Postcards from Kenya

More news from Sherston Musul Primary school, Laikipia

2009-10-20T09:56:00.004Z

The following good news was received from Gordon Liddle on 16/10/09 -

" It has finally started to rain in Kenya! Just over an inch so far (over the last week) but Sherston Musul are confident that the rains have now started. the water tanks you helped to fund are already more than half full - including the new Musul tank - new gutters are working and we have only had one leak. This is being fixed this week.

There is some water in all the dams and waterholes and elelphants, impala and kudu have all been seen back in the area.

Some of your fundraising efforts wre used to prepare Sherston Musul school for the rains, build and install deep new guttering (this is made by hand so employs local crafts people!) and provide a 6000 litre water tank in September - Thank you to everyone for your support!

Money raised by a sponsored trip to climb Mount Kenya by Gordon and Debby Liddle has also raised the remaining 50% of the money needed to start the kitchen block - 50% was raised by Sherston School here in the UK.

As the rains are critical to builing in the region (...) the building will be started in the coming months as the rains are critical to its success. Building in the drought can double building costs as you have to buy and transport water to the school to mix cement etc.

If you would like to make an individual substantial donation for the next priority project (the School Accommodation Block and Pre-School classrooms) please contact Gordon Liddle via the Sherston Musul website (http://www.sherstonmusul.com) - you will have your name placed on a donor sign that will adorn the building in perpetuity!!

The next target is £12,000 and we (Sherston Musul) will launch fundraising for this in 2010 but donations are being taken now. If you would like to discuss donations, make a substantial donation on your own or on behalf of a company please contact Gordon Liddle via the Sherston Musul website (http://www.sherstonmusul.com). Subject to currency fluctuations and building costs this should provide enough money to build a Pre-School building and Teacher accommodation - the school is so remote that without any accommodation the government does not supply teachers in this remote area. Sherston Musul are currently using temporary and very basic donated accommoadtion for the government teacher at the moment.

Please go to http://www.sherstonmusul.com for photos of this year's visit to the school and to donate on-line.

Thanks for your continued interest and support.

Good news about Sherston Musul Primary School. Laikipia

2009-10-20T09:49:00.003Z

The following news was received from Gordon and Debby Liddle on 23rd September 2009 -

"New guttering and water tanks have been put on the school in the last few weeks paid for from the Sherston Musul donations here in the UK (including donations sent through CCI-Kenya) and we hope to start a kitchen block/food store for the school as soon as the rains come.

Despite the drought things are looking better from a school point of view - the children have teachers, a head and uniforms. from a water and food perspective they are being supplied by government dribs and drabs.

See http://www.sherstonmusul.com/ for more details."

Latest News from Community Groups, June 2009,

2009-06-09T08:04:00.011Z

Urgent request received from Daniel LeMolo, MBEKEC, on 2/6/09

A severe drought brings the following request for urgent assistance for the children attending Sherston Musul Primary School in Laikipia -

"We are continuing struggling with the drought here with no rain at all...The situation at Musul is worst ever seen. No water, no food, children fainting in the class and a lot of problems. So, to your website, if people can donate so that we can try to feed these kids so we don't lose them to hunger. Please put this request to your website."

You can also find out more information on the food shortages and its severe effects on the children and their parents at Musul by clicking this link to a recent article in The Standard newspaper.

Donations towards the development of Sherston Musul Primary School (provision of facilities such as classrooms, uniforms, books, writing materials, school meals, etc) can be made by visiting the Sherston Musul Primary School website at http://www.sherstonmusul.com/ .

The Sherston Musul website has been set up independently by supporters in UK to help raise awareness and funds for the further development of Sherston Musul Primary School. The funds and funding priorities at the school are administered locally by Gill Ellias at O'Lentile in Kenya.

Further information about Musul and related links can be found at 'Postcards from Kenya'.

Good news from Elija Kanyi, Mathare Roots Youth Group on 9/06/09

"We have had a group of student from Mcgill University from Canada, we gave them a tour in the slum while walking around we talked to some and they liked what we do in our youth group and they promised to come back and work with us. And after two months, two of them Avi from USA and Nico from FRANCE.Came they sat down with George Rai the Chairman of the group they talked on what we can do together, and as they were talking they come up with an idea of building a basketball court at Mathare.

We had some challenges of the field because in the slum there is no playing field or a public field any where in the slum,and this is a mistake that was made by our leaders and land grabbers who never care about playing field and all they do care is about housing which they never care even about repairing after building. And another challenge was funds to build the basketball court,this were the main challenges we faced while planing to work on the project. We were forced by situation to build the court at a near by kiboro primary school where we some times meet as a group. The court was build by the assist from from Mcgill university CFSIA Canada Field Studies in Africa, students who were looking for funds from friends and family,and Mathare Roots Youth Group was providing the manpower since the students were not able to raise enough money for more instructors. And we all believed we only needed one or two instructors to show as what to do and how to do it. Everything was finally done in two weeks,vafter long days of sweat we were able to smile at last.

I found this project very unique because in the slum of Mathare children have talents and all they need is Guidance and Facilities. To be able to show case their talents,vthere is no any other sports well known by children in Mathare than football and that's the reason why we thought Basketball will be something different and unique to introduce and those who know how to play can teach others how to.

At the moment we are still going strong with our projects and activities. While working on our plans we were also able to produce a Documentary of less than twenty minutes. About the things we do, and the reason why we do what we do."

Community Groups - News & Updates, April 2009

2009-04-08T13:35:00.019Z

The following are some of the latest news & updates from community groups and supporting organisations during April, 2009. Further news & updates will be added as & when they come in....

