Community, NGO, public programmes and other legitimate earning routes
Some income comes from community work, public programmes, competitions and sharing what you already own. These methods are varied: some are jobs, some are side incomes, some are one-off opportunities. All are legitimate when done honestly.
What these methods share
- Verify programmes through official websites and offices.
- Never pay to be "selected" for government programmes, NGO jobs or competitions.
- Keep records and stay honest with communities.
414. Community health promoter and outreach work
What it is: Supporting community health programmes (education, referrals, data collection). How it works: Recruited through county health departments or NGOs, often with stipends.
| Skills | Communication, community trust, training provided |
| Cost & equipment | Phone (often provided for data) |
| Where to find work | County health departments, NGOs |
| Payment | Stipends/salaries |
| Realistic earnings | Low |
| Time to first income | Months (recruitment) |
How to start: Follow official county recruitment announcements. Pros: Community impact. Cons & risks: Low pay. Scam warning: Fake recruitment demanding fees. Kenya notes: Community health promoters are part of Kenya's primary healthcare system.
415. NGO field officer and programme assistant
What it is: Implementing NGO programmes in communities. How it works: Employed roles with field work and reporting.
| Skills | Relevant diploma/degree, community work, reporting |
| Cost & equipment | Transport |
| Where to find work | NGOs, job boards |
| Payment | Salary |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Volunteer to build experience. Pros: Meaningful. Cons & risks: Contract-based. Scam warning: NGO jobs never require application fees. Kenya notes: Verify NGOs through the NGO regulatory board.
416. Volunteering with stipends (programmes and internships)
What it is: Structured volunteer or internship programmes that pay stipends. How it works: Applications through official programmes.
| Skills | Varies |
| Cost & equipment | Varies |
| Where to find work | Government, NGOs, UN agencies, companies |
| Payment | Stipends |
| Realistic earnings | Low |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Apply through official portals only. Pros: Experience. Cons & risks: Temporary. Scam warning: Fake "UN jobs" asking for fees are common. Kenya notes: Public service internship programmes are advertised officially.
417. Government youth and digital programmes
What it is: Programmes like Ajira Digital and Jitume that train youth for digital work and connect them to opportunities. How it works: Registration → training → mentorship → job linkages.
| Skills | Willingness to learn |
| Cost & equipment | Access to centres or a device |
| Where to find work | Official programme portals and centres |
| Payment | Programme-dependent; income comes from the skills and opportunities you pursue |
| Realistic earnings | Depends on the work you do after training |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Register through official portals (Ajira and Jitume programmes). Pros: Free training. Cons & risks: Training isn't a job guarantee. Scam warning: Fake "Ajira/Jitume recruiters" charging fees. Kenya notes: See how to join a Jitume lab.
418. Census and survey enumeration (official)
What it is: Temporary roles in national surveys and censuses (see method 30). How it works: Official recruitment, training, fieldwork.
| Skills | Communication, local knowledge |
| Cost & equipment | Provided |
| Where to find work | KNBS and official announcements |
| Payment | Daily rates |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium (temporary) |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Watch official announcements. Pros: Good temporary income. Cons & risks: Short-term. Scam warning: Official recruitment is free. Kenya notes: Apply only through official channels.
419. Election officials and polling clerks (seasonal)
What it is: Temporary roles during elections. How it works: Official recruitment by the electoral body.
| Skills | Integrity, training provided |
| Cost & equipment | None |
| Where to find work | IEBC announcements |
| Payment | Allowances |
| Realistic earnings | Low (one-off) |
| Time to first income | Seasonal |
How to start: Watch official IEBC announcements. Pros: Civic role. Cons & risks: Long hours. Scam warning: Recruitment is free and official. Kenya notes: Only during electoral cycles.
420. Business competitions and grants for entrepreneurs
What it is: Winning funding through legitimate competitions and grant programmes. How it works: Applications, pitches, evaluations.
| Skills | Business planning, pitching |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop |
| Where to find work | Official programme websites, incubators |
| Payment | Grants/prizes |
| Realistic earnings | One-off; varies |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Prepare a strong business plan and pitch deck (pitch decks). Pros: Non-repayable funding. Cons & risks: Very competitive. Scam warning: Fake grants demanding "processing fees". Kenya notes: Incubators and hubs announce competitions regularly.
421. Writing and creative competitions
What it is: Winning prizes for writing, art, film, innovation or hackathons. How it works: Entries judged by panels.
| Skills | Creativity, skill |
| Cost & equipment | Varies |
| Where to find work | Official competitions |
| Payment | Prizes |
| Realistic earnings | One-off |
| Time to first income | Unpredictable |
How to start: Enter reputable competitions with no entry fees or reasonable fees. Pros: Recognition. Cons & risks: Unpredictable. Scam warning: Competitions with high entry fees and vague judging. Kenya notes: Hackathons often lead to jobs and partnerships.
