Dumisha usafi 3 by Western Agribusiness

Inside this issue

Counting our blessings in protecting the Environment

issue Inside this

contents The 15 year old Queen of the Loom

Playing with Fire: Beware the dangers of the Jiko

Sofia Door 2 Door Health Awareness Campaign

Editorial Team

Sofia Clean-up: Environment Day

The Queen

Hebu Leo Siklizeni

Importance of the Environment

Yunasi: Born to Sing (Part II)

Playing with Fire

Environment

The Big Project Kicks Off!

Time for Change

A New Beginning

Sofia Door to Door Health Awareness Campaign

The Naivasha Experience

The Encounter

Our Environment

Publisher Community Health Education Programme, St. John’s Community Centre

Layout & Design Patrick Thirimu (IEC Strategy Ltd)

Editorial Consultancy IEC Strategy Ltd., info@iecstrategy.co.ke

Printing IEC Strategy Ltd.

Editors-in-chief Peter Mugendi, Francis Kinyua, George Njoroge (St. John’s Community Centre)

Contributors Ian Gatere, Jeannine Wanjiru, Maryjane, Kevin Onyango, Umbrella, Helen Maina, Child Protection Team, Marium Abdulghani, George Njoroge, Andrew Ambetsa, Peter Mugendi, Lillian Akinyi, Susan Muthoni

Sub editor Maryanne Wachira (IEC Strategy Ltd)

Counting our blessings in protecting the environment 3

Illustrators Hussein Arts, Patrick Thirimu

his is the third edition of the ‘Dumisha Usafi’ magazine, a publication of the St. John’s Community Centre under the Information Empowerment and Advocacy Programme – Community Health department.

The programme has witnessed changes as the community leaps towards attaining the desired healthy environmental conditions. Several groups that deal with sanitation have formed an umbrella, Pumwani Youth Groups Network, consisting of 19 groups to address the issues at hand as one. A move that has borne more results than anticipated.

The

programme

has

witnessed changes as the community leaps towards

attaining the desired healthy environmental conditions

Some youth groups such as Bakuba and Maisha Ladies have also initiated door to door campaigns to educate the residents on proper disposal of domestic waste, which has been the core challenge to the community. The children and women have also benefited a great deal under CHAST (Child Health and Sanitation Transformation), and PHAST (People’s Health and Sanitation Transformation). Currently the programme is implementing drainage rehabilitation and toilet construction projects in three villages – Kitui, Kinyago and Kanuku – through the MS Kenya and St. John’s Community Centre partnership. During this eve of celebrating 50 years of community service in Pumwani, we congratulate the community members and partners for helping us gain the countless achievements that we have seen transforming lives socially and economically. These are reflected in the articles that we receive and more so the editorial team for a job well done. We encourage more people to give their articles as well as opinions as we strive to improve, protect, conserve and preserve our environment. Enjoy your reading!

Peter Njuguna Gatei, Project Manager, St. John’s Community Centre

haaUUssaa Mssh M

ENVIRONMENT DAY

George

Njorog

ne of the greatest tragedies facing the people who live in informal settlements such as Majengo, located three kilometres from Nairobi, is dumping. This is because the houses in this area arose without major and important issues being taken into consideration such as drainage systems, toilets, dumping sites, water availability and other sanitation and public welfare aspects hence jeopardizing the health and wealth of the residents. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s under this premise that SJCC under the Information Empowerment office, in coordination with local environmental groups, realized the importance of alleviating environment pollution and organized a specific day to meet this challenge.

Prior meetings held highlighted the main tasks including provision of implements (this included polythene bags, rakes, wheelbarrows, nose masks among other things), transport and refreshments. It was a pilot project to ensure cleanliness and create modalities of how the environment can be taken care of to avoid environmental degradation and pollution. This was done in conjunction with the city council, community and political leaders as well as the civic wing. Various dignitaries led by local civic leaders, aspiring members of parliament and councillors as well as SJCC

management greatly participated in this task. The activity began at the SJCC gates and the several teams combed through the house spaces and streets ensuring that the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theme was adhered to. All the local businesses closed to ensure the participation of everyone. The environmental youth groups worked hard ferrying the several bags of trash to the dumping site.

ment as they expressed their gratitude to the people who participated and helped achieve the goal of setting an example on having a better environment. The councillor and the ward manager told the participants the rules and regulations relating to dumping and the steps outlined to be taken against offenders. Various bags were given to the environment groups as a way of supporting them after which the participants went to the centre for lunch and refreshments.

One of the greatest tragedies facing people who live in informal settlements such as Majengo, is dumping!

