ASSETS graduate off to study at university!

We posted  previously about our 3 ASSETS graduates currently volunteering in Mwamba with us, Brian was one of them. He's been helping A Rocha Kenya for the past 5 months, working  at  Gede  Tree  Platform,  our  eco-tourism  facility,  raising  funds  for  the  ASSETS  bursaries. He enjoyed welcoming visitors there and telling them all about the history of the Ruins.

He'll be leaving us at the end of the week to start his nursing studies at Pwani University, in Kilifi! Hoi, one of our past volunteers from Singapore, kindly raised money for him to start his studies. To be able to continue, he will apply for various local and national bursary schemes.

Brian graduated from secondary school last year, and enjoys interacting with people and caring for others, which is why he chose to study nursing. He loved his time spent in A Rocha, saying its 'the best place', because of the conservation goals as well as the social side of working with communities. He especially appreciated building friendships with people from different parts of the world, and is grateful to have met this volunteer who agreed to sponsor him.

Looking back, the ASSETS scheme has really motivated him to study hard in secondary school, and to meet and work with the people who helped him has given him 'zeal and zest to study further'.

A great example of what the ASSETS scheme aspires to! We're grateful for this opportunity he has to study, and are still praying for funding for the many more graduates who wish to go to university too.

ASSETS Graduates

During the last month, three new ASSETS graduates have joined A Rocha in various volunteer tasks. May God bless all three volunteers and may God give them strength as they continue to pursue their passions.

Brian, an ASSETS graduate from Kwale High School, joined A Rocha Kenya as a volunteer a month ago. He feels the ASSETS program is a very good project. Brain thanks the ASSETS program for contributing to his education by assisting him with school fees. During his time with A Rocha, Brain has been volunteering at the Gede ruins tree platform, which is one of the eco-tourism sites raising money for bursaries.  If God wishes and Brain finds the means he would like to study law at university, which has been his career choice since he was a primary student.

Joan joined A Rocha Kenya three weeks ago. She has been busy volunteering in the kitchen helping to make delicious meals. Joan is an ASSETS graduated from Bahari Girls Secondary School. She finds the ASSETS program to be beneficial because it helped her through school and she now knows how to conserve the environment. She enjoyed learning the names of trees and birds as well as the importance of biodiversity. In the future Joan hopes to teach science or Swahili because she loves working with children.

Kirao, an ASSETS graduate from Malindi High School, began volunteering with A Rocha Kenya last Monday. During his stay he wants to share the knowledge he has gained, and to learn from others. Kirao feels the ASSETS program is very good and it has helped many people including him.  If it were not for the program, he would not be a student a Pwani University in Kilifi. Kirao joined Pwani University in the year 2010 where he is currently studying environmental science. The ASSETS program helped to develop his passion to protect the environment. While in high school he began to share the information he learned with community conservation groups near Mida Creek. In the future Kirao wants to continue his work at Mida Creek by becoming a conservationist focusing on the protection of the mangrove forest.

It's great to see these young men and ladies so passionate about nature conservation.

ASSETS Beneficiaries Days

Students play "Hungry Hippos"

On Friday the ASSETS program started camps for families receiving bursary funds.  In the morning, parents and students from Gede primary school and Mijomboni primary school gathered in Mijomboni. This is where Festus, a community conservation officer, started off the day teaching the families about the history of A Rocha Kenya, shared the location of the eco-tourism sites that provide bursary funds and highlighted the importance of conservation in the surrounding area.  After enjoying juice and cookies the parents left leaving the students for the rest of the day. A key part of the ASSETS program is to teach students about conservation. The afternoon was spent explaining the ecological importance of the Arabuko-Sokoke forest and Mida Creek. Students participated in games called, “Hungry Hippos,” and “The Wader Migration Game.” During “Hungry Hippos” students had to share limited resources with their friends and by doing so they were able to cross a river full of hippos. “The Wader Migration Game” involved the students learning about the challenges birds face while trying to migrate around the world. The day ended with the introduction of a brand new curriculum, called A Rocha Conservation Education Course for Secondary Schools (ACCESS), where students participate in a four year long environmental studies course outside the classroom. The students were very excited about the introduction of the new course and agreed to participate. The day was full of learning. Next week Festus and volunteers will continue to run camps for eight more schools supported by the ASSETS program.

Students and parents learn about the ASSETS program

Students play " The Wader Migration" game

Tough but successful assessment of potential beneficiary students around Arabuko-Sokoke

The assessment exercise for the new ASSETS beneficiary students has taken the assets team four good days to complete. It was a tough time for the team riding through the sand dunes into several homes bordering Mida-creek at the sea shore and far and beyond the Arabuko-sokoke Forest. Here are pictures showing Festus and Bimbo in the villages interviewing the parents of the beneficiaries.  

Some parents have found it hard and expensive sending their children through the secondary education due to lack of funds.  However, the ASSETS team has taken an extra mile of guiding, counseling and giving hope to them that God will give way and the students will pursue secondary education. The ASSETS program is there for them and its purpose is to glorify God. This is one way of helping the less fortune and letting them know that God loves them and they still have the potential to attain a better life.

