Dakatcha Farming God's way

On a typical working day for the Mweria group in Dakatcha (farming God’s way): the group meets at the working site at 9am in the morning.

Women carry water drinking water and every member brings a cup of maize flour and twenty shillings for lunch while the owner of the farm brings pots and plates. The first order of business is prayers, members make a circle, go on their knees, pick a lamp of soil in both hands and two volunteers say prayers of blessing and restoration for the land.

The members then spread over the land, work as they chat and share stories till lunch break and work resumes thereafter and ends with a prayer. Really inspiring isn’t it?

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After the days target area of cultivation has been accomplished, the group closes with a prayer."For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20).

MEKATILILI SCHOOL VISIT

Imagine a world without sustainable land, or living oceans! Our natural resources exist in a fragile balance and are vulnerable to environmental changes. That’s why it’s important that we all do our part to conserve, preserve, and care for the Earth’s resources and protect the environment that sustains us.

A Rocha Kenya team made a visit to Mekatilili School and taught the pupils the importance of being good stewards of the earth- for all of us have to share the Earth's fragile ecosystems and precious resources, and each of us has a role to play in preserving them.

The theme of the days environmental education was;” ecosystem is a complex set of relationship among the living resources, habitats, and residents of an area.” The function was successful and pupils were encouraged and promised to take care of the environment.

We need to be  proactive in protecting the earth’s ecological balance. If we are to go on living together on this earth, we must all be responsible for it.

ARABUKO SOKOKE SNARE WALK...

In a forest ecosystem, living things are interdependent, and they are also dependent on water, light, temperature, space, topography, soil type, chemicals, nutrients and other factors. If something in an ecosystem changes drastically, for example, if there is a sudden change in weather or even cutting down forests for development or agricultural purposes obviously reduces their biodiversity.

A Rocha Kenya joined the David Ngala, two KFS rangers, Mvera wa ASSETS parents and the beneficiaries themselves for a snare walk in Arabuko sokoke forest. The purpose of the snare walk was to create awareness and to help remove any snares they come across and take action on any other illegal activities.

We dint observe any active snares but we saw two old snares (probably 3months old), logging of trees for timber and building. It was a productive walk for the Mijomboni parents and beneficiaries had firsthand experience of what poachers have turned our forest into.

We are hoping and praying that the word will spread, the destruction of our forests to stop and conserving it to be our passion.

Chipande's outstanding Team effort!

It’s amazing how many hearts one can touch by simply giving. Through A Rocha Kenya’s ASSETS program hope has been restored and dreams have come true. Chipande, a group of parents of the students who have benefited from ASSETS program gathered together to prepare a nursery bed.

Chipande is one among many of the clusters of villages in the same neighborhood formed by parents of those students who have benefited from the ASSETS program. The parents belonging to these clusters meet regularly at the schools  to cultivate the trees seedlings that will later be distributed.

The students will cater for the tree seedlings until they are ready to be distributed. Wouldn’t you want to touch a child’s heart today? Put a smile on his/her face? …these children are our tomorrow’s future!

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.Matthew 5:16.

MWERIA SYSTEM FARMING GOD'S WAYS

The Farming God's ways A Rocha Kenya’s project has made it possible for farmers to form a Mweria working system that has been established in Mulunguni and Boyani where villagers meet in a member’s farm to work.

The exercise is on-going at the moment, the well watered gardens are coming up ok, though slightly below our expectations mainly because the manure used was of very poor quality, almost fresh. Nevertheless this did not break the farmers’ spirit at all as a matter of fact it was a significant  lesson learnt. For they will be far more careful next time; just like the saying " once bitten twice shy".

The already trained members undertook the training under  supervision and with the help of the field staff after a one day training and rehearsal on their own. This has already started off successfully. The trained villagers take it upon themselves to train other fellow farmers.  Strict rules and fines were made for the success of the system. The farmers made a lot of sacrifices ; the willingness to avail themselves and to be patient to learn and to even go ahead and enlighten fellow farmers on the same.

We hope that the system will continue on successfully and hope that God will continue blessing us all the way.

God's countless blessings

God’s ways are not a man’s. He exists for all, believers and non-believers alike. He also touches every heart in a special way. A Rocha Kenya gives thanks for God has been merciful and faithful. We have been praying for funds for bursaries and God did it again. The Christ church came through and we managed to allocate and disburse bursaries for 27 new students. God surely is working in our lives.

” Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”- Luke 6: 38

Teachers training at Bamba

Day one of the Bamba work shop was marked by the arrival of the facilitator’s team; Mr. Tsofa (wildlife club of Kenya), Mr. Stanley Baya and Mr. Brown all two from A Rocha Kenya and 19 guests out of the invited 20 guests. The turn up was really not expected but quite encouraging.The trainees were enthusiastic about the workshop and they were really ready to learn…They expressed their expectations by the end of the Workshop: “I want to gain more knowledge on environmental issues by the end of the workshop,” “I want to learn what the workshop is all about”, to mention but a few.

