Train 120 Health & Human Rights promoters in Kenya

Rural Women Take First steps from a “way of life” type of farming to Agribusiness

Empowering women requires a holistic approach to the challenges. To help women abandon FGM, structural gender inequalities must also be addressed. It is for this reason that HFAW provides economic empowerment strategies such as trainings not only in finance and entrepreneurship literacy but also best practices in farming.

We are excited to report that our community women took their first step in learning how to transform themselves from practicing animal husbandry as a way of life to becoming dairy farmers. This happened on October 16^th to 18 when 25 of these committed women from 4 villages locally known as wards, embarked on a two day workshop with a local agricultural officer followed by a real life trip to the actual farm to view the process of dairy farming.

During the training the facilitator started from what the trainees know i.e. how and what they currently practice in their dairy farming in terms of breeding, feeding and marketing dairy products. The facilitator quoted the bible story ‘ When Moses was in the desert and requested God to give them water, he was asked by God to use the stick he was holding in his hand to strike a stone and get water for the Israelites. This was meant to encourage the women who wondered where to get new breeds to realize that they can use their current breeds of cattle to set short term goals to get better breeds.

The first day of the training elicited the following sentiments during an evaluation session in the evening. “ I am going to sell some of my cows and remain with one’ said Boke one of the trainees as she explained that she has learnt that she has a large head of cattle which does not give back earnings that break even with what she offers in terms of feed and treatment vs. sales from milk.

Another participant expressed how he was going to apply the knowledge and skills gained with the following statement, ‘Previously we used to give porridge to our calves incase the mother died but now we have learnt how to make colostrum using local resources’ said Daniel a trainee from Esise Ward.

The women were also trained on how to improve economic gains from dairy farming through value addition and diversification of milk from their cows. ‘I did not know I can make cooking oil with cream from my milk’ said Kwamboka after they were taught how to add value and diversify products from their milk.

Knowledge on feeding was also given to transform the farmers’ usual way of feeding according to the type of feed available. The practice has not been economical especially when there are cases of drought.‘ I am going to start preserving feed for my cows since I have known that preserved fodder and forage means continued flow of feed throughout the year and availability of feed for my cows means continued flow of milk and income too’ said Martha during feedback session.

The trainees were also taken for a field trip to see the things they were taught in class being applied in real life. At the end of the trip, the trainees had the following to say……‘I feel encouraged by Mr. Livingstone who started with a local cow which was worthless but with continuous work in improving her he has made a lot of gains. “This man has never been employed but see what he is doing, said Nyamusi from Mekenene village.

Another trainee inspired by the way the model farmer was using cow dung to produce biogas had this to say …… ‘I saw Mr. Livingstone use biogas for cooking. I was surprised he has used it since 2010. I am going to save and invest in such since we have a problem of firewood in our area yet I didn’t know my cows can be a source of energy too’ said Caren, one of HFAW grassroots leadership member.

The training also involved county livestock officers from the 4 wards that the farmers come from. They were also resourceful and will be involved in follow up among the farmers. ‘From what the county livestock officer taught us, I discovered that I should never have sold my calves but instead would have sold their mother since the offspring is always a better breed. I also saw how I will partition my zero grazing unit into feeding area, milking area, water point, sleeping area and feed storage area’ said Beatrice from Kiabonyoru Ward.

Two of the trainees gave their status before and after the field trip…one said…‘Before I came for this training I did not know anything about culling my livestock but now I know and I am going to do it. I also did not know that I should keep the tube I used for inseminating my cows for future referral with the veterinarian but now I know it is good to generally keep farm records’ said Nyangeri from Esise Ward.

The second trainee said that “It is after I came for this training that I understood why one day a veterinarian came to treat my cow and did not want to touch the dead calf with his hands. I now know that the cow was suffering from brucellosis and one is not supposed to get contact with the animal with bare hands” said Damaris from Nyansiongo Ward

The facilitator ended the session after guiding the group on how to register it with the social services office. This was a request by the trainees themselves who saw the need to do so. ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together’ the facilitator encouraged them with this inspirational African quote about the value of teamwork in a group.

