Improving the houses for the scholars we are paying school fees for
We found out first about the biggest problems at the houses of our scholars. In the pictures, you will see the improvements to the roof we made of a small mud house where a single mother, grandmother, and 3 children were living. It was leaking a lot of rainwater inside. Besides the general bad condition of the roof, the second-hand undulated iron sheets had open holes from their first use.
We also mounted a gutter to catch the water in a one-thousand-liter tank. Providing the family with cleaner water than they get from the river. Through this, the mother and children have to walk less to the river for water.
Meeting with the authorities of the community of Bonde
Like all communities and cities in Kenya, Bonde has, besides the Area Chief, also 18 villages, with 18 village elders, each of them responsible for about 100 households. Furthermore, there is a contact person for every 10 households. This person is a volunteer, a first aid, and a link to the higher administration of the community.
Our meeting was organised by the Area Chief and attended by many of his Village Elders also popularly known as the ¨Community Gatekeepers¨. Also, some teachers and directors of schools were at the meeting. Part of the parents of our beneficiary students also attended.
After the CEO, Maurine, presented the NGO, Durable Sustainable Initiatives Kenya, the Chief asked everyone, one by one, to speak out which, accordingly to their opinion, was the most needed to be done in Bonde.
The needs that came forward were drilling for water, support for education (school fees, practice in English for teenagers and adults), handicrafts (knitting, crocheting, …), improving agriculture, … .
We explained at the meeting the kind of help we will organise in Bonde. We told them that we are not coming with a lot of money, but we will help them achieve self-reliance.
We told them that we can only reach that result by working together.
In time, the people of Bonde should be able to pay the school fees for their own children.
We will teach them to save some money to provide for their own needs e.g; save money to improve their houses.
We will help to bring drinkable water close to their houses. And also to develop small businesses.
Improving agriculture (Zai pits, irrigation, ..) will be the first mean to get more income.
It is very important to maintain all improvements. For this, we will install committees to watch over this.
