Team Kenya News

Michael , Vicky and the girls are on their way back home ,only a few more hours in Amsterdam airport ....

Katie ,Tricia, Jade and Caitlin are on their way back home after an amazing 10 days in Ndhiwa working with Caroline and the Girls Support Group...more to follow ...watch this space..

Having recently come back from Karibuni, where I was testing different ways of cost effective solar drinking water disinfection as part of Dissertation project for Newcastle University, I can honestly say that my time spent working on this project has been one of the most rewarding and incredible experiences of my life. The loss of life that results due to a lack of access to clean water is a problem that afflicts developing countries on an unimaginable scale. In 2010 the World health Organisation published a report stating that household water treatment could save the lives of over 114 thousand children per year in Africa, as tragically it is children under the age of 5 that are most often the victims of the diarrhoeal diseases that stem from contaminated drinking water.

My project involved testing three different devices designed to treat drinking water on a household scale using concentrated sunlight, which used only affordable, readily available materials in their construction. I conducted several experiments to test the effectiveness of each device and undertook an investigation on the local water sources and their quality. Karibuni offered the perfect base from which to undertake my investigation, and Team Kenya were behind the project all the way, helping overcome the quite daunting task of travelling all the way to Kenya to carry out the tests and being supportive and enthusiastic at all stages of the process. I had never done anything like this before in my life, but any initial doubts I had were soon  put at ease and I felt very safe at all times.

The trip was a great success  and I got to see what a truly amazing charity this was, and how effective their work is and what a huge influence it has on the local community. One day I hope to return with a device that I can leave behind and know I've made a lasting contribution to this great cause.

Thanks to everybody at Team Kenya, keep up the good work!

Simon

Volunteers can get involved here in the UK or in Kenya or both .People of all ages and  with a variety of skills are welcome, if you not sure how you can help we can give advice. See the get involved and projects  pages  for more ideas and then contact us..  

PSC Gap year students: Easter 2010

UK We welcome volunteers helping with a variety of actvities and have a TK supporters network that meet regularly

Kenya You can choose to involved with a range of activities as diverse as tree planting, journalism, photography, activities with Scouts and Guides, computer training, teaching English in schools, working with girls to promote children's rights & gender equality, sports coaching, drama and music.

Learning new skills

All of our volunteers must get involved in fundrasing to support the projects they are interested in.

Whatever your skills are we can match you up with the right project & the right people

Planning a trip to Kenya for your school, college, university or independently can be as simple as it is rewarding

We plan and negotiate appropriate activities, for individuals or groups, based on the individual skills and the knowledge of the visitors and the needs of the community in Kenya We are focused on one community in a beautiful, remote & disadvantaged part of rural Kenya and have extensive local knowledge based on over 20 previous visits over the last 10 years.  We have personal experience of being part of the Ndhiwa community, and keep up-to-date with developments by regularly visiting all of our projects.

Many hands....

We allow plenty of time to support   volunteers  and help them to prepare in advance for the activities they will be involved in .

We can also help  arrange visits to Ruma National Park , Lake Victoria  and the Masaai Mara game reserve

Ruma National Park: Only 20 minutes from Karibuni

Gender and climate change One of the most urgent issues of our time, climate change is already impacting populations and ecosystems around the globe, threatening to set back development efforts by decades. But the impacts are not being felt equally.

The majority of the world's poorest people today are women and girls.  

Climate change is making it even more difficult for them to realise their basic rights, and it is exacerbating inequalities since they are more vulnerable to its impacts than men. Those with the fewest resources will be most susceptible to its negative effects—particularly women, the majority of the world’s poor.

 In many parts of the world, women still face unequal access to decision-making, formal financial systems, land ownership, reproductive health care, and education and information, undermining their well-being in addition to that of their families and communities.  At the same time, women’s vulnerability can obscure the fact that they are an untapped resource in efforts to cope with climate change and reduce the emissions that cause it. 

As innovators, organizers, leaders, educators and caregivers, women are uniquely positioned to help curb the harmful consequences of a changing climate. Incorporating a gender perspective into climate change policies, projects and funds is crucial in ensuring that women contribute to and benefit from equitable climate solutions.

