They proudly announced that they changed their name into Chiela Women’s Investment Group. Furthermore they are making preparations to build a small office building at Dunga Beach, with a computer and business administration of their own. And all that absolutely without outside help.

The women are very happy with the pledged donation of the Soroptimists of club Amsterdam-centre who support them with a second fish breeding pond. Together with their male colleagues they enforce more security from the government. Five years ago this would have been unimaginable. And “sex instead of money to buy the fish” no longer exists at Dunga Beach. The women stand strong, and this can be noticed everywhere.

Matters in their own hands, and as they say themselves: “food on the plate, money in the pocket and at the bank”. Their lifestyle has changed because of trainings about food hygiene, safe drinking water and sexual awareness: “we and our families have become more aware and live healthier” 

After all SWAP trainings and the following KCDF trainings together with Wilde Ganzen, the power and resilience of the women have clearly grown. It’s a joy to see how they transform their plans into concrete initiatives and how they enforce respect from the men.

In short: these women really know what ‘ownership’ is and we are following their continuing progress with confidence.

On November 8 2020 the festive opening of St.Peter’s school in Buriangi took place!

There are 12 classrooms for primary education, 4 classrooms for the toddlers and 3 toilet facilities, one for the girls, one for the boys and one for the teachers. There is a building for management and board, for administration and teachers. A building for security. A sewing workshop where the school uniforms are made and repaired, a hairdresser’s where the children’s hair is shaved once a week, and a shop in which school supplies are sold. A full book case for every classroom so the children can change their books once a week. A sports field and a playground with equipment.

In short: complete!

The board and management have been trained, as well as the teachers, parents and children. Every single one of them is aware of his or her personal contribution to durable continuation of the school. The trainings for the new board, installed mid-2019, will be continued in 2020. The first pupils are finishing school and many of them go to secondary education. The school results are high, and the school and parents are now looking for financial means to make further education possible for every single child.

A tremendous amount of work has been done by all local people involved, and thanks to the charity runs of the Vleuterweide and Nijenoord school, as well as the co-financing by Wilde Ganzen the school could be completed.

As an extra means of stimulation, we offered the school a ‘climate-friendly’ kitchen. It will be built in 2020: by the school itself and completely independently. A good challenge for management and board!

Preparations to start a project for the mothers of the school children have now started, together with the regional Soroptimists: “Women, Water and Leadership”. The first research activities have already started. We hope to be able to tell you more about this initiative soon.

  

The children and young grown-ups of the Joyland were so enthusiastic when joining the opening of the renovated physiotherapy-department in “their home”.

Physiotherapy offers them regular treatment and abilities to train their body in gaining more physical independency from others.

Sam Owino – the general manager of Joyland himself is supported by a pair of crutches. He is doing more than anyone who knew him as an infant would have thought possible. He was born with disabilities and faced many obstacles. Most people with a physical handicap are forced to survive by begging in the streets.

Joyland was founded in 1974 as a rehabilitation center and school by The Salvation Army in Kisumu. Joyland is comprised of two schools: The primary school covers grades 1-8, while the secondary school, which opened in 1994, rounds out the pre-university education. Joyland offers vocational courses as well where students are taught life skills including tailoring, and farming programs. If young people pass their primary school exam, they can go on to secondary school and some can go to university. If not, they are channeled into vocational education to learn trade skills that will support them in the future.

Because many students come from homes far from the schools, almost all students live on site in dormitories. A total of 250 students live, eat, study and work together. The schools serve students with a variety of needs, including those with muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, mental illness, spina bifida, epilepsy and those who have been injured. Those with multiple disabilities find support and fellowship at Joyland. Each child is assessed upon admission and given specific treatment goals with options outlined for their needs and potential.

The students’ needs go beyond their visible, physical disabilities. Most have suffered emotional and psychological trauma, often as a direct result of their physical condition. Joyland offers the children a safe home where they learn how to earn a living when they have left the house. Not necessary to say that not all children are succesfull at the end.

The physical plant is generally in good condition, but closer inspection uncovers glaring needs. A room for rehabilitation is nearly bare because the equipment is either in disrepair or unavailable. Dormitories are badly overcrowded. Due to the lack of walkways, the rainy season is a hardship. Many students have to drag themselves along the ground to get from place to place.

Despite the obstacles, remarkable work is being done by staff and students. At regional competitions held recently in Kenya, the students came out on top in para-volleyball, athletic field events and board games and were also awarded the overall trophy as the best region in sports. Many of the students have gone on to successful careers, disproving the prejudices many still hold regarding the disabled.