Dear Friend, colleague and partner, you have supported some of our projects which have allowed us to grow to reach these breakthroughs. We continue to seek your advice and support. The trainees require consistent technical assistance and support and additional trainings, mentoring and guidance to be able to realize positive outcomes. None of these can happen by our own effort. We invite you to consider making a donation and to send a request note to your friends and family. Tell them about this cause and why you care. Together we can improve lives of rural people through economic empowerment on best practices.

Women in Leadership: HFAW Grassroots Chairpersons’ Story

“I am Caren N. Ratemo, a Christian and Kenyan woman from Kisii. I am married to Tom Nyakundi and we are blessed with four children. I am a survivor of FGM and the current Hope Foundation for African Women (HFAW) grassroots chairperson.

My first encounter with HFAW was when I was invited as a woman leader by our area Member of County Assembly (MCA) to attend a launching forum of the organization i.e. HFAW on 2^nd April 2014 at Kijauri market, Borabu Sub County, Nyamira County, Kenya. On that day, I arrived early and was among the first people at the venue. I found the women preparing the venue with the support of men to erect tents and arranging chairs.

The day started well with educative presentations against FGM. When time came for Dr. Grace to present, I admired the way she was dressed. Moreover, her story moved me and after the event, I approached her and introduced myself. I requested if I could join the Popular Education training she mentioned that would start at Matutu Adventist Church after the launch.

Luckily, she honoured my request and joining the class of 30 CHRRP’s became one of the highest moments of my life. I liked the training; it was touching our personal lives issues and the community at large. I was a church leader, health promoter and Maendeleo ya Wanawake (Women And Development) leader in our Sub County by then. After the training, I said I must apply the knowledge in all the areas under my administration and jurisdiction.

For sure before I got the training, I had suffered in my marriage for over 20 years. My husband who is a teacher by profession had joined a group of peers whom they would drink alcohol throughout after his classes. I can generally say he never used to take care of his family; even paying rent for the house we lived in was difficult.

I decided as a woman was going to shut him out psychologically and bring up my children like a single mother who is married at the same time. I started a hotel business where I could raise money from and take care of my family including him. It was difficult to ask him whether he was paid and where he took his money. I could not dare ask such questions since they had previously warranted me to sleep out of our house plus a terrible beating.

As a Kisii woman, it was not easy to tell even my neighbor what I was undergoing. I decided to keep quiet and endure the hardship with hope that one day it will end. The cycle of violence repeated itself until I went through the Popular Education training through HFAW. It opened up my eyes, I realized I have rights that I can stand with, and dialogue with husband on what is right to do as well as what is wrong.

From then on, my husband changed for the better, using the skills I gained from the training, I talked with him and he became supportive. I slowly applied what we were trained through actions to guide him to understand that women too are equal partners in a family. He stopped overindulging in alcohol and opted to advance his education. He attended my graduation after Popular Education training and has been supporting me in the various leadership positions I get in my community. He now even shares what he gets in terms of finances. I thank our supporters because through them, most lives of women have changed. Moreover, through the women, more people’s lives have been positively influenced through the outreaches we do in churches, schools and markets."

Dear partner, HFAW as a non-profit has been working with women through empowering them on human rights, economic empowerment, self-advocacy skills and knowledge on how to end FGM. We are grateful for your continued support that will see more women come out of poverty and gender based violence. We also appeal for your kind donation towards this project. You previously made positive change possible; together we can transform communities!

Links:

• Testimony by Karen and other women after the training 2014

 ‘My name is Gladys Nyasuguta Nyariki from Borabu Sub County and this is my story, as an FGM survivor. For the longest time I had been quiet about the impact of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on women including myself. I suffered a great deal in silence.