Moreover, many women are denied access to new information about climate change and participation in important decision-making processes despite having unique skills and knowledge - about low risk farming, sustainable water management, family health and community mobilisation, for example - vital to effective adaptation. 

Many women are already powerful change agents in both adaptating to and mitigating climate change, and many more are willing to take on leadership roles if empowered to do so. Their leadership is critical in addressing all aspects of climate change.

Climate Change and Children 

Key fact about climate change and children 

46% of the world's population is now younger than 25 years old.  Approximately 175 million children will be affected by climate change induced natural disasters every year over the next decade. The number of children dying each year due to the effects of malnutrition – currently 3.5 million – is likely to increase as a result of climate change. Nearly 10 million children under the age of five die every year of largely preventable diseases. Malaria – which currently claims the lives of around 800,000 children every year – is sensitive to changes in temperature and rainfall and could become more common if weather patterns change. 

Our children's future matters!

Climate Change and  Travel

What is 'responsible tourism' ? Its about minimising your environmental impact - on your journey and at your destination - by choosing carefully how you travel and the nature of the place at which you stay.  It is also about having a positive impact in other ways - supporting local economies, contributing to conservation of wildlife and preservation of the natural environment, local heritage & culture. Making the right choice can really make a difference to the lives of local people and the planet. Choosing to travel with Team Kenya, to stay at Karibuni eco-cottages is the RIGHT CHOICE......

Voluntary carbon offsetting with Team Kenya can reduce the impact of our actions, help raise awareness of the issues and create brighter future for young people in Kenya including orphans and people living with HIV/AIDS.  A return flight from Newcastle UK to Nairobi Kenya (14374KM) for one passenger generates 1.655 tonnes of Co2.  You could offset this by donation of £10 to Team Kenya which would be spent in Kenya planting trees, providing energy efficient Jiko stoves, and providing training and advice to the community on important issues including environmental conservation and protection.

 When you donate to TK all of your money goes towards reducing the impact of your travel and provides sustainable solutions to poverty in Kenya. 

Fight Global Warming   - reduce your carbon footprint and promote clean energy and sustainable solutions to poverty.  

A Community Tourism Initiative -

In partnership with Karibuni Womens Development Initiative(including Reborn Women’s group),Team Kenya & NCEDP

A  new women only community group have been  formed to address the needs of girls and women in Ndhiwa and  work in partnership with Team Kenya

KARIBUNI WOMENS DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE  have registered as a CBO and have over 80 members including members of Reborn Womens group .The ladies elected Beatrice Omondi to be their chairlady and have established four subgroups to enable them to focus on activites that will  improve the lives of girls and women in their community.

1. Ecotourism
2. Girls issues
3. Microfinance
4. Food security and nutrition  

The ladies have already planned a major event on 9th December to raise awareness of the aims and activities of KWDI and their partner organisation NCEDP .

My name is Belinda .I am a girl; I am in class 8 at Pala Primary School Ndhiwa Division.  I was born in 1987. My father's name is Felix and my mother's name is Michelle she  is  69 years old . My father is a polygamist with four wives and 37 biological children .My mother is the third wife with the children. My father did not care about the wives as it is often the way in Kenya that a man marries many wives and the wives are left to take care of their children and meet all other family needs by themselves.  My mother was not employed and could sell small fish (omena) to buy us clothes and food. Sometimes we could go without food for 3 or 4 days, and father could come home demanding money from my mother for alcohol and if not given, she could be beaten almost to death.

Despite all of this my mother struggled to educate my elder brother unfortunately he died after working for only 6 months. He did not bring any change to our poverty; we were faced instead with my mother being even poorer.  People take advantage of such opportunities, so I happened to meet a man who had a wife already, but who pretended to be loving and sympathise with my situation. He was ten years older than me but I was forced to marry him by my father who wanted a dowry since he had a lot of cows. I was sold to that man prematurely when I was only fifteen years old, first year was bed of roses, but come third year when he went to away to a  far place and left us together with his first  -wife to look after and  feed our children .