At the end of the day Sofia changed completely. There was no dirt or trash in the compounds as well as in the drainage tunnels. In addition the blocked sewers had been unblocked and the excess soils drained. To signify this day four trees were planted by political aspirants, local civic leaders, women (representing SJCC) and the ward manager. During the final ceremony the youths, women and men representatives all talked about the importance of maintaining the cleanliness of the environ-

by Andrew Ambetsa

remember when I was a small boy I read in a book that the queen of hearts made tarts. Well I was never privileged to taste the tarts, I’m sure you did not taste her tarts either. I recently discovered a queen and all of us have a chance to taste her excellent confectionary skills but her confection is not that of cakes, biscuits and tarts. Hers is that of the fine art of mat making or, for those of us who are artistic, tapestry. 15 year old Mwanajuma is the queen of mat making. She resides in Majengo. Mention the word Majengo and people who know it think of prostitution, crime, HIV/ AIDS and other negative images that denote the name. She was destined to be married off to a sixty year old man at the age of 14, for this seemed the only economic value that she could bring about. However, some family members were opposed to this demeaning act. They helped her escape from Mombasa which was her residence then to Nairobi’s Majengo where she lives with her brother and his wife. She enrolled in St. John’s Community

Centre in mid 2006 and found a venture of mat making that had been operational for a few months. As her contemporaries weaved away, she sat pensively looking at their skilled hands weaving out patterns on the hitherto plain surface. Whilst she had never done anything like this before, she dared ask for an opportunity to make a mat. The teacher rather reluctantly gave her the chance. What happened next ‘ilikuwa noma’ for within one and a half weeks she had completed the The thing that all mat. She astonishingly was the first who have seen to complete a mat out of the twenty pupils who started the project. Two months on and with her appetite now whetted, she took on challenge after challenge and within a space of four months four mats lay finished and a smiling queen stood fulfilled besides the masterpieces she had created.

the mats cannot

reconcile themselves to is that a fifteen

year old is the one

that made the mats

Some of the mats she made include an emblem of Arsenal football club, Barcelona and Chelsea. Many football fans have looked at the emblems in awe of the masterful artistry displayed. The thing that all who have seen the mats cannot reconcile themselves to is that a fifteen year old is the one that made the mats. That is what makes me call her the undisputed queen of mat making. Just a few inches above five feet, long slender fingers and a broad smile in a polite face, one wonders how far the queen will go. With a family that is low-income earning, her biggest aspiration is to go to secondary school. It will be a while before she abdicates her throne - Mwajuma the queen of mat making.

haaUUssaa Mssh M

Hebu Leo Susan Muthoni

Importance of the Environment Jeannine Wanjiru (Class Three)

Hebu leo sikizeni, nataka kuwaambia Usafi ni kitu gani, ni jema yenu afia Dharau zenu acheni, tafadhali nawaambia Ni kwanini kina mama, nyumba zenu mwafagia Takataka mwakusanya, mwazitupa kwenye njia Tafadhali nakukanya, waidhuru afya yako

Look at our environment it’s so clean When people keep our environment clean there is no disease. We like our environment so please help us enjoy it. Our teachers and parents tell us about environment and its importance to us. Some of us do not listen to this, But still let them know what environment is. Please environment is important in our schools and even at home,

Hata nyinyi kina baba, sikizeni nawaambia Mnatoka mtokako, kibao pombe mmejinywea Haufichi aibu yako, wakojoa kwenye njia Tume ya maji wa Nairobi, bidii yatufanyia Kwetu humu Pumwani, pomoni maji kajaa Haiwi safi Pumwani, bila ya sisi kuungana

Environment is important to us.

Mwafrika ni msafi, tangu enzi nawaambia Tena kwa yake nchi, na uzuri wa tabia Tuisadie tume, Pumwani ipendeze Sisi Watoto hatufurahi, kila mara kuwa wagonjwa Si homa, si tumbo, si ngozi nawaambia Tumechoka dawa kuzinywa, na sindano pia kudungwa

bery of a bank rob At the scene is nt ran up to h a police sergea said inspector and away t “The thief go

Tupe fagio twaomba, tufagie na mapema Iwe mfano kwenu, ndugu zangu wangwana Nifagie kijiji changu, kwa marefu na mapana.

sir.”!

Budako fala alipaint aerial ya TV ndiyo ireceive color

haaUUssaa Mssh M

was The inspector ut very furious “B put a I told you to exit” man at every did ow he yelled. “H he get away?”

e entrance sir”

“He left by th

sshhaaUUssaa

M sshhaaUUssaa M M M

Yunasi is a music group made up of 7 young KenyanTanzanian boys from around Mathare, and one French woman. The music they play is called Afro-Fusion, a mix of modern and traditional African styles. They were interviewed by Ian Gatere at Alliance Francaise building. The first part of this interview was in the April 2007 Dumisha Usafi.

