Naperu Lbalanga still remembers the weight of a young goat in her arms and the dust of the herding paths clinging to her feet. Raised in a traditional pastoralist home in Ngurunit, her future once seemed certain: cattle, goats, and the seasonal migrations that defined life in the arid North. Formal education was never part of her path, and town life felt like a distant reality meant for others.
Everything began to change when the BOMA project arrived in her community. Through a small grant, Naperu was encouraged to try something different – settling down and starting a business. She took the step, and gradually her world expanded beyond livestock and migration.
It did not take long for those around her to notice something special. Naperu had a natural ability to organise, to speak plainly and to remember details that others often overlooked. Soon, she was appointed as a Community Health Volunteer (CHV), a role she carries with pride today. As a CHV, Naperu walks across villages ensuring that pregnant women deliver in hospitals, identifying malnourished children and educating mothers about hygiene, immunization and proper nutrition.
A Voice for the Community
In 2019, her voice and deep understanding of the people earned her another title as Community Advisor with LTWP. Today, she sits alongside chiefs, elders and local leaders, helping mediate community engagements that promote peace, dialogue and unity. Her work includes organising stakeholder meetings, open days, Winds of Change project handover events, and community workshops. She also ensures accurate documentation of meetings, prepares weekly workplans and maintains reports that support community programmes.
Beyond coordination, Naperu has become an advocate for social change. Through youth mentorship programmes, she speaks openly against harmful practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and early marriages while championing women’s empowerment. She works to ensure that the voices of mothers and girls are heard and respected within the community.
“I was not chosen because I am special,” she insists quietly. “I was chosen because I am here, and I am willing.”
A light across Laisamis
For Naperu, LTWP has been a mirror reflecting her own potential. Through trainings in women’s empowerment, safety, and communication, she has discovered the strength in her voice. “LTWP has given me a voice in the community,” she shares, a voice she now uses to uplift women and girls who were once just like her.
She speaks warmly of LTWP’s impact, not just on her life but across Laisamis Constituency. Classrooms have risen where there were none. Boreholes now provide clean water. Teachers have proper houses. Dispensaries bring healthcare closer to the people. “LTWP’s Winds of Change quality work speaks volumes.” She says. To her, LTWP is a light across Laisamis Constituency, bringing employment and development to the very heart of the community.
Beyond professional growth, the job has reshaped her world. Team bonding activities have taken her to new places, and she has seen sights she never imagined. Reflecting on her journey, Naperu sees a woman transformed. The pastoralist girl whose world revolved around animals has evolved into a community pillar.
“LTWP has opened my eyes. It has shown me the way,” she says. The knowledge she has gained, both through formal training and the chance to serve, fuels her motivation daily. Her life is no longer the same; it is a story of evolution, driven by dedication to her community and an organisation that believed in her light.