Received from Leonard Muhanga, Nature Kenya Site support officer for Kakamega Environmental Education Programme (KEEP) on 20th April, 2009.

We are fine in Kakamega.

I recently attended the Nature Kenya centenary celebrations in Nairobi (NMK) where Wilberforce Okeka, the founder of KEEP was awarded Conservation Award Certificate to honor his contribution to conservation in Kakamega forest.

I have been facilitating exchange programs for community based organizations to visit Kakamega to learn about energy conservation. Two groups (one from South Nandi and the other from Kijabe) attended where they were taught by KEEP educators on how to install fuel efficient stoves; fireless food warmers (Shimwelo) and briquette making as a supplement to charcoal and fuel wood. So far 45 members (mainly women) have been trained. I expect another group to visit the forest towards the end of the month. John has been quite instrumental in this.

The news in Kakamega, as concerns energy saving devices is that KEEP acquired a briquette making machine, courtesy of James Parkas, a volunteers from FSD (Foundation for Sustainable Development). 20 KEEP members were trained in this venture (Briquettes are small cubes made from everyday agricultural and commercial waste material e.g. dried leaves, weeds, sawdust, maize stalks etc). Although briquettes can come in different sizes and shapes, the ones produced at KEEP are circular (cylindrical).

Received from Samuel Bakari, Friends of Kinangop Plateau on 8/4/09:-

"We are doing well at the workshop. We are getting some help on marketing from Charlie of 10000 birds. You can have a look at what we have done from his site

http://10000birds.com/the-njabini-wool-spinning-workshop.htm 0birds.com/the-njabini-wool-spinning-workshop.htm

http://10000birds.com/back-to-the-njabini-woolshop-kinangop.htm.

Also view http://10000birds.com/10000-birds-sharpes-longclaw-and-the-kinangop-grasslands

We have also contacted the Arocha Kenya, Mwamba, to see if they can help us in marketing by displaying some of our products and they get a commission for every item sold.

I will forward some photos that I have send to Charlie and see if they can be useful."

Received from Joan Nesbit, SpanAfric Safari's re development & promotion of ecotourism at Musul, Laikipia on 6/4/09:-

"It's been a tough year. I did manage to register the Musul group into Eco-tourism Kenya and we still need to plan a trip over there for them to survey and identify what next steps to take....
...I havent heard from the USA yet and no replies are coming in.
That's all for now, I still do believe things will work out, it's slow but doors will open soon."

Received from Gordy Liddle re SherstonMusul primary school & educational sponsorship at Musul, Laikipia on 23/3/09:-

"...We have been on hold ourselves for a while now but we have been quietly getting a little more organised and are now linked in with some local contacts and have a web site that should be up and running shortly..."

7/5/09

It's now possible to find out more about the Sherston Musul primary school and to make much needed donations to their educational sponsorship programme at: http://www.sherstonmusul.com/info/home_page.

(Further information about the community at Musul, which is located in western Mukogodo in Laikipia, Kenya, can also be found at here at 'Postcards from Kenya' and at CCI-Kenys's main website.)

New Audio Links

2009-02-18T10:42:00.010Z

It's now possible to listen to some short MP3 audio clips of traditional Maasai singing recorded at Musul, Laikipia during December 2006.

(My apologies for the poor recording quality, but I hope you will enjoy listening and may be tempted to visit the community groups and hear them 'live' for yourself.)

News from CCI-Kenya.

2008-10-07T10:40:00.008Z

Apart from CCI-Kenya's website facilities, other CCI-Kenya activities are currently now on hold until further notice later on in 2009.

In the meantime, news and updates from community groups and other supporting organisations may continue to be posted here from time to time.

The following are some of the latest Community updates and goodwill messages recently received:

From Job at KABICOTOA, Kakamega, on 13th Oct 2008
Hi Eliza, ,
Thanks a lot to hear from you again.
We are really doing well with the season trying to pick up.
Lastly we wish you quick recovery and possibly meet you when you come.
Job.

From Koija Hope Club on 8th Oct. 2008.

hi,first we are sorry for delaying in responding and your sickness we pray for you to get well,koija hope club is still carrying on to renovate the community cattle dip,we had all materials but actually there was long drought here and the livestock were dispersed to search for pasture and therefore since this was our core objective we have to wait them back in high number and we will seat with the community and form m.o.u and there after we will proceed and that's what we are after presently thanks,
secretary in charge, Evans.

France Gives Welcome Boost to Kenya's Tourist Industry...

2008-07-06T19:22:00.002Z

"Kenya is safe, France says.

Kenya's tourism got a major boost after France declared the country safe for citizens and investors. In a letter to French tourists and investors, the French Ambassador to Kenya, Ms Elisabeth Barbier, said post-election violence that had rocked the country early in the year was long gone...."

Read the full story at The Standard-on-line.

Football Links/Partnership Sought by Mathare Roots Youth Group, Nairobi.

2008-05-25T09:57:00.007Z

The Mathare Roots Youth Group is based in the sprawling Mathare slum in Nairobi. This is the second largest slum in Africa with many differing needs and challenges for the 500,000+ people who live there. Mathare Roots Youth Group has a slogan 'From Roots to Fruits' which highlights the youth group's role in trying to provide mentoring, positive role models, education, opportunity and hope to the young people growing up in Mathare.

Mathare Roots Youth Group would like to establish a link with a football club or a football-related community group or youth group based in an inner city area in UK , so that they can share support, mutual ideas & experience with other local youngsters, perhaps with the possibility of some football-related cultural exchange visits, fundraising/sponsorship, etc.

