TRAINING
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In the last 12 months Mustard Seed has provided training for more than 120 women.
Each has received 15 days training in women’s rights, management and leadership,
how to set up and run a small business, saving and micro-finance. |
Dzarino, a local CBO (Community Based Organisation -- similar to to a
local charity) that specialises in promoting women and business start-up
delivered the training. It is important that the women have a basic
understanding of business before embarking on a new venture. The knowledge will
give them confidence and a better chance to be successful. Throughout their
first year business advisers will be on hand to give advice and support.
Women training in
Jewellery making
Dzarino has also been providing practical training in vocational skills
such as crafts, jewellery making, horticulture etc plus design, manufacturing
and marketing.
EDUCATION
Many of the women, especially the older ones, have had very little formal
education. Now that Mustard seed has a better school building with electricity
it is proposed to start adult education classes in the evening. This will
initially concentrate on basic literacy and numeracy but will be extended to
enable people to pass their primary exams.
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In addition the women are being encouraged to learn basic computing through the
Mustard Seed Computer training centre. This will concentrate on modules that
will help their businesses such as word processing, a simple accounts package,
invoicing, preparing marketing materials and using emails and the Internet. All
training is practical and aimed at supporting the success of their businesses
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Women training on the computer
BUSINESSES
The individual women’s groups have
been researching ideas for successful businesses. They have been
encouraged to identify needs in their community so that they can trade with each
other and keep the money circulating in the local economy. This will provide
employment and improve standards of living. Once the needs of Mgongeni have been
satisfied then the businesses will start trading over a wider area.
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Some of the businesses will be run by individuals whilst others will be run by a
small group. The bigger ventures will be run by whole groups. The businesses
which are already established include poultry farming, charcoal retailing,
jewellery making, sewing and hairdressing. Others that are almost ready to
launch include a well with a laundry, bakery and confectioners, selling clothes
and selling fruit and vegetables.
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 Tailoring business
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Tiossi Women’s group with 14 members has started a poultry farming
business. After only 3 months they are seeking bigger premises so that they can
meet demand.
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Poultry farming business |
Day old chicks are fattened over 5 weeks and then sold to hotels,
restaurants and in the market. The chickens are in immaculate condition and
fetch a premium price. Unlike most producers all the chicks are vaccinated and
live in secure ventilated sheds where they can roam freely.
URBAN HORTICULTURE
Once finance becomes available one group will start a rubbish collection
and recycling business and it is proposed to introduce urban horticulture on the
cleaned up land.
Members of Mustard Seed and the MDC (Mgongeni Development Committee) the
umbrella group made up of two members from each women's group, met with one of
the biggest land owners in Mgongeni and following a long negotiation got an
agreement to use waste land for urban horticulture. The landlord will
retain ownership of the land but the community can use it, free of charge until
they choose to either develop it or sell it. The land can be used for either
horticulture, sport or recreation but the community cannot build permanent
structures without written permission of the owners.
Rubbish everywhere
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The community will clear the land of rubbish and Mustard Seed will remove trees etc
and level the land. The project will be managed by the women through the MDC.
They will be responsible for the allocation of plots, charging a small rent to cover
costs and enforcing the terms of the agreement.
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Most women plan to use the land to grow crops and keep poultry to provide
better quality food for their families. Some groups will grow surplus for sale
through the local markets to provide income. This will improve the health
and economy of individual families and the community. Areas have also been
identified for sports facilities and a children’s playground.
A key concern is water to irrigate the crops and initial investigations
are taking place into water harvesting in the rainy season and digging a borehole. The
MGC require money to start the project and to buy basic tools that can be rented
to individuals at a very low cost.
HEALTHCARE
Mgongeni is a community of between 6000 and 8000 but has no affordable
healthcare facilities. To see a doctor people have to go to a city hospital.
They have to walk up to a mile to reach the main road to get public transport;
no one can afford a taxi. Walking this distance is impossible for many sick
people. Also the community is dangerous at night so people are scared to leave
their homes and wait until morning. As a result many women go into labour and
give birth in inadequate and insanitary conditions resulting in the death of
many babies and
mothers.
Women with children
Healthcare is expensive in Kenya and many people in Mgongeni cannot
afford to pay for the treatment and drugs. They delay seeking help until they
are very ill which is often too late.
Mustard Seed has started a series of training sessions for mothers in
preventative health and recognising women and childhood illnesses. The
course also covers simple hygiene and cleanliness, family planning, AIDS, sexual
health, how to reduce infant mortality and basic
first aid treatment.
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Some women will receive further in-depth training to qualify them as
community health workers. They will be the first point of call and will be able
to recognise common diseases and advise people on what to do next. This will hopefully encourage people to seek advice as soon as they become
ill.
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Women undergoing Health
Education
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Research and negotiations are talking place to establish a first aid
centre with a qualified nurse/midwife who will support and train the community
health workers. To make this sustainable people will need to make a small
contribution towards drugs and treatment.
A gift and a show of appreciatation to the trustees for the training
Eventually the plan is for a permanent clinic with
midwife, nurse and doctor where people can receive treatment for all but the
most serious conditions. If possible this will be funded by an insurance scheme
so that treatment is free when required.
The most immediate concern is Malaria. This is the biggest killer in the
community and accounts for many unnecessary deaths every year. A small survey
suggested that less than 4% of the population has a mosquito net. Mustard Seed
with the MDC has launched a war on malaria.
The MOH for Mombasa will support the campaign and is trying to find cheap
sources of nets. Mustard Seed needs a minimum of 3000 nets immediately. The
market cost is £5 each but very few people can afford this. Negotiations are
proceeding with an American charity that provides nets for less than £1 but
their remit is for rural communities only. If this fails then we shall continue
our search to find an affordable alternative.
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To support the campaign Mustard Seed and the MDC are seeking
the help of the Municipal Council to reduce the areas of stagnant water where
mosquitoes breed.
Clearing up the rubbish, cultivating the wasteland providing drainage and
tackling areas of flooding will all help.
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Breeding ground for
mosquitoes
In the rainy season it is impossible to eliminate all puddles so
the MDC and CBO are asking the Council to provide chemicals, spray equipment and
training so that residents of the village can spray the flooded area to seal the
mosquito lavae into the water where they will die. These combined actions should
reduce the number of mosquitoes in the community and thus the number of people
catching the disease.
WATER
To help improve the supply of clean water Mustard Seed is building a
well. Much of the existing supply is piped into the community from a distant
reservoir that no longer provides adequate volume to meet the demands of the
growing population along coastal strip. The infrastructure is old and often
breaks down leaving the people without water for several days most weeks.
Well being dug
After two months of excavating by hand water has been found at a depth of
83 ft. This is now being tested to ensure that it is safe for drinking. Everyone
is confident of the results because there are existing wells in the community
that have been tested. It is anticipated that the well will be completed by the
end of February 2011.
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20Kg drum carried on a woman's head
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Alongside the well Mustard Seed are going to build a laundry: similar to the old
French lavoir. This will make life much easier for the women. At present they
have to carry 20kg drums of water on their heads to their homes
to do the washing. Almost all women suffer from severe injuries to their necks
and spines. With the laundry they will only have to carry their clothes.
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The Taratibu women’s group, that has already contributed by buying the
land and clearing a large tree, will run the well and laundry as a small
business. They will be responsible for all maintenance and repairs and ensuring
that the venture is viable.