Below is a photo showing Festus guiding and counseling a parent and his son

Apart from the above activities, the team has managed to see one of the parents who has been a beneficiary in the ASSETS program for several years and have grasped the knowledge of conservation. It was really interesting to see his wood lot and nursery seedlings doing well. This year, he has posted another child into secondary school and is being interviewed so that his child can get support from ASSETS program.

Assets team is hopping all will be well even to the families that has lost hope.

Turtle Bay Beach Club supporting ASSETS in conservation

As the saying goes, "the early bird catches the worm" and as such the ASSETS team has already started working on one of the crucial parts of the programme in order to make sure we get ahead of the game - the selecting of potential ASSETS beneficiaries who completed their primary level of education last year, 2011. One of the necessary tasks for this to happen is to get enough copies of the application forms for potential beneficiaries to complete - conservation is not all about exciting fieldwork! Below is a picture showing Conservation Assistant Bimbo on one of our new motorbikes yesterday (kindly donated by Eden Wildlife Trust) heading to Turtle Bay Beach Club to photocopy the ASSETS application forms for the new recruit beneficiaries of the year 2012 to join Form One.

ASSETS and A Rocha Kenya as a whole is grateful to Turtle Bay Beach Club for the long-standing support it has given us in many, many - with free photocopying being quite a significant one over the years. This gives a clear picture to show that the two organisations co-operate and have a passion for a common conservation goal and we at A Rocha Kenya are very grateful for this. Turtle Bay Beach Club is one of the most responsible tourist resorts in Kenya by a long way and we are proud to be affiliated with and supported by them.

Sewe Vera Akello: an appeal

Today ASSETS is bringing forth an appeal for Sewe Vera Akello, a very gifted girl who has recently lost her secondary school sponsorship and desperately needs someone else to sponsor her so that she can complete secondary school. Sewe is fifteen years old, the firstborn in a family of two children. Sadly, her father passed away in 2010, and her mother is now supporting Sewe and her sister on her own. Sewe attended Mida Primary School, and was the top student of all beneficiaries selected by the ASSETS program in 2011. She has been accepted into Limuru Girl’s Secondary School, one of the best schools in Kenya. She is attending for the current term, but has no money to complete the next three years. Sewe is very interested in English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, and hopes to become a doctor someday. In her spare time, she also enjoys acting. With enough donations now, Sewe can continue in school and will not have to halt school to try to raise money on her own.

It is not difficult to sponsor Sewe or another ASSETS student in need. The donation button on the right hand side of the blog takes you to A Rocha International’s donation website, from where you can select Kenya’s ASSETS bursary program and make a donation through PayPal. Every donation you can give makes a big difference in the lives of needy children in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest area. If you wish to become a regular sponsor, it costs only $30 US per month (on average) to support a child through secondary school. For the average earner in the western world, this amount is not so large, but in Kenya where incomes are much lower these costs are crippling to parents who wish to school their children. If you are interested in sponsoring a particular child, you can email [email protected] for more information.

Letter from an ASSETS Student

Yesterday the ASSETS office received a wonderful letter from Martin Baya, one of our ASSETS beneficiaries. In Kenya, as in many other places, completing secondary school can make the difference between good future opportunities and barely making enough to survive. You can support an ASSETS student through A Rocha's donation page (there is a button on the right hand of this page), and make a huge difference in the life of a Kenyan student like Martin.

New ASSETS graduate intern at A Rocha Kenya centre

Hello everyone! Our apologies for the long gap in updates, we have been going through some changes, and we have a lot of exciting news to share. We will soon be introducing our new ASSETS team, Festus and Bimbo, as well as giving an update on how Francis is doing. For today, we would like to introduce Mwamba Field Study Center's newest intern, Lydia Kayaa. She is 19, coming from the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest area, and has recently completed secondary school through the ASSETS program. Following is an interview with Lydia about her life and how ASSETS helped with her schooling.

How many brothers and sisters do you have? I have two sisters and three brothers. I am the third born.

What do your parents do for a living? They are peasant farmers.

When were you first involved in ASSETS? I was first involved in ASSETS by achieving the conditions that they had set. It was in the year 2007 when I joined Form 1. I completed Form 4 in 2010.

How did you come to be at Mwamba? I received a call from Stanley, that there was a space for a volunteer and so I came. I arrived on May 13th 2011.

What activities are you involved in at Mwamba and with ARK? Currently, I am assisting the cook in the kitchen. I have also assisted on a bird count in Malindi and Sabaki River Mouth.

Has your time here at Mwamba helped you to learn about the environment and wildlife? Yes. I’ve learned a lot of things about the environment and wildlife. I’ve learned about conserving the forest and the trees from the nature trail.

(At the ARK center, there is an interpretive nature trail highlighting many indigenous tree species, many of which are also present in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. The nature trail is a great educational experience for visitors and staff.)

What do you hope to do in the future? I’m looking forward to attending university, though I don’t currently have a sponsor. I’m planning to take a degree course in education. I hope my dreams will come true!