Football and other sports can play a strong role in helping to keep youngsters on the right track and out of trouble, at the same time helping to uplift whole communities. The youngsters and their families in Mathare are in great need of this additional support, particularly following the terrible effects of the post-election violence which has taken place in Mathare since the disputed presidential election in December 2007. Football is being recognised and much appreciated as a great unifying factor for the now traumatised community of Mathare.

There is exciting potential for local UK-based football teams and their associated local youth groups &/or a local communities to link up with Mathare Roots and to help support the mentoring of Kenyan youngsters living in Mathare. This linkage could potentially take a variety of forms which could help to provide both moral & practical support for the 'Mathare Roots' Youth Group and the local community that it helps to support in the Mathare slum, as well as publicity for the local football team in the UK. It is also an opportunity for the football team's associated youth and community groups to potentially learn and benefit from sharing experiences of growing up in a challenging environment. There are many issues that may be in common to youth growing up in Mathare & in communities elsewhere, including (for example) the relative poverty of inner city areas, youth unemployment, homelessness, gangs, gun & knife crime, drugs, teenage pregnancy, single parents, violence, poor education, health issues, and so on.

If your local football team or football community is interested in helping to establish a link with Mathare Roots, please contact Elijah Kanyi (Email: monelijah@yahoo.com).
Elijah is an active member of Mathare Roots Youth Group, a talented footballer and a cameraman, and is a great role model for other youngsters living and growing up in Mathare as well as those living in other deprived inner city areas around the world.

More information about Mathare Roots Youth Group and the challenges of living and growing up in the Mathare slum can be found at the following website links:

'Postcards from Kenya' (CCI-Kenya blogspot)
'From Roots to Fruits' (Mathare Roots Youth Group wesbite)
'Living & Bleeding' website (images and information about life in Mathare)
Some more photo's of Mathare
MYSA (Mathare Youth Sports Association)

Latest News & Update from Musul in Laikipia, (1/3/08)

2008-03-01T10:02:00.003Z

(The following update was sent by Daniel Lemolo of MBEKEC on 1 st March, 2008).

Hallo, I hope you are quite ok, likewise to us here in Kenya. Everything has settled and the two (Kibaki & Raila) have come to an agreement.

I’m very glad to hear from you about the progress you made, things here have been on hold since January but they have started showing recovery.

As for one, the government has given us ksh 250000/= in which class three is on the way (at the Sherston Musul Primary School) but the money is not enough as one class cost ksh 400000/= so we hope for well wishers to assist in the completion of this class, the class has already been constructed but things like windows, door, floor, plaster are not there due to lack of money. I have already talked with a lady at Olentile she is going to assist on paying one teacher’s salary starting March this year. Hoping that your sale of jewellery will help another part.

For the toilet and bathroom (at the Cultural Manyatta) they are complete and ready for use.

About MBEKEC progress on beekeeping - we are still waiting for Ennada to provide their funds as I was with them last week at Musul and they assured me they are still waiting the funds from the Bank. Once this is ready they will call me, so I will update you on this when ready,

Also your jewellery order (for the girl-child educational sponsorship project at Musul) these are ready.*

Thank you very much and I hope to communicate now as thing have settled .

Thanks a lot. God bless.

(*NB. It is hoped to collect the new stock of jewellery & have it available for sale in the UK from May 2008 onwards.)

Joy in Kenya

2008-02-29T09:32:00.007Z

Today there is joy in the streets of Kenya as Kibaki and Raila sign a power sharing deal.

Read the full story and others at The Standard on-line.

Other good news today...
Kenya's new Prime Minister Elect, Raila Odinga, pledges to rebuild Kenya.

Read the full story at BBC Africa News on-line.

Update from 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' (21/2/08)

2008-02-22T08:33:00.010Z

The following update was sent by Bakari of 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' on 21/2/08:

The situation isn't so bad here in Kinangop and Nairobi. Other parts of the country that were affected are also relatively calm. It's almost peaceful.

Well, am looking into a number of things and will let you know as soon as am able. Am doing a small write up about the Sharpe's Longclaw and will send it to you once am through for comments.

Construction of 4 bandas is underway in the Kinangop bird sanctually and wil let you know the charges and how to get there once they are through and the necessary arrangements are in place.

We are going on with the dry season monitoring of the Sharpe's Longclaw.

Work at the workshop is going on normally although the demand for yarn is quite low.

I have also contacted a number of people who have been practicing home stays and they would be happy to host visitors. However, they have not been doing it in an organised way, thus its difficult to say this is the much we can charge. It's therefore important to set a standardised fee. For that we need help.

(Note - the above accommodation, spinning workshop & bird monitoring activities may form part of a new community-based eco-tourism proposal which is currently being worked on by Nature Kenya, CCI-Kenya, Span Afric Safaris and The African Propoortourism Development Centre. More news and updates on this will follow later.)

Updates From Mathare Roots Youth Group, Nairobi

2008-02-14T12:42:00.006Z

The following updates have been sent by Elijah Kanyi of Mathare Roots Youth Group which is based in the Mathare Valley slum in Nairobi:

07/02/08:
We are fine but worried about the situation we have right now in Mathare, things have been quite tough but we are safe and alive... Sorry for not keeping in touch for a while but it's due to the situation...We never expected such kind of situation and the killings we are having this time in Kenya. Even our group activities have been affected since there are those places which we can't go. But we are trying to see what we can do to get our community back to where we were some months back, in our group we don't have the issue of tribalism since we grew up together since we were young and we are setting up good example to the society. since people are moving to where their community is, for us members we don't have such situation. We are tying to see if we can get people who can at least help those who were hardly affected with the election violence, last week Mathare Roots members donated clothes to people who are sick, refugee in their own community and country. We would like to visit them again and again, until we see they are fine and happy.

