Grace Ongong’a
Grace Ongong’a is the founder and executive director of Asembo Skills for Hope, a community-rooted organization advancing women’s economic empowerment in rural Kenya. Asembo Skills for Hope equips women, many of whom did not complete formal schooling, with market-relevant vocational skills, entrepreneurship pathways, and ongoing mentorship, while addressing the social and emotional barriers that often limit economic participation.
Born and raised in Asembo, Grace’s leadership is shaped by firsthand experience of a community where women’s potential was strong but limited. From an early age, she observed how generational poverty constrains agency, confidence, and possibility, particularly for women. Grace founded Asembo Skills for Hope in 2020 with the belief that sustainable change begins when women have practical skills, access to economic opportunity, and the confidence to make decisions about their own lives. What began as a small grassroots initiative has grown into a holistic, community-led organization; under Grace’s leadership, Asembo integrates skills training with life skills, financial literacy, wellbeing support, and access to capital, recognizing that income alone is insufficient without agency and supportive systems.
Grace holds a bachelor’s degree and brings over a decade of experience as an educator into her leadership practice. She is a Collaborative Learning Initiative Fellow and a Just Peoples Fellow, experiences that have reinforced her commitment to locally-led development, trust-based partnerships, and systems-aware leadership. She believes that breaking generational cycles of poverty requires patience, proximity, and sustained investment in people – not just programs.