Eric: Sex before marriage, hiyo ni ngumu. It happens. If I may say that (it’s wrong) it may come out as a double standard. One, sex before marriage in the intelligence part of natural life is not supposed to be there. But generally if you look at the society itself, if you keep on telling them sex before marriage is bad and you’re doing nothing to help them overcome it or help them to do it in a better way you’re failing. To be honest what I have seen from the ghetto around where I live, sex happens every second. You tell them, they do it.The only problem is they do it without protection. So many children end up being born in the ghetto family so the cycle of ghetto ends up becoming wider, and they end up becoming poorer. Because they’re always told ‘sex before marriage’, ‘sex before marriage’! More strength should be (on how) you’re trying to give a message. Ukiambia mtu usilewe atakuambia wewe achana na mimi you’re not my father. If you come up with a very clever way to bring out that message it can work. So (no) sex before marriage is touchy but if it’s twisted well it can work. Q: So if your younger brother comes to you and tells you there’s another girl there she is just disturbing me, this weekend fasi imepatikana, what would you advise him? Eric: In an honest way, without being a hypocrite? One thing that I know and I’ve seen it with my young brother and my young people, if he comes to me and tells me that he has a girl friend the first thing he’s already shown and told me he trusts me to advise him. Now it depends on how I approach it. If I quarrel him next time he won’t do it again. He’ll go to somebody else and do it without anybody’s knowledge and I’ll hear ‘your brother has made somebody else pregnant’. On the honest ground I’ll tell him: you know sleeping with a girl before marriage is wrong but if you have to please use a condom. I’ll give the guy options because I know pretty well the moment you tell him ‘no don’t do this’, that’s when he’ll be more interested. That’s my honest opinion and I have seen it work with a lot of people. There’s a research I did maybe now it’s changing, there was a time in church when the innocent girls were the ones becoming more pregnant than the naughty girls. You wonder, this girl is told shikanga bibilia, that’s all she knows, the Bible. So when a boy tempts her kidogo: down! She doesn’t have garments to protect herself. But the other one is informed it’s like this and like this, so when a boy comes he ‘hits the stone’, another one tries ‘hits the stone’. Q: So information is very important?

haaUUssaa Mssh M

Eric: Yes, especially about sex. I think more teenagers are supposed to be told exactly what is sex. The advantage of having sex and the disadvantage of not having sex so that they are well informed so that they can make a decision because for them, maybe for them when they reach adolescent stage they feel maybe they are not active so they want

to go and test so when they do the testing they have the product which is the unwanted baby so it’s good to tell them the advantage of sex and disadvantage so they know when you do a,b,c,d this is what will happen. You should not tell them not to do it you should give them options if you do this, this is what you’re going to face, if you do this, this is what you’re going to pay so from there they can make a decisive decision. 2nd interviewee: So I was saying the church and the mosque should also teach about sex not just to abstain but if you decide to go there you have to protect yourself. I think that’s the reason why holy girls get pregnant so they should be taught about that. 3rd interviewee: Can I add something on that, one thing that God told people - I’ve given you a choice don’t sin but you have the choice to sin or not to sin - but if you look around you everybody you get sins, sex and sin is the same thing, the best thing you can ever do to someone is just to tell someone don’t do this and this and this because one way or the other you’ll tell someone not to sin but he will sin, so if he sins without protection and knowledge what are the fruits. Q: What about people who are in high school, do you think they can have girl friends or boyfriends? A: Boy friends and girl friends without sex in school is okay, coz one thing that am against is that when someone comes to tell me that brother in Jesus name just go sleep and believe God will give you a dream of the woman you’ll marry and tomorrow I meet a girl and it’s this girl. Let me tell you something, I might be wrong or it may not be spiritual in essence, I want a girl to know her character, to know how she reasons, to know if she can do small small jobs if she can take care of me if am sick all those aspects and this you can just know by seducing a girl you spend time with her, you cannot just assume. For example, there are people who are from high school and they end up marrying and there are people who are from high school and they end up messing and generally in life there are people who meet and mess up, the modern times after too much tv, too much whatever after you tell them don’t do this the more they will steal alcohol like those school boys we saw on tv. Q: You grew up in ghetto, Huruma, Mathare area, how were you able to not get tempted to go into life that probably some of your friends ended up getting into because now you have gotten into a point where people see Yunasi. They’re not seeing the other parts which were the hard parts so somewhere there in between maybe other people joined the group and left maybe there are other people maybe you spoke to were interested after two or three ses-