13/02/08:
Last week we tried to organise a football tournament which was great because there was a big turn up from members of the community. After the football games we tried to bring youths together to try to find out why people are fighting each other yet we voted peacefully. there was handshake after the each and every game to at least show the community we are still united despite the chaos. We are also working for a peace song which we are trying to tell the people of Kenya that what we are undergoing is not the right thing to be happening in our beloved country, i hope by the time you will becoming it will be ready for sell. Anyway this year we had planned for alot which we hope we will accomplish by the end of year. May be to remind you, sports it’s the best tool to unify people, i hope you still remember about the football legend whom you promised to talk to about football.

Support Red Cross Crisis Appeal for Kenya

2008-01-19T10:45:00.001Z

"The British Red Cross has opened an appeal to help hundreds of thousands of people affected by the crisis in Kenya.

The country erupted into violence on 30 December following the results of the presidential election. Hundreds of people have been killed and injured, and hundreds of thousands displaced due to the clashes.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is working with the Kenya Red Cross to help the wounded and displaced.

The appeal will provide medical equipment, drugs and other supplies to help the injured. It will also support at least 100,000 displaced people with food, household items, water and sanitation equipment for several weeks." (Information curtsey of Red Cross).

For further information and to make a donation to the Red Cross Crisis Appeal for Kenya please click here to visit the official Red Cross website.

Latest daily newspaper coverage direct from Kenya can be found at The Standard on line and Daily Nation on line.

Further in-depth coverage on the situation in Kenya is also available at BBC News on-line.

Latest News From Community Groups in Kenya (updated on 20/1/08)

2008-01-14T14:55:00.000Z

So far, I have received the following news & updates from some of the community groups in Kenya since violence rocked the country following the disputed General Election at the end of December 2007:-

News from Nature Kenya and Kakamega Environmental Educational Programme (KEEP) is that the community group is fine and the situation in the forest is locally calm. Update received from Nature Kenya Site Support officer for KEEP on 20/1/08: "Thanks for praying with us. Things are slowly returning to normal but all is not OK. KEEP have resumed Saturday programme and attendance is good (100 pupils at Isecheno." KEEP have also emailed to say that there are no riots in the forest and that KEEP members are continuing to make cooking baskets - I have requested an official report from Nature Kenya on KEEP's 'Shimwelo' Kakamega Forest Cooking Basket Project and will keep you posted on this.
James of Muliru Farmers Conservation Group (which is also based at Isecheno in the Kakamega rain Forest) asks us to pray for Kenya;
Bakari of Friends of Kinangop Plateau says that the situation is calm there, but he says that everyone is worried for their brothers and sisters across the country (all the people of Kenya) and also asks us to continue praying for peace in the country;
Daniel of Mukogodo Beekeepers and Environmental Conservation Group (MBEKEC) tells us that Musul in Laikipia is locally safe;
Belinda of A Rocha Kenya says that things aren't too bad at the Coast compared with elsewhere in the country.
Tito's news of Mathare Roots Youth Group is that members are ok, although some have had to move from the area because their homes have been burnt &/or their possessions looted, etc. Despite their own difficulties, group members are doing their best to try and help support the wider community in Mathare.
Adam and his brother Matt from the USA are now back home and starting to make progress on editing their documentary about Mathare Roots Youth Group and life in Mathare slum. Their photo's of Mathare and news and updates on the documentary can be found at their 'Living & Bleeding' website and also by clicking here.

I'll continue to post other news and updates from the community groups here at 'Postcards from Kenya' as and when I receive them.

OTHER NEWS...

My early return from Kenya at the beginning of January unfortunately meant that I did not have time to revisit a number of my usual communities. This was a great shame. However, I am managing to keep in touch with the community groups and supporting organisations out in Kenya and between us we are hoping to continue moving things forward in a positive way as and when the situation allows.

As I mentioned here in an earlier post, I spent some time with members of the Mathare Roots Youth Group just before Christmas and I also briefly met Victoria, the founder of the Mathare Mums Community Group. Both of these groups are based in the Mathare slum in Nairobi. Before I returned home, my intention had been to return to Mathare again in early January 2008 when I had planned to try and help the youth and community groups establish a Mathare Cooking Baskets Project in the slum. The idea being that local women living in the Mathare would be able to make Cooking Baskets for home-use throughout Mathare as well as the possiblity of selling them as an income-generating activity. Post-election violence which has taken place in the slum has made life there very difficult for everyone at the moment and it is uncertain how quickly the situation will begin to normalise again. Despite having some of their own homes burnt down and possessions looted, members of Mathare Roots Youth Group and Mathare Mums are reaching out to help other members of the community. Hopefully, they will be able to make a start on the project as soon as the situation settles down enough for them to be able to do so.

Faith, hope, love and prayers...

Whilst the country reportedly remains generally calm today, the situation across Kenya remains very tense and unpredictable.

As has been widely reported by the media, there has been post-election violence in Kakamega town, Kisumu and Eldoret as well as elsewhere in Western Kenya, the Rift Valley, parts of the Coast and also in some of the slum areas of Nairobi, including Mathare. Fortunately, the violence and displacement of people from their homes is not happening everywhere across the country, although many local areas and communities have now been affected.

Please take good care of yourselves everyone.

Latest daily newspaper coverage direct from Kenya can be found at The Standard on line and Daily Nation on line.

In-depth coverage on the situation in Kenya is also available at BBC News on-line.