I went through this harmful practice at age 9. I later got married but had many difficulties giving birth. The doctors told me during the birth process of my first born that, my birth canal was not dilating as expected and that this was due to effects of the FGM I had undergone. My muscles were scarred and unable to naturally expand during birthing process. This forced the doctors to do a major episiotomy that could not heal for a very long time.

Back at home my own husband did not understand so we had a major problem in our intimate life. I had to deal with it myself since my husband did not understand me. The level of trauma and frustration was unbearable. The social stigma that came from community members because of my situation cannot be put to words. I was devastated.

However, asked the doctors to speak with my husband and explain that what was happening was not my fault but a situation arising from the FGM practice that I had undergone at my childhood. There was deep counseling from the doctors who explained to him the depth of the trauma, the physical and mental issues I was undergoing and what he needed to do to be supportive. Fortunately, he understood the situation and from then on was supportive. He even supported my schooling at Nairobi University to study FGM in relation to women’s health and community development.

After school, I was lucky to receive advocacy skills and training using Popular Education Model from Hope Foundation for African Women (www.hopefaw.org) and other community programs. The most recent one was Social Change Communication (SCC) skills to end FGM gained from a recent The Girl Generation (TGG), (www.thegirlgeneration.org) training.

I have also had big moments as I advocate for FGM eradication. Apart from being an Anti-FGM ambassador in my home ground schools, churches and market forums, this year alone I was invited to share my story at Kenya Women Parliamentarians (KEWOPA) regional conference in Nairobi with PLAN International. Recently, I was invited to share with council of elders at West Pokot on how to end FGM. I facilitated a declaration for them to identify the FGM as a major issue as well as create avenues for dialogue on the way forward to help the community abandon FGM. This gives me hope that a child will be saved from this practice and that FGM may end in one generation. Furthermore, now equipped with SCC skills of ‘Do No Harm’ as they have proved to be most effective, I feel more confident to continue advocating against the practice of FGM and that FGM can end in one generation.’

NB: Dear partners, Gladys’ story is just but one out of themore than 50 positive stories of change we have in our work, however, this could not have been possible without your support. Thank you!

Dear Friends, Colleagues and supporters,

Towards the end of 2016, many participants in our finance literacy workshop with women majority were wearing a yellow HFAW t-shirt with words written on the back “Poverty in Our Minds, Wealth in Our Hands.” We were able to endorse kiva zip loans worth over $35,000 to our village women (including a few men), thanks to our friend and donor among you who introduced us to kiva zip Kenya. After a while we noticed that the businesses were not growing that much. We were so convinced that access to credits alone is not enough to ending poverty. 

Workshop facilitator, Carol, a middle aged woman who works in a local financial institution and speaks local language was invited to handle this topic in Kisii language using hands on methodology. As she emphasized the value of practicing saving, Gladys challenged her. “But Madam how is it possible to save? Our incomes are very low; we hardly are able to cater for our basic needs?  We are poor.” She stated.  Carol went on to state that “I see wealth all over you. I am from this region and I know each one of us is rich. Let me ask you something,” Carol continued. “What do you have in your garden”? She said bananas, “and what do you have in and around your home?”  She said the number of goats, cows, trees, chickens, and children and “I dig in my family garden,” Said Gladys.  Carol asked if there are participants in the room with similar or more things. Everybody raised their hands up. Gladys went on to argue that “those things do not make us rich. We have no school fees, medicine, and  money. Every day we wake up and struggle. The rich people are not like us.”

Carol went on to explain in simple terms issues concerning budgeting, savings, debt management and capital building including access to credits. Let us talk about budgeting. She asked Alice who rears chickens to explain how much money she invested and how much profit she has made so far. Alice explained that she just keeps buying chickens when she gets the money and sells them when she gets a customer. She might find a customer interested in eggs and she will sell. She will use the money in buying milk for the children. She confirmed that she has never kept a single record of anything. Carol explained how it is impossible to build wealth with random activities, no budgets and no planning.  It turns out that most activities ranging from agribusiness are considered way of life and is treated as “they come and go” without any seriousness.

