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.

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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

Hard work ahead

My placement is also located around Mwatate. During my placement I will be working with Geoffrey kaka. We have been allocated 2 placement groups who we will work with to assess their needs and begin to facilitate and implement a project plan.

The first group is Tesia Isanga. The organisation covers a large number of activities from farming and enterprise support to working with HIV/AIDs effected orphans and children. Recently, the organisation has been ‘sleeping’ but the head of the organisation, Gerald, wants to restart some of its projects.

For the first few weeks me and Geoffrey will be working with Mwakibu farmers coperative society. This group is currently sourcing Aloe Vera and using it to create products like shampoo, soaps and petroleum jelly. They have steady production, but are struggling to get to market to help grow their business. Our roles as volunteers will be to assist and help grow their production and simultaneously increase demand for the product through new marketing and business strategies.

The second phase of working with Tesia Isanga is to collaborate with in Community Health volunteers who support OVCs (Orphans with Vulnerable Cases). The CHVs work within their communities with around 20 children who have been disadvantaged due to HIV and AIDS. They are supported by Tesia Isanga to help the children continue essential daily activities such as making sure they are going to school and getting life saving medical attention. Our role as volunteers will be to help the CHVs to ensure they are able to carry out the vital work to ensure the livelihoods and futures of the children.

Our final phase will be working with Tesia Isanga to help promote and involve the youth in local social and sporting events to help them engage with the community and keep them off the streets. This is primarily in conjunction with The Safaricom Madoka Half Marathon which is organised by Tesia Isanga. We aim to promote active sporting involvement of the youth in this and future events, teaching them the importance of community.

Alongside Tesia Isanga, we are also working with Mwatate Disabled group. This is an umbrella group which through various initiatives provides support for other organisations that work with People with disabilities, caregivers and families. Our role is to engage with this group of people to help catalyse their existing activities.

Today, we joined them in their monthly meeting to discuss potential ideas and initiatives which will help increase their development. Unfortunately they only speak Swahili, so I was just nodding along with the odd translation by Geoffrey. The meeting was very productive and lasted over 2 hours.

We then met up with the separate groups, one was JOY and another Gandia Group. We discussed ideas such as poultry farming and also for them to start growing their own crops to sell for further income. The JOY group are also engaged in making rugs and baskets out of sisal and recycled materials which they intend to sell. So we will be working to see how they can increase their capacity and go into market.

We spent the whole day today working with group and next week we shall be visiting each separate group to see in action what they are currently doing and also create a feasible plan to help them with their work to secure their livelihoods.

During this session I realised the biggest constraint for development and volunteer work: TIME. During the meeting there was so much potential and positive ideas, however with only 11 weeks remaining it’s difficult to implement them all. Hopefully, with volunteers arriving long into the future, lots more of this energy is fulfilled! Asante Sana.

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Hussein

Voluntary Service Overseas

So this is what I’ll be doing for the next 3 months, and a little info about the organisation i’m working with…

On the 1st of June 2016 I will be travelling to Kenya for a volunteering project with the VSO ICS programme.

VSO is the worlds leading independent international development organisation that uses volunteers to fight poverty and reduce inequality. Their simple vision is for a “world without poverty” and their mission to “bring people together to fight poverty“.

Myself and other UK volunteers will be teaming up with counterpart volunteers from the host country in order to make a positive and lasting impact to struggling Kenyan communities.

During my 3 month placement I will be part of a team which will focus on improving the everyday livelihoods of the community through business and income generation. In this role, as a volunteer, I will be involved in activities such as:

• Conducting training around agri-business activities; clean energy and value addition
• Supporting business innovation or improving the systems, processes of income generating activities
• Creating and managing online engagements including social media an websites
• Raise awareness on issues of gender based violence

By volunteering in this way I hope that my teams’ actions can help pave a way out of poverty for the local community.

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Hussein