When discussing these matters with the women, they came up with two ideas.

One was to have a motorboat for themselves. It will make them less dependent of men and will help them earn a sustainable income for their families. They could also use the boat for boat rides for tourists on Lake Victoria. One of the Chiela Women group members has a certificate to guide tourists.

The second idea was to get fish cages for cage culture. With fish cages they would have a regular supply of fish, which will help them even more. They could have two fish harvests a year.

These two alternatives would make them independent from men within 2 to 3 years.

SWAP, our local partner, trains the women in business skills and starts up a program on gender equality. When men see how women grow they may be willing to collaborate instead of competing. They will all get the chance to increase their incomes and to face future problems to overcome their problems.

For this project, we are collaborating with Wilde Ganzen. This Dutch foundation advises us and funds a third of the total amount needed.

In 2012, we started renovating the 2 existing class rooms that had mud walls and floors. When toilets collapsed, a new toilet group was built and we decided to start building quality standard class rooms.Over the years 4 brick class rooms with concrete floors and 2 toilet groups of each 5 toilets for boys and girls were built. Also, an ECD (early child development) building for the more than 150 pupils was installed.

At the end of 2017, a new building of 4 class rooms for pupils in classes 5 to 8 will be completed.

During the school year 2016/2017 management, teachers, the board of management, parents and a delegation of children will receive training.

Hoog Tijd voor Andersom donated teaching and playing materials and the school now has safe water facilities for drinking water and washing hands. Sports fields and vegetable gardens have been in use since 2016.The number of pupils have been increasing fast to up to 400 towards the end of 2016.

In the beginning of 2017 we started building a library system for the existing 9 classes with the help of Soroptimist International club Bennekom & Beekdal. Every child now has the opportunity to borrow a book each week.

Our donors for this project are several private organisations and persons: Edukans, the Wilde Ganzen, primary schools Nijenoord School in Wageningen, Wilhelmina School in Bennekom and Vleuterweide in Utrecht.

“No, not all our teachers get paid: some are paid out of the school fees. We could also buy teaching materials from that money, which should actually be bought by the government.

“Yes, we have all necessary permits, so building could start”.

“Yes, the government agreed to our plans, and we can change them without problems. The community had to pay €150 to submit those plans. You could buy 19 school desks for that amount of money.”

“We will build semi-permanent buildings on a spot where we want to build permanent class rooms in the future”

“The semi-permanent building has a concrete foundation and floor; essential to prevent jiggers.

“The buildings will last at least 10 years . The cement foundation will last longer, in 10 years’ time the new class rooms can be built on the same spot”.

Head teacher Eucbeth speaks enthusiastically and with conviction about the plans that become increasingly real. And while the plans become more real it becomes clear how hard the school board and the community members have to struggle to keep the government to its promises. If we thought the government bought the building site, in reality it’s the community that had to reach deep into its pockets.

It’s very funny: every child has the right to get primary education. The government makes teaching materials available. No, not ALL teaching materials, but part of them.  And everything else has to be paid by the parents.

We notice the pressure on teachers and parents to make their children’s education possible. A child’s right to education…

This situation is a great stimulation for us to continue despite the many delaying circumstances.

There still are a few essential things to handle before the first dig. One of them is signing the ‘memorandum of understanding’. And boy, wouldn’t it be great if the dig would start soon: before the rainy season. Providing a safe school building for the youngest ones, wíth school benches to sit on, wíth teaching materials and wíth a pencil and notebook for every child.

Our next meeting is in 2 weeks’time: at the meeting we want to make contact with the Nijenoord school in Wageningen so that both head teachers can talk to each other.

Als we om 11.00 sharp arriveren bij de Buriangi school is er niemand te zien. Leerlingen en leerkrachten druk aan het werk. Geen hoofdonderwijzer Eucabeth. Niemand van het schoolbestuur. Eucabeth is die ochtend opgetrommeld door haar baas, de onderwijs officer, voor een vergadering. Niet alleen zij, maar alle hoofdonderwijzers. Een à la minuut vergadering is niet ongebruikelijk omdat de officer dan meteen een stokpaardje heeft: jij was er niet, en dat geeft aanleiding voor sancties: intrekking van overheidsbijdragen voor leermiddelen tot de zwaarste sanctie: ontslag. Ik wissel met Consolata deze situatie uit en krijg via haar dezelfde informatie te horen. Geen overleg maar het uitoefenen van macht. En elke ondergeschikte danst naar de pijpen van zijn leidinggevende. Toch zie ik bij Eucabeth een mensgerichte aanpak. Haar leerkrachten hebben vertrouwen in haar.