Carol asked where the bananas go since everybody seems to have them, Agnes explained that just two weeks prior, “a relative visited from Nairobi and carried in her vehicle because in Nairobi there are no gardens and people seem to be buying everything.”, Then Carol walked them through some costing and it turns out the bananas, if sold could have earned  her Kenya shillings 10,000. That is equivalent of $100, money that is impossible to raise from women who earn a dollar a day.  The women seemed shocked. They asked who will buy their bananas since all villagers own their own bananas. Carol then explained that she could have connected with people in Nairobi and those bananas could have earned her perhaps 20,000 shillings ($200). The room went quiet with shock.

When Carol explained how women could save milk, maize, chickens etc. and save, Erick  complained. “Madam, do you want our wives to begin denying children milk so that they can sell and save? “Everybody laughed and applauded. Carol commended the man for his great question and explained how saving is possible without starving the children and the family. How many litres of milk do you harvest? Carol asked Joyce. Joyce said she only gets three a day. Is the cow well fed? Joyce said there is drought and there is no fodder. Did the cow get enough water? Was the cow inseminated by a vet nary doctor? And so many other questions that were important that no one was paying attention to. It turns out that Lawrence keeps only one cow but is able to harvest slightly more than 15 litres a day. “Lawrence can  you explain what you are doing to get more milk?. And he went into details of how he even keeps fodder during the rainy season and use during the dry spell. He explains that he has to sell all morning milk and everybody has more than enough to use from evening milking. There were rounds of applause in the room.

“Raise up your hand if you are here and know someone who harvests 15 litres of milk”, Carol requested.   Everybody raised their hands up. Story after story of how people took things for granted, misused or underused resources, never planned, never budgeted, had poor loan repayment record and did not even inform themselves where to sell products when they had plenty left everyone in the room thinking that they are poor.  Carol used discussion groups, and question and answer method as well as Manila paper work to make her points clear. She also used her own personal stories. “A few years ago, my husband passed on and left me with four children. I was desperate and felt poor. But that was a wakeup call for me. I have saved, I have budgeted and I have taken loans and repaid them. I am educating my children in good schools and I am never stopping. “She went on.  “I was inn worse situation than you are. You can do more than what I am doing.” She emphasized to a pin drop silence.

At the end of second day, people were emotional.” Madam, when we were invited to this training, we thought it was a waste of our time because such math education should be for the children, but now I am grateful” said Eucabeth. “You have spoken to our hearts and in a way we feel very sad how ignorant we have been.” She continued.

HFAW provides holistic program combining economic empowerment with self-driven community interventions by the community women themselves such as tackling GBV beginning with FGM. But HFAW understands that for transformative communities we need strategies that help people change their mindset. For economic empowerment to occur we must provide avenues for credits but women and communities have to learn how to budget, save, make effective loan repayments and build capital. They have to access mentors, learn to network and be able to develop strategies for real markets beyond their village. We have only taken the first step in unlocking one barrier to success and after just this one training we saw people thinking hard and wondering about things they often don’t think about. Karen emotionally expressed “For the first time, I know the meaning of these words on my T-shirt. Very true that poverty is in our mind, we have so much and we think we are poor.” She continued.

You have been with us from a distance when we began this journey. You helped us in training women to be community activist; then you linked us to kivazip loans through which they launched individual economic activities. You have been there when we have been doing various advocacies against FGM, child abuse and early pregnancies. Women have launched their own credit society to access credits and pay back. How can we forget you who have unwavering support and have even donated to the credit society? We wish you were physically present to witness the joy these women experience when they discover something so profound about themselves and when we share with them that you are their angels who support these projects. They know that none of these could be possible without your support.

