KOKECH Jamii (TKMU)

P.O. BOX 456

OYUGIS

TEL. +254 - 734 - 172240 / +254 -720 – 242308

Email: kokechjamii@yahoo.com

PHYSICAL LOCATION:

COUNTRY:....................KENYA

PROVINCE:...................NYANZA

DISTRICT:....................RACHUONYO SOUTH

DIVISION:....................OYUGIS

LOCATION:..................KOKECH

SUB-LOCATION:...........KAWINO

VILLAGE:......................JIMO

NEAREST TOWN:...........OYUGIS

CONSTITUENCY:...........KASIPUL KABONDO

CONTACT PERSON:

NAME:..........................JOSEPHINE JAGAM

TITTLE:........................CBO DIRECTOR

E-MAIL:........................jagam44@yahoo.com

TEL:.............................+254-734-172240

BENEFICIARIES: Orphaned and Vulnerable children, guardians/care givers, youths and people living with HIV/AIDS.

AREA OF COVERAGE: Currently operating within Rachuonyo South District two locations of Kokech Kowidi and Konuong’a comprised of four sub-locations namely; Kawino, Kasimba, Kanyango and Kokal respectively.

KokechJamii Office

VISION

To have a community /society where there is improved standards of living.

MISSION

To empower the community to respond to the needs of children in especially difficult circumstances. Children in difficult circumstances are taken to be all handicapped children, orphans, street children, children suffering abuse from parents etc.

1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

1.1 Introduction:

KOKECH Jamii (TKMU) is a Community Based Organisation (CBO) that was established as an Ark for the Orphaned and the Vulnerable Children living in Kasimba and Kawino sub-locations of Kokech location – Rachuonyo South District and registered in the year 2002 following the HIV/AIDS alarming rate within Kokech location and its entire neighbourhood. It was established with a broad objective of enabling orphans have access to the basic needs such as food, education and health services. The Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) have been subjected to a lot of hardship culminating into many of them being unable to cater for their own lives. This condition has subjected them into early child labour and other criminal acts such as drug addiction, alcoholism, prostitution and other evils.

1.2 Background:

The CBO projects cover four sub-locations namely: Kawino, Kasimba, Kokal and Kanyango in Kokech and Kowidi Locations of Oyugis Division with a total population of 7,800. The social-economic activities are mainly small scale farming and petty businesses. Currently the number of Orphaned and Vulnerable Children in the four sub-locations add up to 1,008, 498,865 and 942 respectively. Children below 5 years and 510 school going (above 5 years). This number is not static and keeps increasing hence difficulty in fulfilling the needs of all of them. The four sub-locations lie in an environment for agri-business such as Dairy farming, poultry keeping and kitchen gardening. It also offers a good atmosphere for the development of agro-forestry.

children in their dilapidated classroom which was eventually swept away by strong winds.

1.3 PROBLEMS:

The main problem is the inaccessibility of the orphans and vulnerable children to basic necessities such as food, clothing, shelter, education and health services. As revealed by the Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) team involved in the development of the CBOs proposals, some hose holds in Kokech and Kowidi locations interviewed had between 4– 11 orphans and children under the care of caregivers/guardians. This number is too big to be supported by the relatives given the level of poverty in the area.

According the Rachuonyo South District development plan 2003 – 2009, household income per capita is between US $ 70 – 75. This level of income is insufficient to support a household of 7 members plus additional relatives from extended families.

As revealed by the National Poverty Strategy Paper (NPSP), 59% of the Rachuonyo people live below the poverty line i.e. earning less than a dollar a day. The effects of the problems are adverse, ranging from cases of child labour and abuse to sexual abuse on child female headed households. Random samples of female headed households for HIV/AIDS tests have revealed a worrying situation since majority of them were found to be positive. There is also a good number of Orphans and Vulnerable Children dropping from school. Some have resorted to drug abuse and alcoholism leading to emergencies of die hard criminals and nuisance lots.

