Personal testimony - Rom Wandera

Country: Kenya, East Africa Name: Romulus Wandera Director, Future in Our Hands Kenya Date of birth: 25th July 1959 Place of birth: Buburi, Busia District, Western Kenya Office: P .O Box 4037- 40103 Kisumu -Kenya Email: fiohk@hotmail.com Cell phone. 0711 860853 WEB.www.fiohk.org I was born in a small rural village called Buburi in Busia District. I left my rural village in 1967 and moved to Kisumu Town to start a new life with my elder brother. I have since then lived in Kisumu. Ever since joining the FIOH group in 1985 I have gained much. Before becoming part of FIOH, I had been in 'total darkness' as to what was going on around me. I had witnessed massive tree felling in my rural home village of Busia for very unconvincing reasons: 1. That the tall trees were harbouring monkeys and birds which destroyed crops e.g. maize, cotton etc. 2. for charcoal burning - in most cases the charcoal was sold at a throw away price of Ksh 15 a sack of 30kg. 3. That they would harbour leopards. After the group's formation, we embarked on an extensive tree planting programme which turned out to be successful. My home village was one of the areas we focussed on and is now a show case environmental area. In just five years the scenery has changed. It is now one of the few places one can find some of the indigenous and exotic tree species. The area is also now a home to several different types of birds that roost on them. As the years went by I have been able to meet and share ideas and experiences with several volunteers, Government officers and other respectable members of our society as pertains to the FIOH activities. These people have taken steps that have helped the group to grow. One of the volunteers quipped when we were visiting the countryside, "I had never seen inside Kenya, I have only seen the tourist Kenya, from a hotel - car - hotel.'' The experiences so far gained have been shared with many people both in Kenya and in other countries. Facing the challenges of being a group leader has been enormous. It has been quite tricky leading people who had false notions that white people have lots of money. An act which had been perfected over the years by politicians by dishing out handouts and money. The Government had over the years made people to believe that any form of development project belonged to it. This made people have false hopes of just being there waiting for their leaders (political) or the Government to decide on what project they would be entitled to (Top to bottom approach). This led to the collapse of all Government/Political funded projects. The populace viewed such projects as for politicians or Governments. The FIOH philosophy promotes the concept of Peoples Development by letting all concerned persons decide for themselves what is best for them, by empowering them. This is a bottom to top approach which leaves everybody satisfied and that they have not been left out in any decision-making process. Perspectives on world problems I believe that most of these problems have been brought about by the developed countries. This has been through: 1. The past cold war of the West and East 2. Unbalanced trade 3. World Bank /IMF policies 4. Pollution The Cold War This led to funds being given to prop up the often corrupt ally governments. Examples being Congo, Angola, Mozambique and so on. More than 85% of the sourced funds were allocated to the Military leaving a paltry 15% for the needs of the populace. This led to massive deaths as a result of hunger and ill-health. Unbalanced trade. Most industrialised countries import most of their food and raw materials from the developing countries. The developed countries unfairly determine the price at which they buy these imports. The developing countries are made to sign agreements on the false promise that the much needed foreign funds will enable the economies of these countries to stabilise. World Bank/IMF Developing countries have gone ahead and signed loan agreements with these lending Institutions on behalf of their citizens with disastrous consequences. If you asked an ordinary citizen of Kenya as to what the World Bank/IMF meant, the answer would be in the negative. Some of the loans released never reached the intended projects/programmes. The funds were diverted into the bank accounts of corrupt Government officials lodged in the developed countries. When developing country governments could not raise the foreign exchange to pay back their debts the IMF imposed very stringent conditions for these governments so as to recover their money. For example the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). These programmes led to massive suffering of the populace. Examples, the forced retrenchment of Public Civil Servants in Kenya, the common person paying with lack of health care, education, poor infrastructure - thus leading to poverty. Pollution Emission of harmful fumes into the atmosphere thus causing the greenhouse effect. As a result of this, global warming leads to destructive floods as has happened in Britain (2001), Mozambique (2000), Philippines. Dumping of toxic wastes by the developed countries in poor countries. Pollution caused by drilling for oil as happened in Nigeria (Ogoni area), and oil spills from ships that transport it. Possible solutions Tackling of Corruption by recovering the looted funds by some corrupt developing country leaders stashed in bank accounts in the developed countries. The developed countries should help in this. Does it make sense for the World Bank/IMF to loan say $300 billion to a country where two government officials of the same government have stashed $2 billion in their accounts? More world-wide debt free campaigns as happened during the Jubilee 2000. Writing off some of the debts by the two lending institutions instead of it accumulating year in year out. Putting in place more structures that would enable the developing countries to have more say on the pricing of their exports. Campaign to have more funds allocated towards fighting poverty, illiteracy, ill health, inadequate shelter, poor infra structure, corruption, overspending on the military, etc. Where possible, developing countries must channel funds for development to the grass roots for the communities to address their challenges thus leading to bottom up approaches in development. The above thoughts have relevance to the FIOH philosophy. FIOH empowers groups and individuals to re-examine themselves and change their lifestyles for a better future. The affluent live in a state of their own. Some since birth have never missed a meal and can hardly believe that a family of five can go hungry for a day without a meal that costs £1, or that one can die due to lack of medicine worth £1. The FIOH philosophy and its approach enables such people to re-examine themselves. For the poor it offers them a chance to choose the best way forward despite their status. It enables them to share Ideas with others and find the best options. In conclusion, the FIOH philosophy cuts through a cross section of the society, for the betterment of ALL OUR FUTURES. Profile Flexible and creative community mobiliser and adviser. An excellent communicator, a very approachable and cheerful person with a positive and cheerful manner even under pressure. An enthusiastic team worker who is equally comfortable working alone using own initiative. Key skills Sound knowledge of office procedures and administration processes Excellent verbal and written communication skills, used to dealing with the members of the public of all classes and races. Organisational capability. I have helped to establish environment clubs in schools and the 21st Century Kisumu Forum (Agenda 21). Arranged sponsoring for school fees for poor families, organised a city cleanup and beautification programme in conjunction with local government departments and business representatives. Helped to establish women's credit union co-operatives in four regions in and around Kisumu. Training Trained and qualified as a teacher Trained in behaviour change processes (B.P) teacher/trainer. Career summary Full time - Teacher in a public school - 1983 to date (2009) 1985 - Joined Future in Our Hands (in charge of environment section) 1988 - Elected co-ordinator of FIOHK 1997 - Elected adviser of 21st Century Kisumu Forum and the Women's Credit Union. Education 1968 - 1974 Primary 1975 - 1978 Secondary 1981 - 1983 Teacher's training college 1999 Behaviour change process training 2002 -Trained in community health care 2007 - Trained in Guidance and Counseling ACHIEVEMENTS Has managed to: · See the establishment of a Health centre in Busia · Establishment of modern tree Nurseries in Busia, Seme and Muhoroni · Formation of Women's Credit Union · Helped wit the formation of sister FIOH groups in U.S.A, Tanzania and several groups in Kenya Hobbies/interests Gardening, performing arts, reading and travelling and meeting new persons. Special interests Community development assisting the less privilege children's education/medication, the aged and Christianity.