We have now embarked on a schedule of finance and entrepreneurship literacy and agribusiness trainings, mentoring and technical support to be conducted through the 2017. All in addition to the continuing advocacy work against GBV especially FGM. We proudly welcome you to continue supporting us. Log on and give us your advice as well and how else we can do to address changing the poverty mindset. And thank you for believing in our cause.

With much gratitude

Grace Mose-Okongo

Links:

• HFAW Facebook-describes HFAW work

Dear Friends, Colleagues and supporters,

Thanks to you, the month of August 2016 was not just an eventful month but a time of discovery. As the mothers traversed through 4 schools, they discovered that they have so much to offer to their community and to themselves. They had completed talks with students at Itumbe, Nyaronde, Mwongoli and Nyansiongo DEB primary schools. There events were scheduled on different days and spread through the month. The women spent a day in each school sharing with both teachers and students on various topics. Their presentations were based on popular education model which is very participatory and involved the teachers and students in question answer, role plays, skits/drama and educational songs on key gender topics. The key topics included discussions about FGM and encouraging the boys and girls to denounce it ones and for all. There were skits about early pregnancies and how girls become sexual prey to young men and especially when they get rides from the now very common motor-bike riders which ply in their neighborhoods as taxis. The health promoters dramatized the now too commonly known story much to the amusement of kids and teachers how ones the girl become pregnant and confronts the owner of the pregnancy, who more often than not will be a  rider rejects the girl saying “Iam not your ATM machine”. This then becomes a reminder to the girl that the money and the rides she has been getting were not for free. In other words, she allowed herself to become pregnant by allowing sex for small money or rides.

The faciliatator explained the message to the girl that in a system where men are not held accountable to their actions, girls end up being double victims and so they should take care and report promptly to teachers and parents if they are targeted by young men.

Some songs and drama raised awareness on child labor and child rights. The topic of child abuse was extremely sensitive to teachers in one school. The teacher on duty knew that the health promoters were visiting. She met the women and literary asked them not to speak to the topic of battering students. She said’ students have to undergo behavior correction using a cane. “If you tell them (meaning students) that they can’t be caned then how shall we discipline them? She appealed.  The health promoters responded humbly that they were discussing the things allowed by the constitution and guided by the child protective policy. They role played on issues of child abuse through so much labor that often stops girls from attending school or excessive beatings which discourage them from coming to school.

The children were so pleased to participate and they were asked to share experiences, and answer questions. They were also given note pads to write what they learnt, what they discovered or what suggestions or questions they had and stick them on the wall. This was very effective way of getting students feedback as they were excited in pinning their answers on the wall. Sampled repsonses include: "I discovered that child labor is abuse of children’s rights"; "I discovered that boy and girl child are equal"; "I discovered that FGM can lead to death and loss of blood";" I learnt that I could abstain from sex in order form  to complete school". Due to the positive outcome and response from the students, teachers in this school requested a separate discussion with teachers to discuss ways of dealing with students which does not necessarily involve corporal punishment. These teachers are also invited to our November training of client centered response by service providers.

Discovering that the schools have come to respect the women’s role in community intervention on GBV issues, FGM, early pregnancies and child abuse and rights transformed the way these women feel about themselves. Karen, one of the health promoters was thrilled when she reported back about the experience when she said; we really have become teachers now,” This comment resulted from more school requests from the health promoters to visit them. We had originally planned to visit two schools but ended up with four schools at the request from the neighboring schools. We still have another 4 school requests pending. We will prioritize them when we find resources.

We realize that the challenges in our community facing the girl child are many and it will take time to fully address them. We however strongly believe that the small incremental steps we are taking to empower the community tackle this issues will go a long way to change minds. We could not have done this without you, our supporters. A community where girls and women are treated as second class citizens is doomed. We invite you to continue to support us, to share information to your family and friends. Your support means a world to the girl in a very rural village and HFAW which works to bring hope to communities. Thank you!

 Sincerely,

Dr Grace Mose- Okong'o

Links:

• HFAW Facebook-describes HFAW work