Kilifi: 26 ReachUp! Participants Graduate at the Kenya Redcross Society Center

Finally the day everyone was eagerly waiting for was here! 26 ReachUp! Participants at the Kenya Redcross Society- Kilifi celebrated their 1st graduation ceremony. The event was marked with excitement from both the participants (who are also volunteers at the Center)and DOT Kenya Coast team.

The day began smoothly with preparations being done in anticipation of our guests who were DOT Kenya Country Director- Evans Njoro, Lifting the Barriers Program Manager Violet Monyangi, Youth Representative Ministry of Youth Sipha. In attendance also was Irene Mlanga- Program Assistant Coast, Field Officers Coast region Peter Mutie and Ayshah Maende and Field Facilitator Caroline Boraya. Minutes after their arrival the procession kicked off with recitation of the principles of the Red Cross led by one of the participant Michael Andera the Youth Chairperson.This was followed by the welcoming speech by our Center Coordinator Samuel Kamau Kangethe and giving a brief about the ReachUp! Training and its impact to the volunteers.Mr. Kamau also encouraged the participants to implement the knowledge gained in class in their day to day lives.


There was presentation by one of the participants on behalf of his colleagues. Generally they were quite happy and felt lucky to have had this training brought to them where they got to learn a lot. The general feeling was that they were now confident enough to start their own small businesses and that their self confidence had been boosted. Those who hadn't had any exposure to computers  felt privileged to have got this knowledge for free and the others felt more empowered with computer skills. For example the ReachUp! program aided one of the participant's who has an orphanage for children to create a website for his orphanage (www.busaraorphanage.org ).

Finally the award of the certificates was done by Mr. Evans Njoro assisted by Mr. Samuel.There was excitement all over as each participant came to receive his / her certificate.   This was followed by photo shoots and mingling of the participants with my fellow colleagues .

Blessed holiday everyone

Writting speaks louder sometimes!

Just today realized that I will be spending more time blogging since it is the easiest way to talk to yourself. Am so sad and feels bad when people or let me say someone doesn't respect another person or let me use the word selfish. Some people can make others feel that the world is cruel when actually human being are the root course. But yet again do nothing and just pray for them, God is the final decision maker!

Okay let's forget that, An thinking Monday I will be going back home after a whole month of adventure from Nairobi, Canada, New York City and finally home Malindi! Am soo excited since have missed my family and also my bed lol. Oooh my God also my people especially when they call asking me whereabouts like "Madam where are you? Are you okay? That's sweet of them really. I have so much in store really especially on girl child education and awareness really. People I came from a community where school drop out, Drug Abuse and girl child education rate is high and are the main issues affecting young people both men and women and even though many people are creating awareness of the same but engaging the youth to be part  of it works very well really. So together with the other 19 young fellows within Kilifi County we can make it big. I do believe so anyway. Nothing is tough until you try it right?

All in all just some suggestion from you guys what are some of the things you can do to empower other young people especially girls? 

2011 in the picture

Mmmmh it's yet another year and so much is in store from looking for participants, developing our communities and giving back to our communities. Have no idea where to start but am pretty sure by the end of the week that is today something big will happen and yah it has happen at least have a number of participants whom I will be starting class with came on Monday and they are so eager to start the classes. This time around have a new way that I will make them give back to the community but won't tell you now till the day of their big day

