The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints celebrated the 75th anniversary of the welfare program recently. The Church’s welfare plan aims to “help the people to help themselves”. The purpose of Church welfare is to help Church members become self-reliant, care for the poor and needy, and serve others.
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Some of the areas in which members are taught to be self-reliant are as follows: Education, Health, Employment, Home Storage, Finances, Spiritual Strength and Caring for others.
Elder and Sister Kellems, a senior missionary couple working in the Employment Resource Centre Office, help individuals who are seeking employment or are looking to start or improve their own business. The Kellems work at the Nairobi office of the church Service Center located on Upper Hill Road.
In addition to helping people who come into the Upperhill Office, Elder and Sister Kellems have traveled throughout Kenya and Tanzania teaching Career and Self Employment Workshops. These two day workshops teach people skills that will help them be more self-reliant.
The Career Workshop covers topics such as: skills that will help people be more successful in securing a job; how to prepare an effective Curriculum Vitae; how to make a positive impression in an interview; and how to develop a network that could aid in securing employment, etc.
The Self Employment Workshops also cover ideas to consider when starting your own business, and suggestions about how to make an existing business more successful.
The Kellems have taught 28 workshops in the past year, reaching over 300 participants in Nairobi, Athi River, Kisumu, Kitale, Chyulu, Mombasa, Eldoret, Dar Es Salaam, Mwanza and Arusha. These workshops are offered free of charge, and are open to Church members as well as non-members.