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FUTURE IN OUR HANDS KENYA

Future in Our Hands Kenya
P.O. BOX 4037
Kisumu
Kenya
Co-ordinator: Rom Wandera
EMail: fiohk@hotmail.com

BACKGROUND
The FIOH group in Kisumu was founded in 1985 by Cecilia Obuya who was then the Municipal Community Development Officer. At its inception it had 15 members with diverse professional backgrounds. A doctor was the chairperson and there were social workers, teachers and a few students.
Our early activities focussed mainly on tree planting with the help of funds from Plant a Tree in Africa, a UK charity. The target groups were women living in rural communities who relied on fuel wood for their domestic cooking. Many thousands of trees have been planted in rural communities and schools as a result of our encouragement and support and the education we have provided about the importance and uses of local species. We set up several tree nurseries covering three districts of western Kenya.
In 1990 we started teaching schoolchildren how to establish tree nurseries and the techniques for harvesting seeds.

Our activities have expanded considerably since those early years and new FIOH groups have been established in the surrounding districts of Kimilili, Muhoroni, and Busia.
Volunteers from the UK and the USA have helped us considerably with programmes to:

  • provide school fees for children from poor families
  • enable school children to visit and understand the importance of, the local Kakamega tropical forest
  • dig wells and provide hand pumps for rural communities, whose women had previously to walk for for two hours to fetch water from polluted rivers.
  • reduce HIV/AIDS. This is now done mainly through the 21st Century Kisumu Forum (Agenda 21) which was inaugurated by FIOH Kenya.
  • help women establish savings and credit co-operatives
  • establish rural health centre and pharmacies

Jo Hanks, a volunteer from the UK, has with a group of friends, established a support group for activities at the Buburi Health Centre. For details see http://www.friendsofbuburi.com/

 
FUTURE WORLD
CAMPAIGN
NEWS
IDEAS BANK
YOUTH
COUNTER CULTURE
TOPICAL
ISSUES
 
SIERRA LEONE
INDIA
PAKISTAN
UNITED STATES
CAMEROON
       
AIDS awareness campaign by 21st Century Kisumu Forum
FIOH member and volunteer from the USA talking to family of AIDS sufferer
Health centre at Buburi built by the local community and overseas volunteers through
AidCamps International
       
Crops planted by Siani FIOH womens co-operative
Accommodation at Buburi built by local community for visiting doctors Components for hand pump financed by overseas volunteers
 
     
 
Vocational training established by FIOH Kimilili
Meeting of FIOH Kimilili womens
co-operative		 FIOH Kimilili members
 
Further details HERE
2005
 


EDUCATION SUPPLEMENTS INTERNATIONAL

P.O. Box 3305
Nakuru
Kenya
East Africa
EMail: edsupintl@yahoo.com

The photographs below illustrate activities of the Dundori Organic Farming Project in Nakuru North District, Rift Valley:
Members of the Group Farmers sifting the organic manure
Crops grown - cabbage, kales, bananas, spinnach and nappier grass for animal feed Weeding at the tree nursery
 


KIANGURE SPRINGS ENVIRONMENT INITIATIVE

P O Box 555
Nyeri
Central Kenya
East Africa
EMail: kiangurespringsenvipro@gmail.com
http://kiangurespringsenvironmentinitiative.webs.com

KSEI was established by Joram Mathenge to respond to the environmental destruction being caused in and around Tetu which lies on the eastern side of the Aberdare ranges. This region is the home and constituency of the Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of the Greenbelt Movement , Wangari Maathai. KSEI has also responded to the problems caused by eucalyptus trees which have dried up springs and lowered water tables in the region. Joram mobalised people in the community to cut down eucalyptus and replace them with indigenous species.

In May 2010 the organisation initiated a mural painting project and involved schools in establishing tree planting nursereries and environmental education, including mural painting on school walls. 15,000 trees were planted in 10 schools. The projects were supported with funds from Painting a New World (Canada), Environment Online (Finland) and Panasonic Leaf (Japan).

KSEI has also initiated a project for planting bamboo on wetlands. The Tetu Schools Afforestation Programme is on-going on the eastern side of the Aberdare Ranges. KSEI is part of the UNEP Billion Tree Campaign. Further information about the KSEI programme can be seen at http://www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign/CampaignNews/BTCjuly2010.asp

In 2011 KSEI plans to plant 200,000 trees to replace eucalyptus and organise the painting of 100 murals, subject to obtaining the necessary funds.