Majority of the Orphaned and Vulnerable Children are not able to secure adequate food, clothing, education and health services. The rampant cases of child abuse have resulted in some orphans running to major towns as street boys and girls.

At the same time, girls are resorting to prostitution and early marriages subjecting them to HIV/AIDS infections. Furthermore, children under five years are suffering from malnutrition and other food insecurity related diseases. Limited availability of food has been used by men to trap women and young girls for sex. So long as they are able to provide food, they are able to have sex with them.

1.4 PROJECT RATIONALE

The intervention strategies proposed by the project is aimed at reversing the trend. The OVCs will be accessible to food, education and health services. The project has and will still instil confidence in the OVCs thus making them enjoy good standard of dignified livelihood. Through the interventions, the OVCs will restore their lost dignity hence able to lead a normal life. The under-fives Mortality due to malnutrition has been reduces and still aimed at being brought to an end, saving the lives that could have been lost.

1.5 PARTICIPATION OF THE COMMUNITY ON PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

The community, through their leaders and officials of Kokech Jamii (TKMU) carried out a situation analysis. The findings were given back to the community at a feedback session where generative themes (issues) were analysed and options for the development listed. After the analysis of the alternative options, only the doable were listed for the development of the current projects. Later on the community members were invited to a workshop where objective oriented project planning was used to develop the projects. The current projects have therefore been developed participatorily with members of the community.

some of the OVCs in October 2009 during recritment; malnourished and too weak to stand on their own.

2.0 PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

2.1 Project organization

The Ark for the orphans and vulnerable children was formulated with a community centered strategy aimed at making the community more responsible for their OVCs. Guardians of the orphans and their parents are reached through Kokech Jamii (TKMU), a Community Based Organization in the area. The CBO works with both formal and informal groups.

All these groups are organised at the village level (17 villages). For each village, there is a village committee. A village covers between 30-60 households. The committee consists of elected representatives from those villages who are concerned with the plight of the OVCs and are able to offer some leadership qualities.

2.2 Project beneficiaries

The direct beneficiaries of the project are the OVCs living within the targeted 120 households. Other beneficiaries are the legitimate guardians and parents of the OVCs. The legitimacy of the beneficiaries is determined by qualified and experienced officials of Kokech Jamii, local administration and village committees. The targeted direct beneficiaries’ age groups will be 3-6 yrs.

2.3 Objectivescaregivers in an agricultural training by the ministry of Agriculture at the centre.

 The overall objective of the project is to improve accessibility of basic necessities to 120 OVCs, 200 older siblings and 80 caregivers by the year 2010.

Specificobjectives:

v To construct a day care and ECD centre to cater for the OVCs betweenthe ages of 3 – 6 yrs by the end of 2009.

v Increase agricultural products of 120 households where OVCs live.

v Improve income of 120 households where OVCs live.

v Improve health status of the <5 orphaned children and the rest ofthe OVCs.

v Develop economic infrastructure of the centre by constructing twoinstitutional tanks and opening up and gravelling of access road by 2010.

2.4Projects components and results

The project currently has six components inline with its expected results namely:

v Food security and nutrition improvement

v Preventive health promotion

v Small enterprise development initiation

v Early Childhood Development (ECD) and day care centre construction.

v Training of personnel strengthened

2.4.1.Food Security and nutritional improvement

This component aims at ensuring that 1500OVCs have access to adequate food and nutrition by the year 2010. This will berealised through operating ECDs and promoting increased agricultural productionat 600 households.

In ECD and day care Centres; theorganization will conduct a feeding programme for children between the ages of2-6 yrs from January 2009.The centres will also be used to monitor the growthof these children, deworm and provide Vitamin A supplement. It will also offera drop in centre for the youths to learn more about HIV/AIDS.

Besides feeding and growth monitoring, theECD centre will also offer Early Childhood education to OVCs between the agesof 2-6yrs through a donor (GRACE AFRICA). It will also cater for older childrenwho are the heads of their households and other siblings within theirhouseholds in terms of counselling and provision of food supplements.

