Future in our hands
education and development fund

The FIOH Education and Development Fund
48 Churchward Avenue
Swindon
Wiltshire SN2 1NH
UK
Tel/Fax 01793 532353
Registered Charity Number 1047953

KENYA PROJECTS

FUTURE IN OUR HANDS KENYA
FIOH Kenya was established in Kisumu in 1985 and has since engaged in a wide range of social and environmental programmes and projects with financial help from several volunteers from the UK and the USA and from the FIOH Fund.

Womens Co-operative Business Training Seminar
This seminar on basic entrepeneurship and book keeping was held between 14th and 18th Aug 2002 at the NCCK Nyanza regional headquarters. Participants were women from the FIOH groups in Kisumu, Kimilili in Bungoma, Muhoroni in Nyando and from Busia near the border with Uganda. The leactures were given by qualified business training tutors. Rom Wandera and Ernest Ouma gave lectures on the impoirtance of trees and the uses of various species and how to raise seedlings in nurseries.
Representatives of the 21st Century Kisumu Forum provided information on the impact of HIV/AIDS and other STIs, relating this to how it affected patients and their families and the local economy.
Lectures were interspersed with songs and dancing and each day started with both Christian and Muslim prayers.
The importance of keeping records was stressed and marketing techniques were explained.

Information on STIs was amplified using appropriate video tapes and the proper use of condoms was explained. Nevaprin, a drug used to prevent the transmission of the HIV virus from mother to child was discussed at length as mothers wanted to know how effective it was and its availability.
The second day ended with the testimony of an AIDS victim. He explained that he contracted the infection as a result of traditional practice which required him to have sexual intercourse with a former wife of his fathjer when the father had died four years ago. This was named the 'dispersing ceremony' and was required of him because he was the eldest son.

The victim encourged the seminar particpants to live positively with the victims of AIDS. He stressed the importance of getting medication and the need for a good balanced diet, excercise and mainyaining a positive attitude to life and being honest about having the infection.
The effects on business were stated to include:

• reductions in investments and savings due to higher health care expenditure
• decline in labour productivity due to the loss of experienced workers
• absenteeism due to attendance at funerals.

The use of cash books, ledgers, financial statements, profit and loss accounts and balance sheets were explained. There were several group discussions and excercises. Participants were asked to formulate action plans which could be assessed against future activities.
The SWOT (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) procedure was explained as a useful tool for planning and management, identifying potential problems and how they might be overcome.
Professionally printed certificates were presented to all the participants and this gave them a sense of achievement and encouragement.

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Applicants for funds should note that the Charity's reserves are small
and unsolicited applications for grants are rarely considered