 


The top left picture shows Joram Mathenge with school children before they started planting.

The murals were painted at Sabasa, Thaara and Giakanja primary schools.


Tree species planted:

Mugumo (Ficus Natalalensis)
Muiri (Prunus Africana
Muringa (Cordia Africana)
Muu (Markhamia Hildebrandtii)
Mukuhakuha (Macaranga Kilimandscharica)
Mukuyu (Ficus Sycomoru)
Mukinduri-Croton Megalocarpus
Mukima- Graevillia
Jacaranda
Mubondo-Poducarpus
Bottle brush
Mukurwe
Mutundu-Croton
Muhuru-Vitex Keniensis-Meru Oak
Mubera Guava (fruit)
Nandi Flame-Spathodia Campanulata


Professor Wangari Maathai planting a tree provided by Kiangure Springs in a local school
 

CIFORD KENYA
P.O. Box 646-60600
MAUA
Kenya
www.cifordkenya.org
Margaret Ikiara, Programme Coordinator

CIFORD Kenya News flash
105 Girls go through Alternative rite of passage.

During the school holidays girls are taken through seclusion as they are circumcised which is believed to be a passage from childhood to adulthood. This is a retrogressive culture which continues to practiced and affects the girl-child and women in the Meru community and other African community that practice FGM.
In August 2011, Meru Culture was on the spotlight as seven girls from an extended family forced into circumcision by their parents. This drew a lot of Media attention and coverage. This has created a great demand for the girls seminars to enable them understand and get the FACTS from MYTHS on Female circumcision as a passage to adulthood and the need to girls education emphasized.
CIFORD immediately took initiative to organize a seminar to educate the girls who are in the circumcision age on the dangers of circumcision for girls and need for educated and empowered girl child. These seminars are aimed at educating the girls on the facts of FGM and how best to cope with other cross cutting issues facing girl child in the society. This helps reduce stigma and discrimination among them.
CIFORD Kenya organized seminar which targeted 100 girls who were accommodated at Mutuati Secondary school and Akirangondu secondary school. In Mutuati Secondary we had a very tough time to have some go home as they had photocopied letters of invitation to attend the seminar. Some girls were so touched to be told that they will not attend. This is due to budget implications as they are accommodated for 6 days. 30 girls were sent home against their wish and ours; we were left with 55 in the venue.
The seminar was from Sunday 28th August evening to Friday 2nd September 2011.
Topics covered
1. History of FGM
2. Advantages and disadvantages of FGM both in the traditional Meru community and present generation.
3. Alternative rite of passage
4. Importance of Girls education and empowerment
5. STI/HIV/AIDS
6. Teenage pregnancy
7. Early marriage and its effect to womans life.
8. Reproductive Health
9. Drug and substance abuse
10. Career development and life skills.

   

The Mutuati Class during one of the sessions

Regina demonstrating how the rite was carried out

Graduation Day
The graduation ceremony was organized for Friday where parents and friends were to come and witness the passing out of the girls. The girls had dances, songs, choral verses and plays to entertain the parents and visitors. There was a road show and demonstration to send messages of importance of girls education and the dangers of FGM. The climax was when the two groups from the different venues met at Laare stage next to the equity bank.
 

Akirangondu Sec Group arriving at Laare from their venue. Songs and dance
Mutuati Sec group arriving at Laare from their venue
Songs and dance Introduction time: CIFORD Kenya Members and friends


It was electrical moments as they brought the busy Laare town to a stand still as every body wanted to know what was happening. The Climax of it all was the graduation ceremony which was attended by provincial administration, parents, well wishers and the girls which has speeches, dances, poems and merry making.
Anyone can be part of empowering the girls in Igembe North and South through the campaigns against FGM and promotion of girl child education by supporting this initiative.
To train 60 girls for 6 days( residential training) costs Ksh 240,000/= ( US$ 2550) . We at CIFORD Kenya, will appreciate any support to continue with this worthwhile initiative.
For more information on how these initiatives can be supported contact:
cifordmeru@yahoo.com or cifordkenya@yahoo.com
Chief Kaberia ( Akirangondu Location ) Giving certificate
of participation to a girl accompanied by her parents
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