Internships at the Mwamba Field Study Center offer a chance for ASSETS beneficiaries to receive training and experience in a variety of areas, such as hospitality (cooking and hosting guests), maintenance, environmental education, and research and monitoring. This experience can be very helpful for obtaining future employment or school placements. Since volunteers and staff are often from many different places around the world, there is also much cross-cultural teamwork, an experience that can be very broadening for everyone involved!  This kind of opportunity could not be possible without donations and other forms of support. This helps provide opportunities that are often taken for granted. If you would like to donate to ASSETS, and help to contribute to real and lasting change in the lives of children near the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, please visit our donations page. Thank you!

Internship opportunities at Mwamba

How ASSETS has changed the lives of two young people, currently doing internships at Mwamba Field and Study Center.

To give you a further understanding of how the ASSETS program supports young needy people I have interviewed two young volunteers as to how ASSETS has positively impacted their lives and given them a diverse range of opportunities that would not have otherwise been available to them.

Name: Francis Kazungu

Age: 22

How many brothers and sisters do you have?

I have 2 sisters and 7 brothers

What do your mum and dad do for a living?

My parents are jobless

How did you first become involved with ASSETS projects?

In 2005 I first became involved with ASSETS, after I had passed my exams they assisted me with school fees, those whose parents couldn’t afford to send their kids to school they assisted and they paid for a high percentage of my school fees

How did you come to be at Mwamba?

After we had completed our secondary school exams they gave us internship forms to fill out, this was in June of this year (2010) after filling them in we were called to an interview at Mwamba, there were seven of us and I managed to be one of two who were accepted.

What activities are you involved with at Mwamba and with ARK?

I help assist the cook; I do some house keeping including laying the table for meals and interacting with guests. I will be going to the Gedi ruins to be in charge of the tree platform project that is re-opening by the end of this month.

Has your time here helped you learn about the environment and wildlife?

Yes because the staff encourage the importance of conserving the environment and to know deeply about the bird species and the tree species.

What are your plans for the future?

I want to start helping with conservation of wildlife and teach people the importance of conservation, so our children can get to see the different species of animals, I want to be a teacher, teaching about conservation, that is what is in my heart.

Name: Janet Kalama

Age: 21

How many brothers and sisters do you have?

six sisters and one brother

What do your mum and dad do for a living?

They are farmers

How did you first become involved with the ASSETS projects?

I had just passed my KCPE examination and was given ASSETS bursary forms and applied for funds for my secondary school education. They started paying for me from form one to form four at St Johns secondary school.

How did you come to be at Mwamba?

After finishing secondary school we were given an internship form and filled it out and posted it. Then we were called for an interview, had the interview and a few days later I was called to report at Mwamba.

What activities are you involved with at Mwamba and with Arocha Kenya?

I help with housekeeping, kitchen work, computer studies and office work, learning about hospitality.

Has your time here helped you learn about the environment and wildlife?

Yes!

What do you hope to do after you leave Mwamba?

I want to join a teaching course and start teaching at a primary school.

It is clear to see that the projects that ASSETS offer to young people are completely life changing and life enhancing. This work helps to empower young people and encourage them to live great lives; an internship at Mwamba providing hands-on experience of team work and industry and knowledge about the environment. As well as this, the students learn about hospitality and gain an understanding of different cultures, working and meeting volunteers and guests from all over the world at Mwamba. This great work could not be possible without donations and other forms of support, so if you would like to donate to ASSETS and help to cause real and lasting change to the lives of local children, providing them with support we often take for granted, please visit: A Rocha donations page

Letter from an ASSETS student

We recently received this letter from a grateful ASSETS student which was a real encouragement to us and was great to hear how the eco-bursary scheme has really made a difference in his life. Dear Sir/Madam,

I greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ hoping that you are going on well. With me I thank the lord for the protection which he had given me so far.

The main aim of writing this letter is to thank you for giving me assistance during my schooling time by paying my school fees at Dr. Krapf Secondary School. I highly appreciate your efforts of ensuring the needy students get the chance of continuing with their education by giving school fees assistance.

I completed my four years well and managed to get a mean grade of C plain KCSE in which I have attached the results slip.

I say thanks for the whole support you gave me in my education and I pray that God would shower you with blessings and giving more resources in your bid of helping the other students who are beneficiaries.

Once again I salute you for your good work and may the Lord be with you all the time. Bye.

Yours Faithfully,

Benson Safari

We continue to be really grateful to God for his goodness in helping us assist these incredibly needy children to get to Secondary school. There are still many out there that need help. By sending a child to school with an ASSETS bursary we not only give the child their school fees, but do a lot of follow up with them and their families to make sure their studies are going well and that they have understood the importance of caring for the forest and creek.

All of this - the fees, the follow up costs including transport and salaries of staff critical to the whole process - only costs a mere $24 per month. If you would be interested to help and sponsor a child or simply give regularly to what I believe is an awesome project, please do so!

A group of ASSETS beneficiaries at one of the follow up events for students during the holidays.

If you would like to know how to donate then please do so through the A Rocha donations page - until we have the 'Donate' button functioning again on this blog.