DOT Kenya-ReachUp! Program marks another season in Kenya's Coast Region

For the past ten months, DOT Kenya has been significantly realized across all corners of the coastal region of Kenya. So many activities of the ReachUp! program have gone on in this region that makes one wonder how fast time flies. It really does dash!
Most of this work was realized from the tireless efforts of Ainayat Adam, Chris Wasike, Wilson Oduor, Mutisya Maingi, and Purity Rifuata, who were on the ground in the positions of DOT Kenya ReachUp! program interns in the Coast Region. These were the loyal and committed fellows who did a lot of incredible advocacy for the ReachUp! program. The classes were remarkable, and for sure the participants gained even more than what they had initially hoped for.
Peter Mutie, our outgoing Intern Support Assistant (ISA) in the Coast Region, has been marvelous. Peter is quite an energetic, with an outspoken mind, and stops at nothing to meet his goal. He did all he could to ensure that the interns were comfortable in their service delivery. His coordination between the Interns and the office in Nairobi was highly timely and appreciated. It is obvious that as his time with DOT ends, he will be missed and recognized in the future activities of the organization in the region.
Irene Mlanga joined DOT Kenya in July 2011. She comes in as the first ever Program Assistant for the Coast Region. For the short period she has been with the organization, her work has been significantly recognized. She is gifted in essence, a committed employee, and for sure we could not have asked for more from her. She is simply an exactly fitting piece of our puzzle.
Over the last ten months, more than 500 ReachUp! program participants have graduated from 18 centers that are spread all over the Coast Region. These centres have gained great services from the ReachUp! program and the relationship with DOT has been of mutual benefit to both parties. Among the beneficiaries of the program are the AMURT Centres in Likoni, Diani and Malindi. We also managed to work with several Youth Polytechnics, CITC, Mazeras, CKC Sombeza, community based organisations like the Malindi Education and Development Association (MEDA), and the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYAS) in Malindi and Msambweni.
Although we pride in the numbers of graduated participants and centres, they were not attained without a hard work and several challenges. The toughest setback to getting bigger classes was that of language barrier. It is traditional knowledge among the Kenyan communities that the coast is a Swahili speaking region. It therefore means that the interns had a tough time to get participants for classes, which had to be translated to Swahili. Most of the people at the Coast only speak and comprehend the Swahili language other than their mother-tongues, and therefore the translation process for a big class is quite hectic.
Another challenge we faced was the high rate of illiteracy in the region. This region is a tourist destination, and therefore most young people have absolutely no interest in formal education. They prefer focusing on tourism-targeted businesses because through these activities they are able to make large sums of money within a short period of time. This is the lifestyle that has raised them, as well as their grandparents. It is therefore not easy to convince them that formal education is something beneficial to them.
With technology also comes the challenge of connectivity. There is poor internet connectivity on most parts of the Coast Region. This is because most of our centres were out of town. This made it very difficult to train the participants on the internet modules. This also affects phone calls because the network is mostly the same as that of the internet. However, our smart interns found a way to meet this challenge and succeed.
I am now the Field Officer for the region, but I enjoyed my 10 months of internship. During that period, I learned so many lessons on the ground as well as from my fellow interns during our monthly meetings.  I could never resist the temptation of checking what is fresh on our website each day. Every time I saw something new from the interns, local or global staff, I was mesmerized. It is clear to me that everyone at DOT is gifted and very generous in sharing talent and skills. I have never regretted being a member of this awesome community.
In a nutshell, the Coast Region has made DOT proud. Sincerely, this is one of the toughest regions to penetrate with a program like ReachUp!, but we are proud to have managed to change the lives of many residents. We appreciate the efforts of all the concerned parties and hope that even as the internship term ends, these interns will continue being very resourceful to the organization while in their alumni status. "As you start a new chapter of your lives, be the good ambassadors you have always been to us. We enjoyed working with you."
From Pwani (Coast) it is a very loud "Asante Sana!" to our out-going team of interns and Intern Support Assistant. I really had a great time with you all.

for more about DOT-Kenya login
http://kenya.dotrust.org/

The MasterCard Foundation - Foundation Blog – Reaching Up for Youth

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Letter

A mother passing by her daughter's bedroom was astonished to see the bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then she saw an envelope propped up prominently on the center of the bed. It was addressed, "Mom." With the worst premonition, she opened the envelope and read the letter with trembling hands:

Dear Mom: It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new boyfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Dad and you. I've been finding real passion with Ahmed and he is so nice-even with all his piercings, tattoos, beard, and his motorcycle clothes. But it's not only the passion Mom, I'm pregnant and Ahmed said that we will be very happy. He already owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. He wants to have many more children with me and that's now one of my dreams too. Ahmed taught me that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone and we'll be growing it for us and trading it with his friends for all the cocaine and ecstasy we want. In the meantime, we'll pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Ahmed can get better; he sure deserves it!! Don't worry Mom, I'm 15 years old now and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I'm sure we'll be back to visit so you can get to know your grand children.

Your daughter, Judith

PS: Mom, none of the above is true. I'm over at the neighbor's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than my report card that's in my desk center drawer. I love you! Call when it is safe for me to come home.