Tesia Isanga; The Next phase

Having spent the last 4 weeks at Mwakibu Farmers Cooperative Society (MFCS), this first phase of the placement with Tesia Isanga came to an end today.

MFCS is a farmers society which incorporates over 300 local farmers who grow and harvest aloe Vera. The MFCS then use the crop, by ensuring all the farmers are given an equal and fair price, for producing aloe Vera based products under the business name Morio. The products include shampoo, soaps, lotions and petroleum jelly. It is pivotal for the 324 farmers that these products sell well and the business is operating with good profit, so that they are able to continue supplying and create an income from selling the crop.

During our time here we have been working closely with the Chairman, Accountant, Salesman and some staff members in developing business and marketing strategies which they can implement to improve their operations and income. We spent the time evaluating their existing methods, gave ideas on how they can improve, and created new strategies such as selling wholesale and supplying to a local game lodge and boarding schools. This culminated with a company meeting of all the directors and members, where we spoke in depth about 8 different ways in which they can further the potential for MFCS. It has been an insightful experience working here, where we have been able offer our advice in order to improve the MFCS and indirectly positively impact the farmers which are involved with the project.

Now we have finished, we will now be moving on to working on a project to assist local community volunteers eho support orphans with vulnerable cases (OVCs) and in paticular children affected by HIV and AIDS. We had our first meeting with the volunteers to understand their role and how we can be involved in helping them.
Speaking to our Project Supervisor, Gerald, he told us that HIV has had a massive impact on the local population and that many people are sufferers with cases on the rise.

The volunteers each support upto 20 children, who have may have lost both parents to HIV/AIDS or are living with a single parent, who is also effected by the disease. The support they provide for the OVCs covers various basis, incliding: Education, Health, Psychosocial therapy, and economic empowerment. Our role will be to ensure that the volunteers can continue their vital work which enables these young children to have the same opportunity as ever other child. We also hope to visit local schools to offer educational sessions relating to HIV/AIDS.

Next week, we will be visiting some of the homes of the OVCs and their caregivers/ guardians and also meeting HIV/AIDS support groups… so we can understand and identify some of the problems they are facing and hope to resolve during our time.

X
Hussein

Positivity

It’s almost been 4 weeks since we plunged ourselves into the unknown abyss of Kenya, ready and prepared to tackle head on all of the challenges that I was about to come face to face with.

When I arrived in Taita Taveta and entered my host home, with my counterpart Eddie, and began my placement, together with Geoffrey, it was hard to put into words what I was expecting… even prior to arriving, when people asked me what I was most worried or scared about, I couldn’t give any answer because the reality was I had no idea…

Whenever I start something new or embark on a new challenge, the most important thing for me is to be positive and always smile. And I would like to think that this mindset has allowed me and my counterpart to achieve what we have so far.

At Tesia Isanga, we are almost at the end of our first phase. This part of the project we were working with a Farmers Cooperative Society, which involves over 300 local Aloe Vera farms, who all own Morio Aloe Products. This small business is a way for them to generate income from the farms by using the aloe Vera in order to create products like shampoo, soap, hand lotions etc. Working with this group has been difficult due to their reluctance to adapt and expand their business. So it was important for us to instill our own positivity to begin working on a new strategy for them. As we draw to a close the phase with the Cooperative society, we can say that, despite the problems, we have been successful in helping them to create a new marketing strategy and it was visible to see their appreciation. Myself and Geoffrey are now excited to continue our work with Tesia Isanga onto the next phase of our project with them.