sions they saw it was a lot of work… A: Me what helps me I think by now I would have been dead, coz I was a lover boy I had a lot of girls they were just coming but when I got into church the fact that I was a church leader I had a moral and a role to uphold and told myself if am to do this I’ll do it with my own heart.So I think that is what protected me coz I could sit down with girls and I could do nothing coz I just felt like a hypocrite so I think that period by the time I grew up or by the time I was coming out from the church I was already mature enough to know the facts but by then it’s church that kept me out, church that helped me. Q: How were you able to focus and develop your musical career and not get swayed by girls or by good life? A: In my part I believe that it was my choice, I decided not to get into drugs, I decided not to get into all that. Q: Coz you had friends probably who tried it and would tell you…? A: Not really but I saw it growing up in slums and you have a friend whose mother sells chang’aa after school everytime he goes and drinks so they were my friends but I chose not to spend so much time with them not to reason with them because somehow I would have ended up there. But I chose friends who would help me lead the path that I had decided to follow so you’re hanging out with clean pure guys, people who want the better for the future helped me a lot. 3rd Interviewee: My reasons are the same. One thing that really helped is the upbringing, the parents were always strict and discipline had to be observed and when you grow up you know that peer pressure you try this try this it’s a matter of personal choice. I mean I know it’s bad it won’t help me I know what I want to achieve in my life and I won’t achieve it by engaging in this other things, so the upbringing, the spiritual guidance, the kind of future you want, me I think that has really informed the decisions that I’ve made. Q: How could you keep yourselves, imagine you guys were thinking of afro fusion when everybody was thinking in a different direction, you know some guys might have seen you guys for sure? A: There was a time we were doing acapella and R & B and girls were like wow so that time you walk like you’re the man at that particular moment you think we should just continue with this R & B you see they’re feeling us but no, at that moment you’ve made it total opposite

people wonder what’s going on. Try to imagine going to church with percussions by then and someone has a sisal skirt. The church wonders what demons you’re bringing to church, it was that radical and I think some things just need radical decisions in life generally. And also I can say the kind of people in the band, all of us want to reach that higher level, the sky is the limit for us and I think we are lucky we got exposed to this kind of music and we were able to see its advantage and disadvantage because, we were able to record some music that was afro fusion and we were able to meet the directors of Alliance and since then you get more exposed and you see really this is the kind of music that really works not

Utamu wa kazi ni kuifanya. Utamu

wa kazi ni kuifanya na roho yako yote.

Utamu wa kazi ni

kuifanya na kulipwa really in Kenya but country wide so that’s the reason I decided that this is the direction that we want to take and for us these eight years have been a time for growth. We are never static we always see something and we say okay it’s good to try that. We’ve been in hip hop we went to r & b, acapella and then we started playing with a band and then all of us are now playing instruments. We go to teachers and they train us to play instruments. We know what we want to achieve and what we need to do to achieve it. Q: That brings me to the question, five years from now, where do you hope Yunasi will be? A: Five years from now, the sky is the limit I believe, okay the kind of music that we are doing which is mature and I believe is the right to be exposed into the international market because we’ve always tried to be unique, we are researching on our local tribes, we don’t restrict ourselves to like Luo music so we always look into research and pick this tribe, this tribe, this tribe. I believe we have a unique product that I think maybe within five years God willing we’ll be bigger than where we are now,

Q: What about you guys? A: In five years hopefully we hope to be having bigger record albums to be with us and maybe Yunasi being an international name or a household name the same way Ben said Michael Jackson brought his kind of music and enforced it in the world, Bob Marley did that to the world. We hope to do that to the world the same way. We also want to be rich we want to make money. Q: But right now it’s paying your bills? A: Yes, but now I want to buy a hummer. Q: You know that young people in Pumwani they like to do art, drama, poetry even music if you were to meet them what would you advice them about their life, what they would try to do so that they can succeed? A: What I like to tell a person is, not everybody can be intelligent in the aspect of getting As and Bs in school, there’s a particular talent that you have maybe is drumming or percussions do it to your best but kuwa mjanja. Don’t just look around you, think outside the box. We are telling ourselves here in Yunasi that we should not only look around us, we should be walking outside and meeting other people. That’s how you can learn and expose yourself because people abroad have opened up percussion schools, kiswahili schools and they started with a single student and a single percussion, so do what you can do, do it to the best then go outside there and market yourself. Me I can say, always believe in yourself, everybody has a talent. God made all of us equal but our diversity is what makes us interesting. I believe especially those who want to follow art as a career it’s tough that I cannot lie to you but if you keep at it and be smart, try all options don’t just tie yourself in a box and think hip hop is the only music that I hear on radio that is working that is the only music that is there, you broaden your mind. Here in Kenya we are so rich in terms of different kinds of culture and I think it’s time people went back and really picked from our roots and try to bring that up, you’d be surprised with the success you can achieve from that. Mine is simple decide on what you want and go for it. Q: Lastly, it’s a half a statement and then you finish it, however you feel like finishing it, Utamu wa kazi ni? A: Utamu wa kazi ni kuifanya. Utamu wa kazi ni kuifanya na roho yako yote. Utamu wa kazi ni kuifanya na kulipwa.