Food security and nutrition as componentshas two major outputs namely: Crop production and nutrition. Crop productioncovers provision of certified seeds and fertilizers. Establishment ofdemonstration plots, kitchen gardens, holding of field days and conducting oftours, provision of metal silos, establishment of agro forestry trees/nurserieswhile nutrition will embrace provision of medical examination services,weighing OVCs <5 yrs, holding seminars on nutrition for guardians andparents, and provision of food supplements.

Community health workers working with staff during recruitment 2.4.2.Preventive Health promotion

Preventive health as a component has oneoutput, community health. For the output to be realised, activities such astraining of HIV/AIDS counsellors, community mobilization, counselling ofOVCs/guardians and parents, follow ups and awareness campaigns are put inplace. Community education is recognised through local barazas, seminars, andtours. Guidance and counselling is also part of community mobilization.

2.4.3.Small enterprise development

The small enterprise development componenttargets the ECD and day care centres for the sustainability of the project.Poultry keeping and vegetable growing will be initiated at the centres. Thiscomponent will have two functions. First it will improve nutritional status ofthe direct beneficiaries and secondly raise income for the future running ofthe project.

2.4.4. ECD and Day care centre construction:

This component will have support and careas output and will cover activities such as construction of a hall, offices,youth drop – in-centre for youth activities, chapel and a sick bay,construction of 6 VIP toilets, construction of a kitchen, dining hall, store,construction of classrooms and procurement of kitchen equipment and furniture.

2.4.5.Development of economic infrastructure enhanced

This component will involve building of twoinstitutional tanks and opening up and gravelling of 5km access road leading tothe ECD centre. The component will also involve perimeter fencing of the ECDcentre.

District Agricultural Officer training caregivers at the centre's kitchen garden. 2.4.6.Training of personnel

This component takes care of trainingpersonnel especially the Co-ordinators in to Diploma level. Other personnelwill also be trained on basic agricultural practices including sustainableagriculture for improved production.

2.5Project activities

Listed below are the current and proposedactivities earmarked for achieving various expected results. The specifictargets on these activities are specified in the Projects Planning Matrix(PPM).

2.6Activities and output

OUTPUT

ACTIVITIES

FOOD

SECURITY AND NUTRITION

A. Crop production

v Provision of certified seeds

v Provision of fertilizers

v Establishment of demonstration plots

v Establishment of kitchen gardens

v Holding field days

v Conducting tours

v Establishment of tree nurseries and agro-forestry tree species

v Provision of metal silos

B. Nutrition

Provision of medical examination services

Weighing of children below 5 years

Conducting seminars on nutrition

Provision of food supplements

PREVENTIVE

HEALTH

A. Community health

v Training of HIV/AIDS counsellors

v Community mobilization

v Counselling of OVCs, guardians and parents

v Follow ups

v Awareness campaigns

v Deworming and provision of Vitamin A supplements to <5 and >5 years

SMALL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

A. Income Generating Activities (IGAs)

v Vegetable growing for commercial production

v Poultry keeping

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENTT (ECD) AND DAY CARE CENTRE
A. Education, care and support to OVCs	v Construction of a hall/office, youth drop-in-centres, chapel and sick bay v Construction of classrooms for the children. v Construction of 6 VIP latrines v Construction of a kitchen/dining hall, and store v Procurement of kitchen equipments v Procurement of furniture
DEVELOPMENT OF ECONOMIC INFRUSTRUCTURE
A. Construction of 2 institutional tanks	v Provision of electricity to ECD centre
B. Opening up and grading 5km road	v Construction and gravelling of 5km road from main road to the day care centre
TRAINING OF PERSONNEL
A. Training	v Training in counselling v Training in basic agriculture and basic business management skills e.g. poultry keeping, organic farming especially kitchen gardening. v Training in basic child protection policy

3.0PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
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3.1Kokech Jamii (TKMU) Kokech Jamii Director, Josphine signing certificates for the children at the centre graduating from ECD.