They learn't what the term environment meant and the components of environment, that is; physical, social and economic environment, the effects of environmental degradation and their mitigation measures. They later had a transect walk through Bamba township noting down environmental issues that need to be addressed to improve the welfare of the town, discuss them in groups and finally make group presentation thereafter. Day two was marked by as video watch on environmental issues.

 Day 3 and the last day of the workshop was marked with a talk on climate change and their mitigation measures, Wild life Clubs and why have wildlife in our schools by Mr. Baya and Mr. Tsofa respectively. The teachers, in turn, promised to form Wildlife Clubs by the end of the term. A closing ceremony was in place, by Nicky Karisa. Wrapped in envelops were certificates that were issued to nonspecific persons who were to stand one after the other, open envelop, read the name silently, point whom it belong to come forward to receive. Amazingly some did not know others, it was such an amazing moments.

Tree planting at Kenya Forest Service

Plant a Tree, plant a new life….

Of all the wonders of nature, a tree is perhaps the most remarkable. God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from those who destroy not knowing it will cost them in future. The planting of trees means planting hope: ever green forests, fresh air to breath, improved water quality, and safe habitat for the wild.

A Rocha Kenya joined hands with Kenya Forest Service  staff and interns, Community Forest Association chairman and the community at large. We transported nurseries from Gede office to Kenya Forest Service and into the forest where we planted over 600 trees. Everybody was enthusiastic about the exercise since to many it was their first tree planting activity and their first time in the forest. I believe the planting exercise was a complete success.

Later on after the exercise the Community Forest Association chairman gave a brief speech on the importance of conserving the environment and planting trees even in our homes. It is a very important to plant trees and to take care of them every step of the way till they are all fully grown.

Plant a tree today… plant hope…the true meaning of life!

27 new students join the ASSETS scheme!

We do thank the Lord for providing for us in countless astonishing ways! Secondly you; each one of you for your noble contribution in sustaining and rescuing the ASSETS project, restoring hope for the community and for nature!Recently the ASSETS committee held the final assessment meeting and 27 new students were admitted into the scheme. As it stands now, 501 students have received bursaries through the ASSETS scheme, 378 students successfully cleared their secondary school while current beneficiaries add up to 123. It is indeed quite encouraging to us that the number of our “ambassadors” out there is increasing!

We were privileged to meet these new kids during the beneficiary days and happy is an understatement! They gained a lot from the inspirational talks, information about the concept of ASSETS, the environment around them, climate change and what they can do to help.

We do hope and pray that the Lord will continue providing for us so that we can reach out to even more members of the community here impacting their lives in as many ways possible. Long live ASSETS!

In and around Arabuko Sokoke forest for Education and Conservation...Adventurous!

On this bright Tuesday morning, the ASSETS team boards Kiboko; the truck all packed and ready for the ASSETS beneficiary camp. The beautiful scenery of the forested landscape coupled with the sweet scent of budding flowers made the ‘cruise’ to Bogamachuko; our first stop quite short and exciting! It was fun identifying different species of trees and birds as the road closely meandered along the forest edge offering just a glimpse of the treasurer encompassed within the 420km2 of dry coastal forest!

ASSETS beneficiaries from Kahingoni and Bogamachuko were all seated and waiting for us as we drove into Bogamachuko school compound. We then proceeded to Malanga then Nyari, Mijomboni and finally Mida where we able to meet all beneficiaries from the nine schools.

All through we strengthened their understanding of the ASSETS project whilst assessing progress of the different clusters of Muvera wa ASSETS; the beneficiaries association. The level of enthusiasm was extremely encouraging as some of the attendees were not even beneficiaries! We seized the opportunity to urge them to conserve the local natural resources around them; Mida creek and Arabuko Sokoke forest for their own sake. Mzee Suleiman a resident of Mida also an ASSETS committee member took to the stage with his rib-cracking but quite educational narratives to instill the conservation message in the best way possible. We also had separate sessions with the students challenging them to make the best out of this opportunity. Led by Daniel and Patience who were both successful beneficiaries of the project and now on further studies; we inspired them that regardless of all the difficulties, nothing that could stop them from achieving their dreams!

At the end of it all, parents vowed to adopt all the alternative technologies taught to them through Muvera wa ASSETS as well as working together to protect the forest by reporting to us of any illegal activities. The students on the other hand promised to be our ambassadors in their respective schools apart from making the best out of the scholarship opportunity!