KISUMU KANYAKWAR WOMEN GROUP PRAISED OVER IMPROVING LIVES

Aug 29, 2014 Editor Kisumu News Kisumu, News 0

BY ODHIAMBO ALAL

Kisumu Kanyakwar Women Group (KKWG) based in Kisumu County has largely been praised by the Kenyan government and local residents who are the beneficiaries of the undertaken development activities.

The group was founded after the 2008 national elections in Kenya as community based organization (CBO) to improve on the livelihoods of less fortunate women.

Mrs. Beatrice Okello Schenelli monitoring the Lunch Programme at the Centre

The post-election violence led to many women losing their homes, properties, sources of income and even bread winners in their families.

Mrs. Beatrice Okello Schenelli, the Founder of the group said that she had passion to transform the livelihood of poor communities especially women who have difficulties in accessing food, clean water, health facilities ,schools among others.

Mrs Schenelli who is based in Switzerland told Kisumu News that the group is purely based on improving the lives of communities.

She said they are undertaking this through various farming methods and training on how to improve their daily earning and food production.

According to Mrs Schenelli the organization does this through the development of essential facilities to proactively support these women in improving their livelihood so that they can become self-reliant.

It was through inspiration and enthusiasm to initiate a‘group’ that one day would become a foundation to poor women ,my mission was to make women earn a living, she said.

Kanyakwar Early Childhood Development Centre

Mrs Schenelli added that it was the inspiration that prompted action in fundraising to enable her fund the intended projects.

She attests that she also has a lot of passion in changing the lives of youths and vulnerable children who usually bears the greatest challenges in their daily lives especially in slums.

To start with, the organization supports Early Childhood Development Centre (ECD) to ensure they get proper foundation in education.

Mrs Schenelli said they are committed to putting young children in ECD schools after which by ensuring quality care and education for the youngest.

Today these children are grouped into various categories of ages (3-4 years) Baby class, (5- 6) Middle Class and (6-7) Final class.

Although we were expecting 60 children to enroll, this has exceeded and we presently have 130 children with an increasing number of children joining daily, Schenelli said.

For this reason the organization has introduced a feeding program to ensure that children get food to feed on hence creating ample learning time.

Mrs Schenelli revealed that the majority of the parents or guardians especially of the orphans are not able to afford the basic nutritious meals for these children in the society.

We started with a pilot feeding program since December 2013, in this feeding program, children get a cup of porridge at ten o’clock and we ensure a balanced diet meal at lunchtime, she said.

She added that in the afternoon they get cup of porridge or Juice before they are released home in the evening.

The Founder said so far they have five teachers who are paid on a voluntary basis with plans to employ more teachers ahead of the education program expansion.

Mrs Schenelli said they have spent Ksh 16million on the ECD program alone with plans to enroll more children.

We aim to do this by improving the ECD services in Kenya through training support and advice in the field of Early Childhood Development, Mrs Schenelli said

We intend to extend the following as more children get enrolled in ECD, there has been a growing need to provide a feeding programme and kitchen facilities, Mrs Schenelli added.

She said with the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and other diseases death continues to make many children orphans or they are left with helpless relatives such as grandparents.

Class in Session at the Kanyakwar Group ECD Centre

The organization also hosts a Charity Dinner Gala and Dance annually to benefit the group and Early Childhood Development centre.

This, she said is aimed at bringing the communities together to share their plights as well as ideas on how to better their lives through farming and business activities.

Mrs Schenelli said KES. 500,000 has been used to construct three water kiosks for providing clean and affordable water and sanitation in the informal settlement neighborhood.

The kiosks are spread in Nyalenda, Obunga and Manyatta slums where local residents are hit with acute shortage of clean water despite being next to Lake Victoria, a fresh water lake.

To empower women financially, the Founder said they are providing ten women with kick start capital for small vendors (traders and farmers).

She disclosed that that KES. 10,000 has been allocated to each woman as a starting capital to enable them initiate income generating activities.

So far over 15 widows who were initially brewing illicit brew (Changaa) have benefited directly and are now having a stable income generating activities.

They include four water vending kiosks that generate for them over KES. 100, 000 per month to support themselves.

The women have also started table banking concept that ensure members are given interest free loans to start up new venture and also pay the school fees to their children.

The group has also diversified their business where they have events and managements tents, chairs and outside catering equipment.

This has seen averagely over 30 non-members women employed by the group.

The women also have informal ECD which they plan to expand to include primary and secondary schools to cater for the less fortunate children in slums.

The group has seen various communities embrace organic farming, water conservation and protection of streams, promotion of traditional food and schools programs.

These have seen the residents who are doing farming activities to produce various indigenous vegetables, maize, horticulture crops, potatoes, cassava and millet among others.

Sponsored Pupils after Graduation at the Kanyakwar ECD Centre Compound

Mrs Schenelli said this initiative have greatly reduced the cases of food insecurity in the regions especially where the programs are being undertaken.

Schenelli noted that training of farmers on various farming methods has also been roll out on organic farming techniques to increase their food production.

The organization is also supporting various football clubs for youth, under 15 years which was launched to develop young talents in sports, provide recreational activities for the children and the youth of the neighborhood.

She noted that a total of Ksh300, 000 has been spent to support the sports especially in informal settlements.

The founder said it provides a forum for inculcating peace and leadership qualities in children and youth as future leaders.