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

Ever seen so much bush meat?

The last time I saw so much meat was when I was a small boy. Then there used to be regular cultural ceremonies which called for a lot of food especially meat. This time it was all illegally killed wild animals on transit to the market at a place called Sosoni in Magarini district. we counted two water bucks and over 20 sunis very expertly tied onto two bicycles. Though I had heard that the bush meat trade was still happening, I did not have the vaguest idea that it was at this scale and therefore very destructive.

I was very sorry for two old men who looked like they had collided on each other and fell on the road with the seemingly heavy luggage on their bikes. I was later to learn that they were running away from us because they thought were wildlife rangers.

"They are trying to feed their families," exclaimed a third old man who was almost knocked down by the other two running away.

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.

Stories by the ASSETS beneficiaries

June and Angela, two A Rocha Kenya volunteers, are keen to write down and share stories from the ASSETS beneficiaries. We hope by the third quarter of the year individual stories by the ASSETS beneficiaries will be published for all to read. This is the reason we went to Bogamachuko primary school again to meet the parents whose children are being supported.

Amazingly every time we go out for this exercise, we get to interview more people than we anticipate. Today we were going to meet the Chairman and two more parents but we ended up getting six different stories.

We arrived at Bogamachuko just after midday but it wasn't until 1.00 p.m. that we started the interviews. The pile of plastic bags outside the classroom were evidence of exams going on.

By the time we arrived, Mr Alfred Kirimo was already waiting for us. This very hardworking man has had two students graduating from High School with support from ASSETS. His first born, Priscilla is currently volunteering at Mwamba while Johnston, his second child is pursuing a High School Diploma at the Aga Khan High School after which he hopes to secure a scholarship to study abroad.

While June and Angela were busy interviewing the parents and teachers, I had a chance to gather a few children for a kite game.

It was really funny, almost the whole school gathered around Mr Mwambao till the game was no longer possible.

Others enjoyed themselves playing volleyball instead.

Taking gifts across the river

It was utterly unbelievable to see the children so amazed by the visitors. Definitely, most of these children were seeing a "mzungu" (European) for the first time in their life.

Andras and Noemi, guests at Mwamba Field Study Centre had generously donated some note books and pencils to the children of Mgamboni primary school. Despite being a fairly new school Mgamboni has already attracted over 200 pupils who used to walk five kilometers to the nearest school.

Within five minutes of arrival, they had all gathered around the camera, each pushing and pulling their way to the front to be photographed. While Noemi was busy telling the students stories about Hungary, where they come from, Andras and I had a chance to see the classrooms and their only office.

It was great to see the enthusiasm in the teachers despite the very difficult conditions they are struggling to overcome.

We were later shown the school new classroom under construction. Here Andras was thrilled by the indigenous architectural skills which reminded him of his hobby back home, building kayaks.

In the end we were very happy about everything and surely the two hour drive to Mgamboni was worth it.

Assets bursary disbusment

Hello every one! Just to update you on how far ASSETS has gone this year. The ASSETS team i.e. Festus and Bimbo have been busy dispatching bursary cheques in secondary schools for the continuing students. Already, forty one (41) beneficiary students have been awarded bursaries to keep them in school. This has really helped the students, since most of them had already been sent home for fees, but the ASSETS team has struggled to ensure that they are back in school by sending the bursary cheques to the various secondary schools, paying a total of four hundred fourteen thousand and three hundred shillings (Kshs. 414,300) for the 41 students. This is just the first phase of the bursary payment which has been done for the continuing students only. The second phase will include those students joining form one this year. An assessment of the new beneficiaries who are yet to join this year will be conducted and then bursaries paid for these new ASSETS members. This will take place in the next two weeks after which the bursary payment task for term one of the year will be finished.

Environmental Education Jump-started again

It was again necessary to take the road less travelled inorder to accomplish a great mission. The last time we were on this road was in November 2011; when it was wet, cooler and green. this time round the conditions are the extreme opposite, hot, dusty and brown. We were heading for environmental education at Bogamachuko Primary school on the western edge of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest.

With three overseas volunteers, it was necessary to arrive just after classes to avoid disrupting learning in this school where they hardly see foreigners. by 3 pm we had arrived, and went straight into the head-teachers office where Mr Mwambao and Mr Bali gave us a brief about the school.

It was very interesting to lean about the many achievements that the school had accomplished in the last few years.

An hour later, it was time for playing the "Wader Migration Game" when twenty five students split up into two teams. The game challenges the players to realise what chances of survival birds have as they migrate between the breeding and roosting sites.

Technorati Tags: environmental education, migration

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.

Collecting sand dune forest tree seeds for planting

As the year begins, the ASSETS programme also has a major role to play in Conservation - the core purpose that we as the A Rocha Kenya team have with the rare and often threatened local flora and fauna.  This part of the programme involves the community members around Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and Mida Creek. They take part in tree planting activities, first through maintaining a tree nursery from which seedlings will be taken for forest enrichment in some parts of the forest that have been severely degraded due to cutting and burning of the forest. Yesterday the ASSETS Conservation Assistant, Bimbo Msafiri, was collecting some seeds from the indigenous sand dune forest Mimusops obstifolia (Mng’ambo kapehe in the local language) for the nursery from our very own tree in the grounds of Mwamba Field Study Centre. The buildings were originally built in amongst the mature sand dune forest that once stretched the entire length of the Watamu headland but for which there are only pockets remaining. We're privileged to still have some of that forest around the house and in our nature trail.

Bimbo under the Mimusops tree having collected fallen seeds...

Seeds of the Mimusops obtusifolia for the tree nursery

Feedback from ASSETS Camp Participants

As you have seen on previous posts, we were privileged to host 18 ASSETS students last weekend for ASSETS Camp. At the end of the weekend, the students were asked to write down any feedback/comments they had about the camp and all that they got to experience. Here are some excerpts from their notes:“all the trips helped me to learn a lot of things which I didn’t know before” “At first I was afraid of swimming but because of the life jackets I found it easy to swim.” “Although I was afraid of snakes before I was impressed by the visit to the Bio-Ken Snake Farm from where I learned that there are some snakes that are not poisonous” “I would also like to thank this organization and how they help the children from poverty-stricken families” “In Mida Creek I got to know some of the different types of mangroves and what they do for the ecosystem.” “I appreciate the warm welcome you gave us, the meals and accommodation” “I have learned very important things, that actually if I am to tell one by one I may end up taking the whole day” “I wish the camp could take about two weeks so that I could continue enjoying myself” “I enjoyed all the lessons that you had for us” “Let the cooks be blessed and GOD KEEP THEM FOR A LONG TIME!” (There were many happy comments about the food, obviously meals were a highlight!) The students seem to have really enjoyed all the out trips, learning sessions, meals and games that they got to play while they stayed here at Mwamba Field Study Center, which makes it all very worthwhile for all the staff and volunteers who participated.

A big thank you goes to Stanley, Festus, and Bimbo, who put in a lot of time preparing. They are hard at work now preparing for our second ASSETS Camp, which takes place from August 27-29. Keep us in your prayers as we hope to provide a wonderful experience for this group coming in!