girls access education without barriers and one day witness a female President leading Kenya, inspiring even more women and girls to believe in their own leadership potential.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\tA life lived for others is a life worth living.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIrene Cheruto<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Irene Cheruto Chemelei Irene Cheruto Chemelei is a passionate human rights and gender advocate dedicated to building a society free from all forms of gender-based violence. She serves as the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":16864,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"nf_dc_page":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16848","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-s2sprofiles"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/irene.png?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16848","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16848"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16848\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16881,"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16848\/revisions\/16881"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16864"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16848"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16848"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awra-group.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16848"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}