422. Renting out equipment and assets
What it is: Renting items you own: tools, generators, sound systems, cameras, tents. How it works: Rental agreements, deposits.
| Skills | Management, trust |
| Cost & equipment | Owned items |
| Where to find work | Neighbours, events, contractors |
| Payment | Per day |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Days |
How to start: List items on social media; use written agreements. Pros: Earn from idle assets. Cons & risks: Damage. Scam warning: Verify renters' identities. Kenya notes: Event equipment rentals are popular.
423. Renting out space (rooms, parking, storage, shops)
What it is: Renting space you control for parking, storage, offices or events. How it works: Agreements and monthly fees.
| Skills | Property management |
| Cost & equipment | Space |
| Where to find work | Local demand |
| Payment | Monthly |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Check lease terms and county rules. Pros: Passive-ish income. Cons & risks: Tenant issues. Scam warning: Fake tenants with bounced payments. Kenya notes: Declare rental income to KRA.
424. Referral programmes (legitimate)
What it is: Earning rewards for referring customers to legitimate businesses. How it works: Referral links or codes; reward per customer.
| Skills | Networking, honesty |
| Cost & equipment | Phone |
| Where to find work | Businesses' official referral programmes |
| Payment | Rewards per referral |
| Realistic earnings | Very low to low |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Only refer services you trust (Marzley referral programme is one example). Pros: Simple. Cons & risks: Small amounts. Scam warning: Pyramid schemes where income comes mainly from recruiting. Kenya notes: Legitimate referral rewards come from real product sales.
425. Selling unused items and decluttering
What it is: Selling things you no longer need. How it works: List online → sell → deliver.
| Skills | Listing |
| Cost & equipment | Phone |
| Where to find work | Marketplace, groups |
| Payment | M-Pesa |
| Realistic earnings | One-off |
| Time to first income | Days |
How to start: Photograph items well; price fairly. Pros: Quick cash. Cons & risks: One-off. Scam warning: Fake payment messages. Kenya notes: Check M-Pesa balance before handing over items.
426. Mystery app testing for local start-ups and focus feedback
What it is: Paid feedback sessions for local start-ups launching apps and services. How it works: Recruited through start-up communities.
| Skills | Feedback skills |
| Cost & equipment | Smartphone |
| Where to find work | Start-up hubs, social media |
| Payment | Per session |
| Realistic earnings | Very low |
| Time to first income | Occasional |
How to start: Join local tech community groups. Pros: Networking. Cons & risks: Occasional. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Nairobi's start-up community runs user research.
427. Interpreter and guide for visiting researchers and journalists (fixer)
What it is: Helping visiting journalists and researchers with logistics, translation and contacts. How it works: Freelance engagements.
| Skills | Local knowledge, languages, networks |
| Cost & equipment | Phone, transport |
| Where to find work | Media houses, researchers, networks |
| Payment | Daily rates |
| Realistic earnings | Medium (irregular) |
| Time to first income | Occasional |
How to start: Build networks with journalists. Pros: Good daily rates. Cons & risks: Safety in sensitive stories. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Kenya is a regional media hub.
428. Sign language interpretation
What it is: Interpreting between Kenyan Sign Language and spoken languages. How it works: Events, media, courts, education.
| Skills | KSL proficiency, training |
| Cost & equipment | None |
| Where to find work | Events, broadcasters, institutions |
| Payment | Per assignment |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Train professionally. Pros: Inclusion; demand. Cons & risks: Training time. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Demand for qualified KSL interpreters exceeds supply.
429. Funeral and event coordination services
What it is: Coordinating funeral logistics: transport, programmes, catering, tents. How it works: Packages for families.
| Skills | Organisation, empathy |
| Cost & equipment | Vendor network |
| Where to find work | Families, churches |
| Payment | Package fees |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Build vendor partnerships. Pros: Constant demand. Cons & risks: Sensitive situations. Scam warning: Don't overcharge grieving families. Kenya notes: Funerals involve complex logistics across counties.
430. Personal shopping and styling
What it is: Helping clients shop for clothes, gifts and homes. How it works: Consultations and shopping trips (in person or online).
| Skills | Fashion sense, budgeting |
| Cost & equipment | Phone |
| Where to find work | Professionals, brides, diaspora |
| Payment | Fees |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Build a styling portfolio on Instagram. Pros: Creative. Cons & risks: Niche. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Diaspora clients need personal shoppers for gifts sent home.
Summary
- Community and other routes include health promoters, NGO roles, stipend programmes, Ajira and Jitume, official enumeration and election jobs, competitions and grants, renting assets and space, referral programmes, decluttering, start-up feedback, fixing, sign language interpretation, funeral coordination and personal shopping.
- Verify official programmes and never pay to be selected.
Check yourself
Should you pay a fee to be selected for a government youth programme? (yes or no)
Show answer
no
Which body runs elections in Kenya? (abbreviation)
Show answer
IEBC
What do we call a local helper for visiting journalists?
Show answer
fixer