Training of trainiees on life skills

Training of trainees training was conducted from 25^th - 27^th May at PCEA Eastleigh Community assembly hall to 15 youths who came from various departments which included automotive, electrical, metal work, hair dressing and beauty, fashion and design, catering, and ICT.
The areas covered include

• Training and facilitation skills.
• Behaviour change communication.
• Sexuality.
• Communication.
• Human reproductive system.
• Adolences.
• STI's.
• HIV and AIDS.
• Family planning.
• Self esteem.
• Self awareness.

The water project

The project is geared towards addressing challenges that vulnerable households face in regard to accessing clean and safe drinking water. Low income households within the project area are exploited by local water vendors who charge them exhobidantly for them to acces the precious commodity with prices ranging from Kshs 20-80 for a twenty litre container of water.

The health risk factor associated with consuming this water is high as the beneficiaries know little about the source of this water hence making them at risk of contracting waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, dycentry, typhoid and cholera.

The centre realising this as a problem, it establishes a water point that provides safe clean drinking water to the low income households at a subsidised price hence protecting them from exploitation from the local vendors who sell water whose source is unknown.

This initiative is geared towards complimenting MBG (Millenium Development Goal) number 7 target 10 that calls for reduction by half the number of vulnerable households that are not able to accses clean and safe drinking water by 2015. It is also geared towards reducing the under 5 child mobidity and motality rate associated with waterborne and sanitation related diseases such as diarrhoea, typhoid and cholera.

TOT Training on solid waste management.

TOT training on solid waste management and proposal development to 46 sanitation and garbage management youths within the project area conducted on 2^nd and 8^th October 2010 at PCEA Eastleigh Community Centre assembly hall.

 

(left) Diana Sawers from Nairobi Utumishi Rotary theoritically training on solid waste management.

Terms of reference:

1. To empower 46 youths on fire briquette making technology.
2. To enhance the capacity of the targeted sanitation and garbage management youths on proposal development skills.
Briquette making technology:
The training was provided by Mrs. Diana Sawers and Mr. Robin members on Nairobi Eastland’s lottery club. She highlighted to the present youth that fire briquettes compare to charcoal burns for longer hours, can cook three meals, provide clean fuel, produces less smoke and are cost effective. The youth she continued can venture into this clean technology as an enterprise and employment creation avenue. This she said can held in addressing the problem of youth unemployment leading to improved livelihoods and self reliance, contributing immensely to attainment of millennium development goal number 1 of extreme poverty reduction and the youth employment creation policy in Kenya.

Practical training on making of fire briquettes with participating youths taking center stage.

THE COMPREHESIVE FREE ANNUAL MEDICAL CAMP

Eastleigh community centre through community health and environment management program annually organizes free medical camps to the vulnerable slum dwellers within Nairobi Eastland’s. The idea is to provide quality medical care to low income households that live on less than one dollar a day. The target area is characterized by cholera out break, malnutrition cases, water borne and sanitation related diseases, eye infection occasioned by dust, high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, drugs and substance abuse, among others. To respond to this the centre annually organizes free medical camps for the target community not only to provide free  medical care services but also to educate the general community on nutrition, family planning options , diabetes prevention and management , cholesterol control, cardiovascular ailments among others. This year the centre organized diverse rage of specialized services as compared to the past free medical camps.

The motto for the 4th annul medical camp was:

“Matibabu bora Kwa Watu Wote” which means “Quality health care for all”

In total the centre was able to support a total of 1,259 families during this years 4^th annual free medical camp. Appreciation to our potential partners and donor CORDAID.

The objectives of the 4th annual free medical camp were:

• To provide quality medical care to 500 vulnerable households within the project are.
• To promote awareness on breast cancer and cervical cancer issues.
• To provide talks on nutrition, diabetes and blood sugar management.
• To promote clear vision to those with eye sight problem.
• To promote child health and safety.

THE POTERY PROJECT

  This is yet another project under the refugee empowerment Programme which goes in line with THE NOOR(Ceramic beads) PROJECT aimed at restoring lost hope to the vulnerable through ensuring sustainable livelihood to enable them live responsibly and with dignity. The project, done under the leader of Mr. James and staff, has been very successful not only to the Centre, but also the society at large, hence impacting positively to the growth and development of the of the society.
   The project promotes the production of clay-made products such as cups, vases, mugs. kettle, bowls, plates, and a lot more which come in different color, size, and shape depending on your taste.
  They are then sold through exhibitions in Sarit Center, Yaya centre, and Mombasa.

A frame showing some of the products of the pottery project done at the centre. There is a huge variety in color, size and shape depending on your taste.