How Cooking Baskets & Hay Box Technology May Help Refugees in Kenya

2008-01-13T11:58:00.000Z

There has been an increased number of hits on the 'Cooking in a Basket' website over the past week or so from places such as Nakuru where a large number of displaced Kenyans are now staying following the violence that has erupted in Western Kenya and Rift Valley since the disputed General Election at the end of December. I'm hoping that the cooking basket information will be able to reach members of the UN, Red Cross and other Aid Agencies who may then help to disseminate this to more local people who are living and working on the ground.

The 'Cooking in a Basket' website has instructions for making a simple Cooking Basket/haybox as well as recipes for cooking beans, maize, rice, etc (staple foods which are being distributed by aid agencies). For those of you who are unfamiliar with the technology, padded cooking baskets act like a thermos and help to reduce the amount of cooking fuel and water that is needed to cook food and could be a great help to all those people in Kenya and elsewhere who are struggling to survive at the moment - particularly those who have been displaced from their homes or are living in in areas where fuel and water is either in short supply and/or very expensive to buy. Cooking Baskets have the advantage of being portable and can be made by padding a a simple basket or a sack with a blanket or other stuffing material in order to make a thick padded nest for the cooking pot to sit in. The Cooking Basket or sack is then covered snuggly with a pillow or a cushion to help hold in the heat. (Further instructions on how to make and use a Cooking Basket, including recipes) can be found at 'Cooking in a Basket').

If you are able to help with passing on this information to local people in Kenya, or if you are able to forward this website link to other contacts who may be able to assist, then please do so.

(Latest daily newspaper coverage direct from Kenya can be found at The Standard on line and Daily Nation on line.)

Prayers for Kenya

2008-01-07T16:13:00.000Z

As I write this I am very sadly and reluctantly on my way back home to UK. My visit to friends and community groups in Kenya this year having been brought to an early end by the violence which has rocked the country following the disputed General Election on 27th December. What has taken place since December has been a huge shock to everyone - the majority of Kenyans are peaceable, warm and welcoming and in all my times visiting Kenya I have never experienced anything other than warmth and friendship from them, no matter what community, tribe or part of the country that I have been staying with or visiting. Like many visitors to Kenya, I have made many friends with local people and communities living throughout the country - in small villages, out in the bush, at the Coast, in the slums and in the city of Nairobi. It is heartbreaking to have to leave them behind with such political uncertainty and insecurity. I add my prayers, and those of my own family and community, to the prayers of everyone in Kenya for a peaceful and long-lasting sollution to the current situation as soon as possible. Much pain has been inflicted and many tears are being shed. Now it is time for healing to begin. I will be returning to Kenya later on in 2008 when the situation has calmed once again. In the meantime, I shall be keeping contact with everyone to see how we may look to the future and keep things moving positively forward once more.

To everyone in Kenya, please stay calm, stay safe and stay strong. Although I have had to return home early, we are together there with you.

(Latest daily newspaper coverage direct from Kenya can be found at The Standard on line and Daily Nation on line.)

Mathare Roots Youth Group - 'From Roots to Fruits' in the second largest slum in Africa

2007-12-15T07:50:00.000Z

This year I decided to cancel my planned visit to the Coast for Christmas and New Year due to the lack of available safe transport and the dangerously busy roads leading up to the festive season. This is always a difficult time to be travelling on Kenya's roads, but this year the situation is even worse than usual. The use of speed governers, seat belts and a safe-number of passengers being carried had improved travelling on public transport over the last two or three years since the introduction of special government safety legislation.

Unfortunately, however, the number of road accidents & consequent high death toll have increased dramatically again this year.

The high volume of traffic is expected to increase further with people travelling to vote in the forthcoming elections on 27th December. I am therefore being extra cautious this year and voting with my feet by staying put. The safer alternative of travelling by air is not available as all flight have been booked solid since early to mid November. For those of you who are travelling over this festive season, may you all travel safely and well.

Instead of travelling out of town myself, I will now be enjoying Christmas and New Year in Nairobi. I have been making the most of my extra time here to push ahead with the development of a draft community-based eco-tourism proposal with Nature Kenya, SpanAfrica Safaris and the African PropoorTourism Development Centre.
I have also been helping out with some biodiversity monitoring with National
Museums and KWS at Nairobi National Park for the best part of a week as well as venturing further into the city.

MATHARE VALLEY & THE 'MATHARE ROOTS YOUTH GROUP' -
'FROM ROOTS TO FRUITS'

This past week I have been catching up with Adam and Mat, two friends who are here from the USA to make a documentary. Together we have met with with members of the Mathare Roots Youth Group and the local community who are living and working in the sprawling slums of Mathare Valley here in Nairobi.

Mathare (with around 500,000 people) is reputedly Africa's second largest slum after Kibera, which is also situated here in Nairobi. Some of you may have already seen photo's or film coverage of the slums (in the film 'Constant Gardener', for example), so you will have some small idea of where I have been.

Despite the overwhelming depth of poverty which is all around in Mathare - the lack of water and sanitation, the over-crowded, densely packed shanty-houses, the filthy streets, the squallor, the smells, the noise, the health-hazards, the poverty and the despair, there is also a very positive energy and life to Mathare that is evident in the smiles and laughter of the young children, in the warmth, welcome and resilience of Mathare's inhabitants as they go about their daily lives trying to eke out what living they can in support of themselves and their families.

You can see small local hairdressers sitting outside in the sun, busy tailors working away on singer sewing machines inside small one-roomed workshops, small food kiosks cooking and serving food outside whilst sewage and rubbish fill the street under your feet.

