Placement: Empowerment Village for Women and Children in Eastern Kenya.

About the Placement

Aims: Ideally area lies within the most important highway that connects the port of Mombasa with East and Central Africa. Literally the highway is a vehicle for disease transmission such as Sexually Transmitted Infections {STIs} and HIV/AIDS. The area is classified as semi-arid zone where rainfall is unevenly distributed and its less than 1000mm per year,it can not support any meaningful agricultural activities. This situation drives majority of teens girls and boys who either drop out of school because of poverty hence get pregnant or become street children while the widows into prostitution as they try to fend for themselves viz-viz children. Many long distant truck drivers opt to rest after darkness l on these towns such that are situated along the highway and take advantage of this sad situation.

Its against this backdrop that these group of women {widows} decided to come up with an initiative that will be able to bring these mamas together, share their struggles and challenges through simple activities as they try to empower one another. As they say a problem shared is problem half solved.

Beneficiaries: The impact of this project cuts across the entire venerable children and orphans within the community.It also assist the hopeless widows who despite the harsh economic and unfavorable weather conditions finds an oasis of hope in troubled waters of life.

Overview {Brief History}: Who Comprises Ndiwa? Ndiwa Women group comprises of 110 mamas {aged from 24-70 years} and all are widows. Majority of the widows are active though there those who have different health problems coupled with the age factor. The group started with merry goes round activity, where whenever they meet, they could share whatever little they had equally or in turns.

Culturally the man is allowed to move from the village into big cities and towns to search for jobs so as to fulfill family obligations. This situation gives advantage over women who are left behind to take care of the children and other family chores. On monthly basis a man is supposed to send some money to the family but with the currently difficult economic situation may not often be the case and the mothers are left with the burden to taking care of all the responsibilities. In other situations most of these families have no father as a result of HIV/AIDS and the mother has no other option but to indulge in anti social activities such as prostitution. This situation exposure again the children in venerable position where in case of girl child they too also follow their mothers while the boys may end up on the streets.

The impact of this vicious cycle is total orphaned because the mother might end up becoming sick and finally leaves the children in the hands of the community who at times or because of harsh economic conditions have not business of carrying another burden. Mis-treatment sometimes is very common in these foster families and even rape cases or child molestation has been reported.

The impact of all the challenges is a perfect example of this initiative where empowerment of the widows and orphans is paramount importance in order for them to find a place in this world.

Project Uniqueness: As the saying goes:"problem shared is problem half solved". The project is a perfect example on how simple activities coupled with determination can transform the lives of widows in a community faced with many socio-economic challenges,especially adverse weather conditions,harsh economic realities and high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate. The project also creates a platform for uneducated but talented mamas an opportunity to over come the over bearing odds through utilization of abilities that lies within them. The volunteers share the rich culture at the grass root level whose end result is enriched,satisfying,fulfilling and rewarding experience afterward. Experience the real meaning of globalization first hand as we talk of the world becoming a small global village.Meet people from different part of the world through intercultural exchange.

Role of Volunteer

Duties and Responsibilities of Volunteers: Assisting the different programs within the project with ideas on how to expand, Develop marketing strategies and soliciting markets abroad for the sale of viable {baskets, necklaces etc} products in the in the women group for sustainability of women programs, Offer technical advises during construction of the orphanage including drawing up architectural plan for the up coming health facility, Assisting the children {orphans} on remedial classes hosted in a nearby school, Teaching in a nearby school in any subject of interest or choice by the volunteer{foreign language, Mathematics, English, Geography, Physics etc}, Home visits on different homes for the mamas to understand their struggles and come up with ideas on forming programs based on their challenges and measures to improve there living standards, Assist in construction; in physical work; e.g. interacting with mamas in making bricks, carrying stone and construction, Participate in farming activities including sharing ideas on organic farming and how to enhance food production, growing of nutritious plants, Health Education especially for the HIV/AIDS program, counseling and awareness activities within the community, Advocates and lobbying for children rights through activities within the community to reduce child trafficking which transpires to child labor and prostitution. Helping the community understands the right of a child to access education, food, shelter and grown in an environment where they rights are respected, Updating the mamas data information, Trainings on capacity building, Environmental activities like tree planting and nursery tree preparations.

The activities are optional for the volunteers and it all depends on line of specialization.

Travel Information

Airport pick from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport will be done upon confirmation of full flight details via email.Volunteers will be accompanied to project site by staff after three days one day orientation.

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