Kenya Mission Projects
What good do we make if we just arrive, provide some cash and relief, then return home, leaving things in the stage they were we arrived?
Global Roots is about sustainability and empowering local heroes. We are looking at making long term differences, and that is why we are focusing on empowering local heroes who will carry on well after our departure.
The scope of work is large. Many problems, many opportunities, just a few of us and despite the generosity of worldwide donors, resources are limited, we need laser-sharp focus.
We seek making the most important impact with these few principles.
- We focus on the SMART projects:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Repeatable
- Timely
- We rather succeed wildly on a few projects rather than be mildly successful on too many. Step by step, one bite at a time. There is much to do.
- We work in partnership with local NGOs and communities.
- We do not re-invent the wheel. Lets leverage what other heroes have achieved locally or in other countries.
- We promote creativity, innovation. Only with Creative solutions we can address problems. However, you will find that most of the problems can be alleviated with known remedies and techniques, and a great deal of listening and education.
- We listen, we learn, we reply with plans, solutions.
- We have no tolerance for corruption. In places where there is nothing, a single dollar goes a long way and can mean difference between life and death.
- We work hard, along with the communities and NGO partners. And then we celebrate hard!
Situation in Kenya: some of the problems we have heard of, and will work together addressing
Water
Global warming, fact or fiction, is impacting the region. Less and less water is a fact for communities dealing with it although the everlasting dry season. More often than not, water is digged up in the dried-up river beds and carried miles away for consumption, unfiltered. See our related projects here.
Malnutrition
Competition is fierce for food, specially when it comes to feeding the cattle. Herds of cattle come south from Somalia to graze in the national parks, depriving locals from their own food sources.
Children in Mtito Andei survive through donations from well wishers and few donations from the government. Additionally, the communities engage in farming near the national park.
You would research nutrition and farming solutions prior to your trip, work with Kenyan NGOs and communities to implement solutions.
See our related projects here.
To water the crops is communities pump up the rivers, which in turn creates a problem for the wildlife in the park and communities surrounding the park.
Moringa Olifera farms are starting to appear, like this one net Mtito Andei. This "tree of life" has helped local communities to sustain protein intake and monetize farming.
HIV/Aids & prostitution
Its devouring Africa. Preventions measures are often weak and unappreciated. Many children are orphaned by infected parents, like the 1,800+ we will visit during our missions. Their education will ensure they and their children do not live the tragic destiny of their parents.See our related projects here.
Education
Kenya has a decent education system, english literacy is relatively high. You can communicate in english very easily in Kenya, thanks to the legacy of British colonialism. However, we have seen a lack of education on environment protection and sustainable livelihood in a resource constrained environment. NGOs such as Born Free are helping bridge that gap. See our related projects here.
Poaching
"I live near the national park, my family is starving, and Nairobi butchers would buy meat at a very good price" why wouldn't this villager cross the boundary of the park and set traps to catch wild animals? What are the alternatives? Similarly, families cook with fire wood collected inside the park and turned into coal for selling on the roadside. A 100 year old tree is turned into charcoal and sold $10. See our related projects here.
Larger problem: elephant tusk trade. Many countries unfortunately have poor regulations on ivory import and opportunists and bandits are thriving on the massacre of elephants.
Potential solutions and projects
There is a lot to do and only a few of us with limited resources. The ideas below are, from what we have heard, achievable projects with a meaningful return.
Help us by choosing an a project you feel you can contribute based on your skills and preferences, or suggesting new projects.
Solar Cookers
It takes $7 worth of readily available materials to create a solar cooker enabling a family to cook rice or meat. This reduces reliance on wood, kerosene, and eliminated smoke inhalation and fire risks. This will allow children to spend more time at school rather than gathering wood.
You will work will established, local NGOs to learn how to build these simple cookers. You will then travel communities around the national park to teach leaders how to build them and use them.
Solar Lanterns
A 10w solar panel, a small controller, a battery and a led lamp bulb. That is enough to light a community house for hours and save on the long run: no more petrol-lamps, prone to explosion and health damage, no more reliance on expensive fossil fuels and generators.
You will research this field and work with our specialists to procure hardware and put an implementation plan in place.
Water Sanitizer
360 days of sun per year, ponds of water filled with germs, sick children. the solution is simple and cheap: a solar cooker (like the one above) and a simple thermometer. What's missing? the leadership to learn, teach and ensure adoption of such techniques. The results? Less people in the hospitals. You will research this field and work with our specialists and Kenya partners to procure hardware and put an implementation plan in place.
Biochar
A 2000 year old technique which can help farmers increase their yield. You will research this field prior to the mission and find practical ways to apply this method on site.
Brick Making Machines
Children are forced to heavy labor to raise money for their food and clothing. A mechanical brick machine will eliminate heavy labor while continuing to provide a substantial income. You will research this project prior to your mission and find ways to install this machine on site.
HIV Prevention
This is a heartbreaking but so important project. You will prepare materials and plan methods to teach community leaders and teachers on prevention techniques. You will seek local NGO partners, follow their footsteps and leverage their work. Your contribution will save lives.
Child Medical Support & Psychology
With your affinity with medicine, psychology and good health principles, you will prepare materials to teach best practices to teachers and communities. You will also attend to basic medical needs of Baraka's orphans.
Many of the children lost their parents, placed in families, forced to work harder than other children, miss school. Unfortunately some of them are abused by adoptive parents and older children. You will work with Rosina and senior community leaders to put in place prevention methods and teach techniques to alleviate trauma caused to these innocent children.
Fish, Pig, Poultry Farms
Rosina has already pioneered such project and needs some support to scale her fish production. Today, she feeds some of the children and sells the fish to buy rice and beans. You will seek local NGO partners, follow their footsteps and leverage their work to create new fish farms in Mtito Andei.
First Class Safari Camp
The Matulani community has approached Global Roots many years ago. They want out of the poaching, steeling, starvation, disease, prostitution. They want a future for their children, their culture. The eco-friendly safari camp is a sustainable solution. You will work with the Matulani committee to devise a detailed plan for this first class safari camp. This plan will include (1) feasibility study (2) cost estimation and timelines (3) legal implications (4) marketing plan and (5) cash flow estimates.
Book Adventures
Share your adventures with the orphans of Bakara. Take them on a ride on the Polar Express. Introduce them to Alice in the Wonderland, the Wizard of Oz, and Dr. Seuss' "The Cat in the Hat". Stimulate their minds with mysteries and fantasies from Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are", Margery Williams' "The Velveteen Rabbit", and C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narina". Teach them love and compassion with Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree" and Sam MaBartney's "Guess How Much I Love You".
DONATE any children's books (in good condition) to Global Roots' Book Adventures project in Kenya. As part of our Kenya 2010 Mission, we will build a library for the Nairobi Primary School. If you would like to participate in this great cause, please contact Global Roots for additional information and donation instructions.
Your involvement
You are reading this likely because you are looking for ways to make a difference, because you cannot stand still and see children suffer, communities and cultures disappear. Maybe your time, skills, passion can address some of the problems we listed above, and more...? Contact us if you want to work with us.
The Kenyan children and the communities would love to meet you!
Give someone a chair... or teach them how to make hundreds?
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Our Projects