There are schools housed in tiny one-roomed shacks that cater for 60 or 80 children, occasional privately-run health clinics and community centres to assist women and families living with HIV/Aids.

There are spaces to play football and volleyball and somewhere to train how to box...Life goes on in Mathare slums and there is a vibrancy and a determination to survive.

And there is a wish and a prayer in everyone's heart that life will somehow improve for the better - that proper healthcare, sanitation, employment, dignity, education and a positive future may be had by all and not just the privileged few.

Through its own efforts and example, and those of MYSA (Mathare Youth Sports Association), the youth of Mathare Roots is helping to show and lead the way forward for the young people and community of Mathare as a whole.

It is true to say that the level of warmth and obvious respect that the youth group members receive from the general community living in and around Mathare cannot help but make you feel very proud of them and their efforts and achievements, too.

For my own part, I shall be assisting Mathare Roots with the development of a 'Mathare Cooking Basket' project which will hopefully help to relieve some of the local poverty by saving the cost of fuel for families as well as perhaps providing a source of income generation for some of the local women.

I'm currently preparing a basic book-keeping and accounts workshop to present to members of Friends of Kinangop Plateau in mid January) and I hope to be able to follow this up with similar workshops for community members in Mathare.

I shall also be donating copies of the Community Health-Care Workers' manuals and HIV/AIDS awareness materials to a couple of the local health-care clinics in Mathare. These manuals can then be used as a valuable information resource by the healthcare workers at the clinics as well enabling them to organise a range of community healthcare workshops with local mothers and families.
On the sporting front, I shall try to make some useful links for Mathare Roots with some of my footballing contacts back at home in UK.

I'm heading back to Mathare again tomorrow and also for part of next week.

I hope to be able to post some photo's here for you plus more information about Mathare Roots Youth Group and the community in which the group's members have been born, grown up and still live.

For the moment you may find some more information across at 'Sema Kenya' and also on Mathare Roots own website at http://www.mathareroots.org .

Bee-keeping at Kinangop

2007-12-02T08:52:00.003Z

Bee-keeping is a successful alternative income for farmers and members of 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' and is an important activity for helping to remove pressure on Kinangop's important and endangered tussock grasslands.

'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' (FoKP) have a collection centre for their honey at Engineer township in North Kinangop. The collection centre also has two machines (an extractor and processor) for refining the honey.

The refinery processes pure honey (no additives). The honey is collected, graded, processed and packaged by 'FoKP members themselves.

Workers at the Honey Refinery
FoKP have 3 people involved with the processing of honey, plus 1 person for selling and also the branch Secretary.

FoKP beekeepers have been trained in honey harvesting methods.

1 farmer may have up to 50 hives (modern Langstrom), while farmers living adjacent to the forest may have up to 200 traditional log hives. There are approximately 3,000 beehives between FoKP 50 farmers.

200 jars of honey are processed each week by the refinery. It takes 2 weeks to sell 200 jars.

By products are bees wax and a Skin Care Salve which is used for milking and also for softening skin.

The harvesting season for honey at Kinangop is October to January. Between January and October there is usually no honey being produced by the bees.
An average of 300kg of raw honey is harvested between November and January.
Farmers are paid 150/= per kilo for raw honey. Payment is made to them when the honey is collected so that they do not have to wait for payment until after the honey is process and sold.

Processed honey is then sold for between 150/= to 200/= per 500g jar.

Funding received:
- FoKP received funding from Kenya's Community Development Trust Fund (CDTF) for modern Langstrom hives whislt SWEDBIO company funded the refinery machines.
-FoKP have also developed some proposals in collaboration with Kenya's Ministry of Agriculture.

Transport for collecting honey is by bicycles and public transport. 1 bicycle (funded by CDTF) is owned by FoKP whilst other bicycles belong to FoKP members themselves. FoKP collect raw honey from the farmers and grade it before processing.

Distance travelled to collect honey is around 15km from Engineer town to the 1st farmer, then another 15km to the next farmer and so on. 100km is the maximum distance travelled to collect honey. Public transport (matatu) is used when 5 bucket's worth of honey and above needs to be collected over a long distance. The matatu charges 30/= Kenyan shillings.

Honey Processing . The extractor machine takes 5 frames of honey from the bee hives. The extraction process takes 2 minutes and then the honey is placed into the processing machine. The processing machine takes 56kg of extracted honey (37 frames) and takes one day to process from 8am till 5pm.

28kg of raw honey produces 20kg of pure honey.
8kg of residue gives 1/2 kg of wax and skin care salve.

Outlets
FoKP honey & Skin Care Salve are sold to 2 local supermarkets plus 2 others elsewhere and also to a chemist. The products are also sold at Naivasha, the Nature Kenya shop in Nairobi and at fairs and exhibitions such as Safaricom.

You'll be able to find all this information plus more photo's, etc of 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' activities on the main CCi-Kenya website from April onwards. You can now also find them across at 'Sema Kenya'.

Development of Ecotourism and Community Home-Stay Holidays

2007-12-01T10:10:00.000Z

Over the next two weeks I shall be in Nairobi having meetings and discussions with Nature Kenya and other interested parties regarding the exciting development and promotion of some proposed new eco-tourism holidays which may be based at local community-based accommodation facilities in a variety of interesting environmental and cultural locations that CCI-Kenya helps to support and promote across Kenya.

I will keep you posted here with more details on this as time goes by and all being well, I hope to be able to promote and market the new eco-tourism holidays here and at on CCI-Kenya's other websites on my return to the UK in the new year.

Presentation of Healthcare Book and HIV/AIDS Resource Materials.