Kokech Jamii (TKMU) is situated inRachuonyo south District with its offices at Oyugis town. It has 32 active foundermembers, 22 women and 10 men. It has a management committee 11 people, 3 menand 8 women.

For the past seven years, the organizationhas been undertaking activities such as trainings, food security and nutrition,provision of education and health services.

On trainings, the CBO has trainedTraditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) on prevention of mother to childtransmission (PMTCT). It has also promoted HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns amongcommunity leaders, youths, guardians and group CBO members.

On food security and nutrition, the CBO hascontributed grains for child headed households. Village representatives,members of the CBO and guardians have been provided with appropriate certifiedgrain seeds. 6 ox-ploughs have been procured for stepping up the agriculturalproduction in the area.

The CBO through its members haveestablished and maintained a one acre of traditional vegetables and kales whichis currently realising some revenue. It has also provided food supplements likesoya blend corn, and vegetable oil to the orphans through the support of CARE- Kenya . As at now, 237 bags of50kg of corn/soya and 237 containers of 4 litres vegetable oil supplements havebeen provided to the orphans.

On health, the organization has beenproviding deworming tablets to the <5 years, growth monitoring of <5years, vitamin A and other multivitamin supplements through the financialassistance from Grass Roots Alliance forCommunity education (GRACE Africa) .

Pertaining to education, the organizationhas provided school uniforms to 500 pupils and 80 desks to 8 primary schools.It has also been meeting orphans with a view to establish play groups which hasgood psychosocial behaviours change in the youth. This support has beenrealised through financial assistance from the National Aids Control Council (NACC). All these activities havebeen achieved regular home visits and weekly meetings.

3.2 Organization/Project management A health officer immunizing a child at the centre during a health day at the center.

The project has been managed by a wellexperienced and qualified Co-ordinator who reports to the management committeeof the organization. The co-ordinator is in charge of daily management of theprogramme activities. The Co-ordinator creates links with the community memberswho are the owners of the project. The village committee identifies and selectsand select the beneficiaries with the assistance of the provincialadministration and the Kokech Jamii officials. The management structure is suchthat the management decisions are made at the project unit.

3.3 Reporting, monitoring andevaluation

Monitoring and evaluation activities areco-ordinated and consolidated by the project Co-ordinator. The organization hasput in place tools for monitoring the activities. The tools are also used toadjust the guidelines for monitoring quarterly and annual reporting inaccordance with the projects/ Donor requirements.

The project has also institutionalized thedevelopment of annual work plans to guide monthly and quarterly monitoring. Inthe same context, the project staff also builds their capacity on opportunitiesin developing consistent tools for M&E activities. There are mid-term andend term evaluations to determine the level of success of the project.

3.4 Financial management

The CBO funds are managed by a fullyqualified Accountant with a wealth of experience on Donor financial reportingrequirements.

The project funds are managed according tothe existing Kokech Jamii financial policies, internal control systems andprocedures and or Donor requirements. The Finance and administration managerreports to the CBO management committee and sends reports to the donors asrequired.

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3.5 Sustainability

The main strategy set in place to allowcontinuation of the activities is by empowering the members of the organizationand community members to own the project. The project also has a strongmanagement team with good financial and administrative skills to support incomegenerating activities. The management committee has also acquired adequateknowledge on fund raising to prepare them for any eventual pull out of thedonor.

caregivers in an agricultural training by the ministry of Agriculture at the centre. children in their dilapidated classroom which was eventually swept away by strong winds.

caregivers in a meeting Children at the center in their new uniforms funded by GRACE AFRICA

A teacher assisting a child in class at the ECD centre first lot of the sponsored children graduating from ECD. children receiving health services at the center. children at the center being served with poridge. GRACE AFRICA CEO Natasha with Kokech Jamii Director Jospihine, admiring new furniture for the children at the centre funded by GRACE AFRICA.

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