By then I had given birth to two children.  The eldest is a boy called Tevian born in 2003 and a girl called Cynthia born in 2006.They are both in nursery, top class and baby class respectively. Tevian was left with me by his father when he was one year old when he went to fish and stayed at the beach where we learned later that he got a woman who he stayed with temporarily as a wife and this made him to forget us completely. I suffered with my boy, no food to eat till he became pale and developed marasmus*.  I remember occasions when I could have nothing to eat and go from house to house for my children to be fed on the left over ugali and could be chased away like a dog. 

*Marasmus is a form of emaciation and wasting in an infant due to protein-energy malnutrition

 My father in law that I was left with used me as a maid I could go to dig a spring water to get his own cows drink but could not even drink a glass of milk from the same cow, not even my son. what happened  made me decide to go back to school. 

Tevian and Cynthia go to school at Alara primary, when they come back from school, they find it very difficult even to bathe and to have their clothes washed since my mum can do very little due to old age but I am determined to study .Most of their clothes are torn and has only two good ones for going to church this is because if mum spend money on their clothes they can have nothing to eat. Another problem is fees as in Kenya nursery teachers are paid by the parents of the children they teach and many times they are sent back home for fees and have got huge debts even arrears from last year. This lowers their performance. They carry their books in a polythene bags which keeps on getting torn and they loose their pencils. Shoes are history, most of the time goes to school bare feet ,if a  sympathiser as not shown mercy .

I suffered for five years from the year 2002-2007 when I decided to  go back to school and start from class seven under the influence and encouragement  of my sister who is a teacher and only one employed in our house. She was lucky to have been educated by her husband unlike my other sisters who were also forced in marriage like me and suffers alike .She persuaded me to go back to class seven last year and this year I’m in std eight.

I am determined to be a lawyer in future. I am very good at Mathematics, Geography and History (Social studies).

My hobbies are;

1.Travelling      

2.Reading novels            

3. Athletics                       

4. Netball and long jump 

How I have spent my years  

1987-1989-Childhood 

1990-1993-Pre-Unit 

1994-2001-std1-8 

2002-2007-Forced marriage

 2008-2009-Std7-Std8 at Pala primary school. 

TEAM KENYA have launched a Childrens Rights campaign in Ndhiwa . During her recent visit to Ndhiwa Trish Coles worked with Alfred Kaloo to set up a new project working with other community groups and partner schools . Trish introduced the ideas of the UK's   Every Child Matters initiaitve and the catchy title stuck, so now Ndhiwa has its very own ECM !

5 KEY AREAS :Schools will consider how they can improve school life for students in the following areas.

● Health

● Safety

● Enjoyment and Achievement

● Making a Positive Contribution

● Economic well being in the future.

Team Kenya's partner schools have agreed to reflect on their current educational practice and consider whether any aspects of management and teaching might be contravening internationally agreed rules on the convention of the  The Rights of the  Child (UNICEF).

Girls /women’s football has arrived  in Ndhiwa thanks to a new project initiated by NCEDP & Team Kenya.

Nicholas, Lorraine and Lillian recently visited the very successful Moving the Goalposts project in Mombassa and are planning to work in partnership to set up a similar scheme in Ndhiwa using football to help  tackle gender disparities

Moving the Goalposts Kilifi (MTGK) uses local and youth centred approaches to tackle issues ensuring girls’ participation as leaders and decision makers. 

The project uses football to develop essential life skills – confidence, leadership, self esteem – of vulnerable young women. Football also provides a unique entry point for reproductive health, human rights and economic empowerment initiatives

We need  sponsors , supporters, managers, coaches, kit, and of course balls! Interested? Know any one that can help ?

Why girls ? check out the girl effect website and watch an amazing video which will change the way you think . www.girleffect.org  Improve a girl’s life and many more lives benefit: her brothers, sisters, parents and beyond. As an educated mother, an active citizen and an ambitious entrepreneur, or prepared employee, she can break the cycle of poverty.