| WHAT WE DO: | ||
| + | Agriculture & Environment: Agricultural training in best practices, environmental management and leadership, fodder production and pasture recovery. | |
| + | Child Development & Education: Education support program, health care, clean water, training community leaders in church development, rehabilitating school buildings, HIV/AIDS education, assisting youth with Bible study. | |
| + | Economic Development & Livelihoods: Sustainable goat breeding, trading of goat milk, training livestock traders, building market infrastructure, fodder production, livestock marketing. | |
| + | Health & Nutrition: Nutrition education, growth monitoring, disease prevention education, health assessment, first aid treatment, iron supplements, de-worming. | |
| + | HIV/AIDS: Clinical treatment and testing, education in behavior change, HIV/AIDS awareness, church and community care, promoting life skills, home-based care, support systems development, counseling, training community resource persons. | |
| + | Peace & Conflict Mitigation: Improving local governance, trainings in conflict mitigation. | |
| + | Water & Sanitation: Drilling wells, catchment systems, spring protection, constructing dams and water pans, hygiene education, hand washing stations. | |
| + | Emergency Relief: Implementing early warning systems for flood, famine and drought, food distribution, disease prevention education, renovating dams and repairing water pans. | |
They say knowledge is power.
It begins with one community, made up of families, children, and their cattle. One community knowing that change needs to happen. One organization knowing we can help. One sponsor knowing that national boundaries don't mean anything when it comes to our responsibility to love our neighbors. One child knowing she is worth it and enrolling in school.
In Parkishon, Kenya rain also holds power. The presence of rain determines the success of livestock, the health of families, and the availability of food to eat and water to drink. A lack of rain means a depletion of resources, often leading to tensions and increased warfare between groups.
Yet in Parkishon, despite this clash in powers, one elder decided, "It is time for us to know education." One warrior further decided that it was good to have a place for children to study, and one mother decided that she wanted to learn to read. Things began small in this rural community - children's clubs started learning about hand washing and hygiene, a school committee was formed to address children's needs, and parents began meeting with FH staff to learn about children's rights, girls' education and biblical worldview.
Then this bit of knowledge began to grow. Community leaders drilled a water hole, partnerships were formed with sponsors from western countries and a study center was built; the children's clubs also grew and began spreading messages about hygiene, kitchen gardens were created, community litter was cleaned up, and new desks were bought.
Now, children are healthier, they are attending school and parents are learning to read too. Water is more accessible. And change is continuing to positively impact the families, children, and cattle of Parkishon.
This is the power knowledge can have and the changes knowing can make.
+ FH HISTORY:
FH opened operations in Kenya in emergency response to the drought of
1976. Over the past 30 years FH Kenya has expanded its activities to include
food security, water and sanitation, health, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, education,
conflict management, child development programs, income generation and
livestock, and economic development.
+ KENYA'S
HISTORY:
Kenya contains some of the earliest evidence of human habitation on earth. Following the arrival of Arab and Persian groups
in A.D. 700, coastal tribes, bonded by Islam, joined to form the Swahili
people, developed the lingua franca “Kiswahili” and enabled
trade between Arab and Bantu groups.
The 16th century was marked with violence, murder and the robbery of much
of East Africa’s natural resources, as Portugal invaded, colonized
and forced conversion to Catholicism. In 1886, following a decision by
European nations to divide Africa, Kenya came under British rule and was
renamed British East Africa. As white and Arab settlers arrived in Kenya
in the late 19th century, this tradition of abuse was perpetuated, giving
land priority to white settlers (known as the White highlands), forcing
local Kenyans into “native reserves”.
In 1952, a violent revolt led by Jomo Kenyatta began the fight for independence
from British colonial rule. Within four years of this uprising, known
as the Mau Mau Rebellion, violence broke out, resulting in the death of
nearly 12,000 Africans and 30 Europeans, ultimately leading the British
government to declare a state of emergency.
In 1963, after over a decade of fighting, independence was granted, and
in 1964 Jomo Kenyatta became Kenya’s first president. Kenya remained
a one party state until 1992, when the first multi-party elections were
held. In 2002 and 2007, Mwai Kibaki of the National Rainbow Coalition
was elected president.
Violence erupted in late 2007 following disputes over the credibility
of the election results. By February, 2008 over one thousand Kenyans were
killed and hundreds of thousands were forced to flee their homes, relegated
to living as internally displaced persons. Currently, families who were
displaced by the conflict are beginning to resettle.
FACTS:
+ Known for its natural beauty and wildlife, Kenya is home to 37 million people comprising 40 different ethnic groups.
+ Though primary education is now free and compulsory in Kenya, 90% of children from poor households do not complete their basic education.
+ It is estimated that 10,000-30,000 Kenyan children have been ensnared in the commercial sex trade, many resorting to prostitution after fleeing from violent homes.
+ Malaria is the leading cause of death in Kenya, and totals 43% of outpatient hospital attendance.
+ Half of Kenya's people live under the poverty line.
+ Facts From: IRIN, CIA, The World Factbook, UNHCR, UNICEF.
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