2007-11-30T10:34:00.001Z

Whilst I was at Njabini I was very happy to present a copy of 'A Community Healthcare Workers' Manual' and pack of HIV/AIDS Awareness Resource Materials to 'Friends of Kinanop Plateau' for use at the main 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' Resource Centre, where they will be made available for the use of local community healthcare workers and members of the wider community.

Funds for this book and resource pack were kindly donated by Emma-Reeta from Finland. A big thank you from the local community and from CCI-Kenya.

Spinning & Weaving From Ewe to You.

2007-11-30T10:14:00.001Z

Hand-spinning and Weaving in the Kinangop Highlands

2007-11-29T08:37:00.004Z

(Please click here to see my photo's of spinning & weaving by 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau'...)

Last week I spent a great few days meeting and getting to know the spinners and weavers at the Njabini branch of 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' (otherwise known as FoKP). As a keen hand-spinner and weaver myself, it was also a good opportunity for me to do some hand-carding and spinning of my own and to learn more about the history and current activities of the group.

A little background...

Many years ago spinning was introduced to the area by a Mzungu (white settler) who taught a local Kikuyu man the art of hand-spinning. This man then taught his son Gregory Kihumba, who then went on to teach a young woman called Emma Muthoni who lived at Njabini.

After completing Form 4 at Primary School, Emma told her parents that she would like to train as a hand-spinner and weaver. Her father managed to pay for tuition fees at college and helped to buy her some basic equipment to help get her started. Emma went on to teach a few others and gave the idea of training members of 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' as a means of them earning a living and helping with the conservation of Kinangop Grasslands - an endangered habitat which is now a recognised Important BIrd Area (IBA). By being able to add additional value to wool, local farmers are being encouraged to rear livestock rather than cultivating the land for crops. Armed with this promising idea, Emma and the 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau (FoKP' Njabini branch then managed to secure funding from DANIDA for formal training in Rongai. 10 people from FoKP received training in hand-spinning and weaving for a period of 7 weeks. 6 people were trained in weaving and 4 in hand-spinning.

Before and after Independence...

There is a strong relationship between grassland/ change of land use and biodiversity levels.

Before independence, white settlers were the first to come to Kinangop where they farmed sheep and cows on the rich grassland habitat. After Independence, white settlers left the area and were repplaced by an influx of Kenyans (mainly Kikuyus) who then settles at Kinangop and continued the practice of livestock keeping. There came a time when the economic value of dairy and livestock nosedived so that people could no longer earn enough from livestock rearing. At this point, people opted for other forms of farming such as cultivation to earn a living. Livestock was therefore repaced by planting and agriculture.

Kinangop Grasslands are privately owned by local Kenyan farmers. When the white settlers left, groups of local people clubbed together to buy large areas of land which were then subdivided & sold into smaller plots.

Working together...

National Museums of Kenya have carried out studies to show the community the special biodiversity of Kinangop Grasslands. Because of this, 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' and the local community realised that it was necessary to find economic alternatives to cultivation. Alternative incomes such as spinning and weaving (based at Njabini) and bee-keeping (based at Engineer) were then developed to help remove the pressure on the grasslands.

'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' work well and closely with local farmers, other organisations and the Ministry of Livestock and Agriculture to help train others in good farming practice. The Ministry of Livestock and Agriculture are also working with the 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' to improve the quality of sheep and wool being produced through the introduction and use of better quality rams and breeding stock, thereby adding even greater value to the wool farmers are able to produce and sell.

Nowadays...

Today there are 8 people working as hand-spinners and weavers for FoKP at Njabini - 4 of these are ladies, the rest men. Up to 4 or 5 people work at the spinning and weaving workshop at Njabini (a building made available for their use by the local government), whislt the other workers spin at home. Each spinner handcards and handspins for herself. The group make approximately 10 mats or rugs per month. They prefer to make yarn for other weavers operating in the same geographical area. FoKP produce approximately 60kg of washed hand-spun yarn per month in a range of natural undyed colours such as natural white, black, brown and greay - with buyers of their yarn specifying the thickness & grade of yarn that is required.

Emma is still busy helping to train new hand-spinners and weavers and the group are looking for additional help from well-wishers to help purchase/obtain more hand-carders and spinning wheels, as well as some training and capacity building on how to set up and use a large treadle loom. Peter KOmo (head of the spinning section of FoKP) has managed to attach a small electric motor to a drum carder and would like to adapt a spinning wheel to run by electricity in order to speed up the production process. The group currently has 1 Ashford spinning wheel, with several others that have been made locally to a ' rough-and-ready' Ashford design with wheels made from old bicycle wheels, blocks of wood, as well as some nicely hand-turned ones. All have received hard usage and need constant patching and maintenance.

'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' spinners and weavers started with 1 outlet for spun yarn (Trio Crafts), now they have three main users of their yarn - Trio Crafts, Kenya Weaver Bird and Mikwetu Weavers. Most of the yarn sold to other weavers is natural, undyed colours - particularly natural white which the other weavers then dye for themselves. By attending exhibitions and Nature Fairs such as those organised by Nature Kenya, 'Friends of Kinangop' have managed to find at least one of their main buyers, as well as individuals interested in purchasing rugs and mats.

How you can help...

Please contact me at CCI-Kenya if you would like to donate some funds to help purchase more hand carders or spinning wheels for the group.

Opportunity for an Eco-volunteer...
It is also possible for an experienced hand-spinner and hand-weaver to stay as a paying home-stay guest with a member of 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' in order to provide some of the extra training and capacity building that the group needs, particularly on helping to set up and use the treadle loom and improving quality of yarn and product design. Again, if you are interested in a great activity holiday like this in a beautiful and welcoming part of Kenya, then please contact me at CCI-Kenya for further details.)

