Biography

Joan Merab is a Nutrition and Dietetics professional from Kenya, passionate about health and wellness, youth empowerment, women and girls, and community development. Holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Kenyatta University, she has built a strong foundation in nutrition, health promotion, community engagement, and community service.

Her commitment to service was strengthened through her experience with Rotaract, where she served in leadership and community service roles, including as Community Service Director at Rotaract Club of Kenyatta University and Social Media Manager for the Rotaract Kenya Peace Campaign. Guided by the Rotaractor motto, “Service Above Self,” she developed a deeper appreciation for using her skills and time to support others while learning from the communities she serves.

As a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, Joan carries this spirit of service into the Community-Led Development (CLD) approach. She believes that meaningful change begins by listening to communities, recognizing their existing strengths and assets, and supporting people to identify and lead solutions to the challenges they face. She sees CorpsAfrica as an opportunity to build on her commitment to service while growing as a facilitator, leader, and community catalyst.

Joan is committed to approaching her service with humility, openness, and respect for local knowledge, working alongside community members to co-create solutions that are relevant, locally owned, and sustainable. For her, “Service Above Self” complements the CorpsAfrica philosophy by placing people and their priorities at the centre of development, while recognizing that true service is not about doing things for communities, but working with them to create change they can own and sustain.