The name Helen Keller is known around the world as a symbol of courage in the face of overwhelming odds, yet she was much more than a symbol. She was a woman of luminous intelligence, high ambition and great accomplishment who devoted her life to helping others. Helen Keller, our co-founder, envisioned a world without barriers to human potential. Guided by her fierce optimism, we have been working on the front lines of health and well-being for more than 100 years. Working in 19 countries across Africa and Asia-as well as in the United States-we are dedicated to eliminating preventable vision loss, malnutrition, and diseases of poverty.

The Communications Intern will assist the Country team in implementing organizational communications strategies. S/he will work with the team to fulfil organizational goals and initiatives related to programming and communications.

Responsibilities or duties

General Responsibilities:

• Develop and format knowledge products, including policy briefs, data analysis, case studies, and human-interest stories, in collaboration with program staff.
• Draft and edit communication materials to support advocacy efforts and knowledge sharing such as articles, newsletters, and social media content to promote Helen Keller Kenya’s work.
• Serve as a Helen Keller brand ambassador, supporting the country team’s brand compliance and coordinating trainings with the global team as needed.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Partner with the Center for Marketing and Branding to develop materials and support branding for the Kenya office.
• Gather “people-first” stories of impact, including interviews with community members, to be shared across country and global channels.
• Partner with the Center for Marketing and Branding to coordinate program photography and video gathering, including collecting written informed consent from participants, and upload assets to Helen Keller’s cloud-based media asset platform.
• Support social media and digital communication for country-level visibility.
• Maintain a shared folder for communication materials by ensuring relevant content (photos, videos, and articles) is up-to-date and shared with the global team.
• Support the Country Director and program team in developing donor-facing communication materials, including fact sheets, donor reports, and presentations.
• Assist in tracking donor engagement opportunities, calls for proposals, and partnerships that align with Helen Keller Kenya’s strategy.
• Support donor stewardship by documenting project impact stories and producing content to strengthen relationships with current and prospective funders.

Qualifications or requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (English, Marketing/Communications, Advertising or Public Relations).
• Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills with the ability to adapt messages for diverse audiences (community, donors, policymakers, and media).
• Demonstrated interest in communications, public relations, business development, or fundraising within the NGO/development sector.
• Ability to design and present information clearly through reports, presentations, and digital platforms.
• Proficiency in social media management and basic digital content creation (graphic design, photography, or video editing an added advantage).
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and maintain attention to detail.
• Collaborative team player with strong interpersonal and networking skills.
• Self-starter with a proactive attitude, able to work independently and take initiative.
• Fluency in English and Kiswahili (spoken and written).

Behavioral Competencies

Owning Work & Building Trust: Produces honest, well-grounded content and follows through on commitments to program teams, leadership, partners, and external audiences. Takes clear accountability for the quality, accuracy, and brand integrity of communication outputs and addresses gaps directly rather than deflecting.

Adapting & Navigating Change: Adjusts plans, messaging, and channels in response to evolving program needs, audience feedback, news cycles, and partner-coordination requirements; brings a flexible, problem-solving orientation to short timelines and shifting priorities.

Getting Work Done: Translates communication strategy into executed outputs by sequencing work, meeting deadlines, holding suppliers and contributors to deliverables, and reinforcing brand and quality standards across every asset that leaves the program.

Working Together & Growing Others: Builds collaborative relationships across program staff, leadership, partners, media, and global communications counterparts; gives and receives feedback constructively, shares expertise generously, and supports onboarding of new staff and consultants on brand and communication standards

• Develop and format knowledge products, including policy briefs, data analysis, case studies, and human-interest stories, in collaboration with program staff.
• Draft and edit communication materials to support advocacy efforts and knowledge sharing such as articles, newsletters, and social media content to promote Helen Keller Kenya’s work.
• Serve as a Helen Keller brand ambassador, supporting the country team’s brand compliance and coordinating trainings with the global team as needed.
• Partner with the Center for Marketing and Branding to develop materials and support branding for the Kenya office.
• Gather “people-first” stories of impact, including interviews with community members, to be shared across country and global channels.
• Partner with the Center for Marketing and Branding to coordinate program photography and video gathering, including collecting written informed consent from participants, and upload assets to Helen Keller’s cloud-based media asset platform.
• Support social media and digital communication for country-level visibility.
• Maintain a shared folder for communication materials by ensuring relevant content (photos, videos, and articles) is up-to-date and shared with the global team.
• Support the Country Director and program team in developing donor-facing communication materials, including fact sheets, donor reports, and presentations.
• Assist in tracking donor engagement opportunities, calls for proposals, and partnerships that align with Helen Keller Kenya’s strategy.
• Support donor stewardship by documenting project impact stories and producing content to strengthen relationships with current and prospective funders.

• Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills
• Ability to adapt messages for diverse audiences
• Ability to design and present information clearly
• Proficiency in social media management
• Basic digital content creation (graphic design, photography, or video editing an added advantage)
• Strong organizational skills
• Collaborative team player
• Strong interpersonal and networking skills
• Proactive attitude
• Fluency in English and Kiswahili (spoken and written)

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (English, Marketing/Communications, Advertising or Public Relations).
• Demonstrated interest in communications, public relations, business development, or fundraising within the NGO/development sector.