The World water day celebrations March 19th -22nd 2011

The centre in partnership with other organizations on 19^th- 22^nd march 2011 joined the reset of the world in celebrating world water day. The event which is celebrated globally from 19-22 March annually grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on environment and development in Rio de Janeiro.
The spirit behind this effort is to:
Raise awareness of the world’s current water and sanitation crisis and critically demand strong government to stop the needless deaths of 5,000 children every day:
To create awareness on the importance of household water treatment and safe storage at point of use:
To enhance awareness  on the importance of hand washing with soap at critical moments.

The celebration was marked with a 2km walk along Juja road.The youths participated fully  towards the objectives of the day.

Women and children walk on average 6km to often unprotected water sources, such as rivers or muddy dugouts. In urban areas people have no choice but collect water from polluted waterways or pay high prices to buy it from vendors who obtain it from unknown sources. The average weight of water carried is 20kgs, carrying the heavy water container s back home is an exhausting task, taking up valuable time and energy. The lack of access to safe drinking water impacts severely upon health, education and income at household level. In Kenya for instance half in the bed are filled with people suffering from preventable diarrhea related diseases, women spend less time for productive activities because of time spend colleting water or caring for the sick family members. Illness and lack of sanitation facilities in the schools mean children are unable to go to school and missing out of school leading to low academic performance. Inadequate access to sanitation and water, keep people living in poverty, low economic development: an estimate of 5% of developing countries GDP is lost to illness .Despite of numerous commitments, politicians are still ignoring this crisis. Water and sanitation are essential for improving health education, gender equality and economic growth.  

The event was marked with 2 kilometers walk along Juja road followed by speeches from invited guest from WASH United, water organization, Maji na ufanisi, German embassy, Kwetu home of peace, Christ  the king Kibera ,Netwas, GIZ at PCEA Eastleigh Community Centre Assembly Hall. The speeches were then followed by a series of entertainments from invited youth groups and primary school children of school going age. The items of entertainment entailed, narratives, poems, skits, traditional creative dances, modern dances, miming, choral verses among others. All these items were bearing messages on the importance of water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH).the event was finally crowned by awards of Maji Afya (silver treated ceramic water purifiers) to 350 women come from low income households within the project area.

This years celebrations attracted several partners, these included in the namely WASH United, water organization, Maji na ufanisi, German embassy, GIZ   among others. Other actors involved included 7 Patricia from K24, and partners from maji na ufanisi, water organization, Kwetu home of peace, Christ  the king Kibera ,Netwas and WASH United enjoying the entertainment from pupils from St. James feeding program while Mr.Nyaga reading the speech of Roland from GIZ (German embassy)

Outcome of the event:

1.     Enhanced advocacy to the government to provide clean and safe drinking water to its citizen.

2.     Increased awareness and adoption of appropriate technology in household water treatment and safe storage.

3.     Enhanced community participation in water, hygiene and sanitation promotion initiatives.

4.     Enhanced cultivation of children/youth creativity and mastery.

5.     Enhanced networking and collaboration among actors.

6.     Enhanced media publicity and coverage water crisis within the project area.

 Conclusion:

The centre would like to thank CORDAID for their continuous support to community health and environment management programme, Wash united, water organization, German embassy ,Maji na Ufanisi ,primary schools, women self help groups and youth groups  for making this event a successes. It is important to note that in order for us to significantly reduce the alarming statistics of waterborne and sanitation related diseases among children under five : and to attaining millennium development goal number 7 target 10 that call for reduction by half the number of vulnerable households without access to basic sanitation and safe water a collaborative effort is required ,as this duty should not only be  left to the UN and the government but a collaborative effort among actors such as development partners and civil society organizations is required and need to be enhanced.

The Flag Raising Ceremony

      March 11th 2011 is concidered a Friday with a difference as the pupils at Rev. Kareri primary school invited all the departments at P.C.E.A Eastleigh community Centre for The Flag Raising Ceremony at the school.The ceremony is done twice in a week to promote patriotism among the citizens especially children  who are still at school as it is a reminder of the struggle for Kenyan independence.

   Gladys Nekesa, a Std 7 pupil, gave a speech to the entire institution.She started by welcoming them to the ceremony and elaborated a detailed story in relation to Kenya National Flag. She explained the symbol of the national flag as a reflection of the country’s liberty from the British colony. 

She further elaborated the national anthem composed by Peter Kibukosya from a Pokomo Lullaby as a prayer for the country      

Gladys Nekesa is currently the speaker of the schools’s parliament and secretary to the Wildlife and Environmental Club at the School. She is also ranked the best pupil in her class academically. 

Gladys Nekesa, a Std 7 pupil, giving a speech to the entire institution.She started by welcoming them to the ceremony and elaborated a detailed story in relation to Kenya National Flag. She explained the symbol of the national flag as a reflection of the country’s liberty from the British colony.