Team Kenya News

Many thanks to all of our supporters who have worked so hard over the last year fundraising and supporting us in so many other ways. 

Here are just a few recent examples of your generosity and some of the amazing things that have been going on.

Bydales Foundation School, A Specialist Technology College. Update from Seana Rice

Seana Rice: Seana's visit to Bongu primary school Feb 2011

£1000 was raised during our Sustainability Week Community day, pupils raised funds by organising a wide range of enterprising activities. During this day we also had a range of activities to increase community understanding about our partnership with Bongu and Team Kenya, focusing on:

• securing a future for everyone, increasing understanding about the interdependency between countries and the impact we have on each other.
• democracy, fairness and equality in everything we do - and encouraging those values in others.
• developing an internationalist outlook, to share experience and to foster an understanding of global citizenship

£800 was also raised during our Sustainability week from a pupil sponsored walk to Kenya! we measure the distance and walked this locally! Helping us all to get fit and healthy whilst appreciating our local environment.

£200 was raised by selling Team Kenya Colour ribbons and bricks, this funding was raised to support Bongu to build their new classroom.We had our termly Team Kenya Colour day (non uniform) which was supported by whole school assemblies.

We raised £500 from this day. We would hope this could sponsor pupils at our Partner school BONGU. 

Matt Coles

Selling the brownie

Matt used Justgiving.com to encourage friends and family to donate prior to his visit to Ndhiwa in October .He rasied over £800 ! ( not just from the brownies ! )  

Thanks to all of our UK partner schools/colleges  for their continued support and excellent work promoting Global Citizenship

Whitley Bay High

Bydales Foundation School

Longbenton Community College  

Newcastle College

New College Durham

Philips High Manchester

Seaton Burn College

Longbenton Community College provide funds to support Arina girls but more help is still needed as many are in desperate need. 

Arina  Primary school Girls’ who need extra Support ( Caroline's latest report )

Jackline .Had 257 marks in the last exams   Her child is facing a serious problem of the TB of the spine. She has sought medical attention but the condition of her daughter has not improved.

v  The baby is under medication and the medication might take a very long period of time to be administered. 

 She lives with her grandmother who is sickly and it becomes a big challenge to her because she has to be the one to look for food most of the time. She mentioned that she looks for food in the garden and prepares it.  She is very grateful for the support that has been provided to her and her baby.

Catherine.  She is a girl who was recently introduced into the program.  She obtained 232 marks in the last exams .  She sometimes works for people to obtain money to feed her grandmother..  She needs a new pair of uniform as the one that she currently has is torn.  Catherine specifically thanked Team Kenya for the provision of Padi Bora. She admitted that she did not miss school last month when she was having her periods.

June lenzer  Was also introduced to the program recently.  She also engages in child labour so as to help her aunt to raise money to sustain the family. She confesses that the support given to her for the two months has greatly changed her life and she believes she will achieve great heights in education as she is now more comfortable.  June lenzer wants to join university in future and thereafter get a good job.

Pauline Achieng  Did her national exams and should probably join high school next year.  She said that she expects to pass and join form one.  She is looking forward to obtaining a scholarship to enable her complete her high school education.  She needs a new packet of Padi Bora as the ones she had were stolen by someone when she hanged them outside and went to school

Pauline Alouch  Her baby is now about one year old. He has been of poor health but is under medication.  Pauline’s father works with G4S Security Firm but still refuses to support Pauline and her baby. As a result, Pauline sometimes has a challenge of obtaining food and clothes for the baby. Sometimes her mum helps her out since her mum also has a baby of about one year old. Her father must never find out about her mum’s occasional compassion.  Pauline expects to pass highly in her national exams and join a good secondary school. She expects to get a scholarship as her dad will never pay school fees for her even if she passes the exams.

As small organisation run by volunteers there are lots of opportunties for people of all ages and with a wide variety of skills and interests to get invovled with Team Kenya.

We welcome people who would like to help in the UK or in Kenya or both

On safari    

In the UK we need people interested  in helping spread the word to schools, businesses and community groups and help with PR, marketing , fundraising, finances , social networking and the website plus much more  

Colins, Gordon and Lydia

www.teamkenya.org.uk/files/teamkenya/TK_School_and_community_links.pdf There are now plenty of companies offering expeditions, holidays and Gap Year experiences but few that offer a genuine worthwhile experience based on the needs of both the overseas community and the visitors and that don't make a profit out of the volunteers.

 Amy and James

Volunteers can choose to get 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. We can also offer oportunities for academic research for undergradute or post graduate students

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

ALEX and friends

For more information check out www.teamkenya.org.uk/files/teamkenya/TK_Volunteers.pdf

We didnt make it to the top six or manage to get selected as one of the 6 other projects to get funding for the next 12 months BUT we did raise lots of money to support our girls in Ndhiwa so  a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who donated to the Girl Effect -       our final figure was $ 2464

We are still on the Global Giving website so you can still donate and help support the girls in Ndhiwa

http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/education-not-exploitation-for-girls-in-kenya/ 

Caroline -promoting Padi Bora

Lots more Padi Bora and new sewing machines cant be bad news !