Tegen half 2 komt ze aan: bezweet want ze heeft zich gehaast en put zich uit in verontschuldigingen. Haar ochtend stond in het teken van management-taken. Dat zij de aanjager is voor de leerkrachten, dat de leerlingen dienen te gehoorzamen, dat zij moet zorgen dat de ouders schoolgeld betalen, dat ze moet zorgen dat de toiletten onderhouden worden … kortom: het nalopen van het takenpakket. Wat zou het een geweldige boost geven als zij en een Nederlandse collega zouden kunnen uitwisselen.
Ik richt me op de voorbereidingen voor de bouw.
Inmiddels zijn de bouwtekeningen goedgekeurd door de overheid en kan de school volgens tekeningen gebouwd worden. Voor het zover is hebben we nog het één en ander op te lossen.
De bouwgrond is aangekocht door de overheid en overgedragen aan de buriangi school. De bewoners van die grond zijn a.h.w uitgekocht en ze hebben inmiddels land aangekocht om een nieuwe compound te bouwen. Echter: hiervoor ontbreekt het hen aan financiële middelen. Dus blijven ze voorlopig zitten in de hutten op het terrein.

Jeremiah, de voorzitter van het schoolbestuur blijft volgens Eucabeth in functie, ondanks zijn verhuizing naar Mombasa (1500 km verderop. Isidore Markio is aangesteld als interim-voorzitter. Zijn zoon is de slimste leerling van de school. Ik heb hem eerder ontmoet. Als lid van het schoolbestuur heeft hij de ontwikkelingen gevolgd. Hij heeft echter weinig ervaring met bouwen, geen computerkennis en geen computer. Dat wordt lastig communiceren, zeker ook omdat Eucabeth zelf en Consolata weinig computerervaring hebben. Eucabeth heeft tijdens haar vakantie wel een training gevolgd, maar volgens eigen zeggen onvoldoende geleerd om een goede mail-uitwisseling op gang te houden.
Het is dus belangrijk om alles goed gaande te houden deze 3 maanden.
En daarmee wordt de rol van Consolata des te belangrijker.

There they are: the blueprints for the new class rooms, the Early Child Development (ECD) rooms and the management’s and back office.

A beautiful plan for the purchased lot, with sports and play fields behind the housing. Officially signed, officially approved by the ministry, an authority to be compared to the Dutch municipality. It approves the plans, has the right to veto, which can be influenced with a full wallet. Not that we ever faced that problem, but forewarned is fore armed.

Jeremiah Ouma, chair of the school board and two of his fellow board members, enthusiastically show their plans. Two class rooms attached to the present building for classes 3 and 4. At the moment pupils of these groups mingle with the lower classes, not an ideal situation.

The headmaster, mrs. Eucabeth Gechemba, says the government appointed a new teacher last Tuesday: Matters are speeding up!

The group insists that building should start even before we leave, halfway June. We do not see the urgency: for the time being there is no contractor yet, there are no quotations to compare. More importantly, there is no description of WHAT exactly they want to build and how, what standards of quality should be used given the available budget. I notice their disappointment.

We think it is important to keep an eye on the joint and sometimes incompatible interests. Care and dynamics not always go together. We start with the concept of ‘memorandum of understanding’, a contract all parties concerned conform to. They had not thought about that themselves. We make an appointment to explore items such as standards of quality, improvement of education expertise, cooperation and management. Themes that yet have remained in the dark, and about which the headmaster would like to talk about with us.

The orchestra

Vrienden en bekenden hebben ruim € 7.000,00 gedoneerd: goed voor een nieuw weeshuis, een inrichting en een toiletvoorziening. Dusica Naumovska, onze plaatselijke deskundige en toeverlaat, begeleidt de ontwikkelingen en de bouw. Binnen 2 maanden na aanvang staat het weeshuis er. Pal naast het stenen kippen-onderkomen: tja een kind KOST geld en kippen LEVEREN GELD OP, alsdus Phaustine als we vragen waarom het onderkomen van de kippen ten opzichte van het krot voor de kinderen zoveel beter is.

Op het wensenlijstje staan nu de bouw voor een school en nog een tweede huis voor de weeskinderen, wiens aantal inmiddels weer toegenomen is.