Introducing the Important Kinangop Grasslands and 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau'

2007-11-27T10:46:00.001Z

I have now been back in Kenya for two weeks and have just returned from enjoying a very pleasant and informative few days as a home stay guest with Bakari (an ornithologist and hand-weavr) and his family who live at Njabini on the beautiful Kinangop Plateau in Central Kenya. Bakari and his family and neighbours are members of the 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' community group and have been trained as spinners and weavers.

'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' (FoKP) is a busy and dynamic community group which was founded in 1997 by a group of Kinangop residents concerned about the conservation and wise use of their environment.

The group now has approximately 400 members, spread across the plateau in four sub-branches (Murangaru, Engineer, Njabini and Magumu/Nyakio.

Members at the Njabini branch are hand-spinners, weavers and dyers with special workshop facilities made available by the local government, whilst the Engineer branch are beekeepers with their own small honey refinery at Engineer town.

As a whole, 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' group activities involve:

Grasslands and species conservation

Wool spinning and carpet/rug weaving

Environmental education

Eco-tourism

Kitchen gardening

Surveying and monitoring of grasslands and grassland birds

bird walks

Beekeeping

Cultural dances

Situated in the beautiful scenery of Kenya's green and fertile Central Highlands, the welcoming community of Kinangop is blessed with magnificent views of the Aberdares and has a number of tourist attractions such as:

Archaeological sites and caves

Endemic species of birds, amphibians and plants

White settlers' houses

View of Great Rift Valley

Rich culture and history

The Kinangop Plateau and Highland Grasslands on either side of the Rift Valley are unique. This type of tussock grassland is the only home for the Sharpe's Longclaw - a bird found only in montane grasslands of Kenya and nowhere else in the world. Unfortunately, this unique habitat is under threat from cultivation and over-grazing. As such, Kinagop Plateau and Grasslands are a recognised 'Important Bird Area' (IBA)- a place of international importance for bird conservation and therefore key biodiversity areas for other species of endemic flora and fauna, too.

Kinangop grasslands also shelters bird species such as Jackson's Widowbird, Long-tailed Widowbird, Black-winged Plover and Wing-snapping Cisticola.

With a wide variety of tourist attractions available, 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' are currently in the process of trying to develop valuable eco-tourism to the area, including home stay, camping and banda accommodation, as well as the existing Kinangop Guesthouse. This is being done with the advice and support of Nature Kenya and the resulting eco-tourism activities and visitor accommodation will also receive promotion and marketing support from CCI-Kenya.

During the course of the next couple of weeks I expect to be based in Nairobi and will try to use the time to continue updating here at 'Postcards from Kenya' with more information and photo's from Kinangop.

Once I have returned to UK in March, further more detailed information and photographs about 'Friends of Kinangop Plateau' community group will also be included on the main CCI-Kenya website, including more on Kinangop's eco-tourism facilities and the availability of FoKP handspun rugs and wall-hangings for sale.

Under African Skies...

2007-11-10T06:35:00.000Z

I'll be travelling in Kenya again from November to March. Please check here at 'Postcards from Kenya' for latest updates, community news and photo's from this next trip.

Visits on the horizon...

MBEKEC and Musul Naramatisho community groups based at Musul in Western Mukogodo, Laikipia (re - maasai Cultural Manyatta and progress of new sanitation facilities; development of beadwork & child sponsorship programme; honey production - training & capacity building funded by ENNDA plus new beehives and equipment; potential bee study in conjunction with Entomology department, National Museums of Kenya)

Koija Hope Club in western Mukogodo, Laikipia (re - HIV/AIDS awareness programme; progress of re-seeeding and land rehabilitation; recording of aural narative)

Kakamega Rain Forest (re - Shimwelo Cooking Basket Initiative; use of donated books and resources; Ocimum kilmandscharicum distillation project, progress of new drying banda, organic farming; potential for new eco-tourism project...

Also in the pipeline - Arabuko Sokoke Forest area on the North Coast, Kinangop in the Aberdares and potentially Loitokitok and Mathare.

(Please note that the main CCI-Kenya website will be updated again on my return to UK in the spring.)

Fund-raising Updates

2007-10-12T15:41:00.003Z

Great news!

A total of £160 has now been raised towards the construction of a pit latrine and washroom facility at the new Cultural Manyatta at Musul in Laikipia. Many thanks to all those who have donated funds. Daniel Lemolo of MBEKEC (Musul Beekeepers & Environmental Conservation Group) has recently informed us that the funds have now arrived safely in Kenya and the necessary building materials have been ordered. Members of the local community have already begun construction (digging) of the pit latrine itself. Daniel will continue to update by email as time goes by and I shall have the opportunity of seeing the new facilities myself later on this year. Please see links below for more details about visiting Musul and the Cultural Manyatta.

During the course of the past few months CCI-Kenya has received donations of up to £50 towards the provision of Community Health Care Books and HIV/AIDS Resource Materials - these will be purchased on my arrival in Kenya and delivered to local communities between November and March 2008.

So far, £65 has been raised through the sale of Maasai beadwork jewellery to help sponsor a local girl-child's education for 1 year at Musul's Nursery or Primary School. Further news and updates on this will be posted here at 'Postcards from Kenya' as more information becomes available.

If you would like to make a donation or become a sponsor for any of these and other worthwhile causes, please click here to visit CCI-Kenya's 'Donations & Support' web pages.

A great many thanks to all of you who have donated or given support so far.