Anatalia and her daughter Serafin

One of the young ladies that will benefit from your Girl effect donation -

Adobe Youth Voices aims to empower youths in underserved communities around the globe with real-world experiences and 21st century tools to communicate their ideas, exhibit their potential, and take action in their communities.

Ndhiwa Maarifa Centre in partnership with Team Kenya has taken a unique angle in this training by providing out  of school  youth an opportunity to learn of this skills just like the rest who are lucky to have been or are still in school. Most of our youths in this programme dropped out of school at different levels due to diverse reasons ranging from lack of school fees, unwanted pregnancies, poverty and a majority of them are orphans. Our new vocational training teenagers also benefited by joining in these sessions  alongside their training by Millicent learning how to use  the sewing machines to make Padi Bora and school uniforms

 The UK visitors  were delighted to be guests at their final  celebration at the end of the project and watch the fantastic videos the young people created . A great sucess - well done to Gerald their trainer and all of the young people involved

Check out the link to watch the videos and find out more http://ndhiwamaarifacentre.blogspot.com/

 Scholarship student Meril

 A recent study revealed that £2billion could be added to the economy of Kenya if the country educated its girls to secondary school level.  Failing to send girls to school is costing countries billions of pounds a year according to a new report from plan-international.org  They are now calling for a global 10 point action plan which includes providing girls education and leadership opportunities.

Team Kenya and NCEDP will continue  to strive to 'level the playing field' for girls in Ndhiwa by providing sponsorship to secondary schools, and support via our Girls Support Group and Girls football project.  

For all of our futures it is imperative that girls and young women  everywhere are treated as equals.

Why Girls ? Improve a girls life and many more lives benefit

Why girls?
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

Wasted Potential ?
When she reaches adolescence, a girl’s day turns to fetching water and wood rather than learning to read and write. She takes care of family members rather than herself. For families who have nothing else, she is a commodity, to be married off or sold.

Opportunity?
Evidence shows that bolstering girls’ health, education and prosperity will build prospects for her family and her country’s economic prosperity.

Tap her potential and the world benefits:

 www.girleffect.org 

The Nike Girl Effect Challenge runs from 15th October -14th November. We have been selected to take part and need your support to be chosen as one of 12 projects that will be part of the NIKE Girl Effect projects that receive funding for 12 months. Donate via the link below

 www.globalgiving.org/projects/education-not-exploitation-for-girls-in-kenya/

Please spread the word and help us get donors  for our girls projects.  

Padi  Bora: reusable cotton sanitary towels  

Girls safe house :

Girls Football : Behaviour change through sport

Girls scholarships

Girls support groups

 Primary school student Jackeline with her baby Nivea

 Staying in school through adolescence brings immediate benefits to girls during a high-risk phase of life, and long-term benefits to families and communities

Jackelne is back in school now as a result  of help and support from Team Kenya

WHY  GIRLS  ?

http://www.coalitionforadolescentgirls.org/why_girls

SHE IS THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL FORCE FOR CHANGE.

An adolescent girl stands at the doorway of adulthood. If she stays in school, remains healthy, and gains skills, she will marry later, have fewer and healthier children, and earn an income that she’ll invest back into her family.Her alternative is the path laid down by poverty. She’ll leave school early, marry too young, and miss the chance to reach her full human potential.

Her tragedy, multiplied by the 600 million adolescent girls throughout the developing world – contributes to the endless cycle of poverty.

We know that adolescent girls are the key to breaking this cycle. Yet today only a tiny fraction of international aid is spent on her needs.That’s why we’re here.

 For them, their families, and us all.

Changes in weather patterns, unreliable rains and a poor harvest have combined with an increase in world fuel prices to bring a’ food crisis’ to Ndhiwa  Some basic staple  foods have doubled in price in the last month making it very difficult for many families to put food on the table .

The farmers are  harvesting their crops now but predict the low yields will mean food supplies won’t last .

Sibouche water hole

Previous news article

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.

 Girls Football

Football training sessions are held on a weekly basis amongst the five partner schools and every weekend for  the Girls' Support Group members. The girls have perfected themselves in football skills thanks to the football coach who has dedicated himself to coach them on appropriate skills.

Their self esteem and confidence has grown knowing they can now do anything boys can ! 

Reproductive health education is carried out alongside football training sessions and matches.

Girls football team

Contact Caroline for more information!

Karibuni ladies have been making some amazing furniture from water hyacinth collected from Lake Victoria. The change in climate recently has caused a massive growth in hyacinth on the lake, causing big problems for fishermen and locals.

MP J Ojodeh:  

The local MP RT Honourable J Ojodeh gave the furniture his seal of approval.

Karibuni ladies hard at work in the grounds of the cottages!

The furniture is used in the cottages and sold locally. They are also making smaller items such as magazine racks and mats.

Water Hyacinth furniture: Made by Karibuni ladies!