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AUGUST 2005

MESSAGE FROM FIOH KENYA COORDINATOR, MR ROM WANDERA

July 27th 2005 marked the two decades, not only since FIOH K was launched as an environmental group, but also for community general development. People from many sections of the community together to share their expertise, knowledge and skills for mutual benefit. The environmental programme stated with one tree tree nursery, supplying an average of 3,000 seedlings per season. The target groups were women and schools. We have now helped to establish model tree nurseries in Muhoroni, Busia, Kimilili and Seme.

In 1998, after a visit by Mike Thomas (FIOH UK) we brainstormed and ventured into new areas. This involved setting up womens cooperatives as a way of addressing high levels of poverty and using the Agenda 21 framework. We have bean able to improve many poor peoples lives through training the lead women starting in 2002, the beautification of Kisumu town through planting trees and shrubs in the town centre and in schools. The Jomo Kenyatta Highway Island project is a show case. All these have been possible due to the cooperation with partners including Kame, Liojns Club, the Municipal Council of Kisumu and the relevant government departments, foreign and local volunteers, FIOH UK, AidCamps International and FIOH USA (which is to be registered soon due to the efforts of Michele Sprada and Linda Glaeser, SSJ).

We have also had success in other areas such as health, including the health centre at Buburi, HIV/AIDS programmes, collaboration with the Pandiperi Health Programme (now renamed KUAP). KUAP has been instrumental in building the capacity of most of our volunteers through training ranging from peer educators to trainer of trainers. This has resulted in FIOHK having volunteers who are highly skilled and can handle many health issues affecting our communities.

The education programme that was launched in 1998 has enabled many poor children to go to school. Some are currently in college and others are yet to join colleges. Schools have also benefitted, through trips we have arranged to the Kakamega forest, mobile library services, supply of textbooks, desks, cupboards, wall maps, trophies, balls, etc. Our help in establishing school environment clubs has led to the improvement of school environments.

Despite these achievements, we have also had challenges, especially the shortage of volunteers. Those we have also have other jobs. This means that we have not been able to address the needs of the communities we serve as we would like. We now rely heavily on secondary school leavers who were beneficiaries in the education programme. This is proving successful.

The research that was carried out at Awasi, Ponge, Koru and Chemelil on the effects of sugar plantations and the closure of the sugar industries, led to the establishment of a model organic farm.
People of the area can now grow horticultural crops around the year. This was made possible by a grant of £1,000 from the FIOH Education and Development Fund, UK. The communities now grow corn for domestic consumption. I am happy to note that these groups share, not only the skills gained, but also the seedlings and seeds. The Awasi group donated cassava stems for the Kisumu group while the Busia group supplied the Seme group with cassava, potato vines and members to teach them how to plant. We hope that all FIOH affiliated groups will continue to share with others, not only in Kenya, but with the neighbouring countries and beyond.

We have also carried out surveys on HIV/AIDS and poverty. The target areas have been urban slums and the countryside. The data is being analysed. In this regard the book, The Poor Man's Banker, has been of great help. I have experimented with livestock keeping and the results are a show case. In 2002 I bought a calf for Kshs 6,000 (about £40). In December 2003 she gave birth to her first calf and since then every December, she has had a calf. She produces an average of 5 litres of milk per day. Each year I miss milking her for 2 months when she is allowed to rest before calving again. I have employed a similar procedure with goats.

All in all my special thanks go to Mike Thomas who has been my inspiration through the support of reading books on issues that affect communities and his commitment to highlighting the inequalities of the rich and poor and between the developed and undeveloped countries. The FIOH International bottom-up approach is really commendable as it enables poor people to think for themselves ways of overcoming poverty and having the future in their own hands.