We are also working with Mwatate Disabled Group. By partnering with this group which supports four other self help, Persons With Disability groups, it has been particularly important for us to remain optimistic and try to create a positive atmosphere as we aimed to make an impact with the members. When we spoke to some of the subgroups we found that they were either inactive, struggling to begin a project or had started but given up on an idea. There was at times a general negative attitude, so again it was incredibly important for ourselves as volunteers to try and motivate them to work with optimism. However, it has been really fulfilling to see the way the have taken our advice and input with a renewed sense of positivity. For example, one of the major successes has been with Joy Self Help Group, with whom we we were able to begin an agricultural project (Click here for Blog Post about the Project). Prior to arriving they had been inactive but their energy and enthusiasm since we decided on this project has been awesome to see, something clearly lacking at the start of this placement. We have also had a lot of positivity from another sub group, Gandia. Similarly, we have been able to work with them to start a small farm where they are growing vegetables like peppers and kale. But they are more focused and enthusiastic to start a poultry farming project. So with Gandia we have been working closely alongside a local labourer to develop plans to build a chicken house. The group had already applied for an interest free loan (given by the government for PWD groups), before we had arrived, but had not seriously thought about how to start this project. So for us it has been great to work with this group and start to make their ambitious idea into a positive result. We are also working with the other groups to develop new projects and expand existing ones.

And, finally… positivity to fundraise. When I decided that I wanted to embark on a project to raise money from the UK to fund 2 water tanks and agricultural related projects, I was apprehensive when I set the target of £1500. However, despite having to spend A LOT on data bundles to update the crowdfund and relying on my parents to spread the word… I am extremely grateful to be able to say that we have so far been able to raise £1000! (Ps if you’d like to support this, you can @ http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/husseinvsokenya)

I can honestly say, personally, that these 4 weeks have so far provided me with a most incredible and eye-opening experience, and fills me with confidence and determination to continue positively the work we have started here in Taita Taveta.

Crowdfunding for Sustainable Water Access

JAMBO!

Myself and my Kenyan counterpart, Geoffrey, are currently working at a volunteer placement for People With Disabilities. The group called Mwatate Disabled is an umbrella which supports 4 groups across the Mwatate region in Taita Taveta (Kenya). The biggest issues, which heavily impacts the region is water scarcity, and without water it has become very difficult, particularly for the groups we are working with, to create secure livelihoods for themselves and move out of poverty. Water is an invaluable resource which can be used in the area to generate a sustainable income through agriculture or other activities.

For example due to available water, we were able to begin an agriculture project, where we planted watermelons and spinach with one of the disabled groups. This is one of the many things we can do if there is access to regular water…

We are looking to crowd fund so that we can install two 5000 Litre water tanks, in order to give them a long term sustainable water access. Additionally, some of the groups would like to begin agricultural projects through poultry keeping- so if we are able to, we also intend to use funds so that this can also be fulfilled.

With generous funds we hope to secure the livelihoods, sustainably, for the disadvantaged members of Mwatate Disabled Group.

Asante Sana- Thank You!

The link for my crowd funding page is: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/husseinvsokenya

Planting the Seeds for a Fruitful Future

Puntastic!

Joy Self Help Group is one of the four sub groups of Mwatate Disabled. They are a group of 15 disabled and care givers, who for months have struggled to initiate a group project which they could agree upon that would enable them to generate income. When we arrived they were basically inactive, so after multiple meetings and planning we have finally managed to get to today, where we are ready to start an agriculture project of planting watermelons and spinach.

Before:

With the guy on the left seemingly looking up to the Heavens praying that the day would be a success, we began the day with this patch of disused, rubble filled, unattended site and planned by the end of the day to have planted watermelon and spinach seeds…

We aimed to start at 10 am, and thankfully the members of the Joy Self Help Group were ready and waiting to start by 10.20! (Considering Kenyan timing, this is probably some kind of record).

With the tools and seeds kindly donated by Taita Taveta Human Rights Watch, the group was guided by an officer from the Ministry of Agriculture (who we had contacted and also gave his time for the project) as we ploughed for long, tiring hours.

After 5 hours of blood, sweat and tears, working under the Kenyan sun, we had finally managed to complete the first of a sustainable agriculture project.

After:

Through Kenyan Determination, British Motivation and Human Spirit… we had initiated the first steps for Joy Self Help Group to begin a project which can sustainably help them to generate an income.

It seems the prayers of the guy at the start had been answered!