haaUUssaa Mssh M

h t i w g n i Play

Kevin Onyango

he environment is the surrounding around us. As I look towards the environmental condition of Majengo area I realise that the area is in a mess of environmental degradation. As you pass somewhere you meet heaps of garbage.

The charred remains of what Caroline Aoko once called ‘home’

) ransform team y Maryjane (T

he jiko is a wonderful invention, but not one without dangers. Over half of Kenyan households now use the ceramic jiko to cook on. This affordable, portable, energy efficient device has truly become a part of the Kenyan home. Yet I can bet that all of us know someone who has had an accident involving a jiko. The dangers are real and cannot only leave scars on our skin but on our lives. I met Caroline Aoko, from the village of Kiambio, who told me how one jiko fire destroyed everything she owned. One evening in early June the women were preparing their food as usual. One lady went out of her house

Volunteers at St John’s Community Centre were able to provide her a few essential items in an attempt to help her begin to rebuild her life. Caroline says: “I am so happy with my new clothes and I am really pleased that I have a mattress I can lay my children on.” One thing that struck me throughout my four month stay at St John’s Community Centre was the number of children I met who had burns. Time and time again I listened to nightmare stories of how young babies had fallen onto hot jikos and injured themselves. Accidents are bound to happen but there are things that we can all do to try and minimise these tragic events.

The dangers are real and cannot only leave scars on our skin but on our lives leaving her lit jiko unattended. Shortly after, the far room had caught fire and before long the flames had licked up a total of three houses. Thankfully no-one was hurt in the blaze and several of the neighbours were able to rescue chairs from the burning houses. Caroline, mother of three, was not so lucky. Her house was enveloped beyond rescue and she could only stand and watch as the flames ate up all she owned.

Jiko Safety Tips 12

Never leave a lit jiko unattended.

Store any flammable objects especially paraffin lamps and gas canisters well away from the cooking area

Do not allow young children to play near a hot jiko.

Donating clothes

Be careful to teach children that even though a jiko is nolonger being cooked on it may still be very hot.

Mostly I would challenge the ditches which are usually used as the disposal areas. The shocking phenomenon is that the ditches are connected to the public road. There is a lot of neglect or lack of empowerment of the people. Even if a forum on clean-up is organised, over a day the area is turned again into a dumping site. A major solution I think is that polythene paper bags should be given to households to dump their garbage and a certain fee charged. Through this we shall overcome the phenomena of careless dumping and have a clean environment. The polythenes could be collected weekly creating a lot of job opportunities for the youth.

We can also have groups dealing with major clean–up campaigns weekly with the community and through these they empower the people on the importance of taking care of the environment We can also have groups dealing with major clean–up campaigns weekly with the community and through these they empower the people on the importance of taking care of the environment. Even the major group to start I think could be the coffee bar for many are indeed near the community and it would really boost the community if we work together as a team.

nd a seco d into e . lk p a o w h rts s A man ody pa u charge hand b yo o uch d the “How m s,” he asked in a r nt. for b assista re Ksh. a s brain ,” “Male Ksh.30 le a m e f e d h n t hy 50 a d lied “,W he rep rices?” querie p t n e differ the man. eaper are ch n s in a r b bee “Female e they have becaus ,” she said used

project and anticipated d te ai aw ly gh he hi Centrehnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Community Jo . St by d re so spon nya, has ion with MS Ke ct un nj co in i, upbeat Pumwan i residents are tu Ki e Th d. te ar in this finally st of the drainage n io at lit bi ha re through on the have been lost es liv ity un m om area. C see a rescue drains and they the dilapidated lives. mission for their ally the mmunity especi co e th of rs be highly The mem e drainage have th to e os cl g in drainage ones liv bilitation of the ha re e th d te ia w there apprec pansion since no ex its ly al ci pe and es ater flow. will be proper w e drains rts revealed as th fo ef e tiv ra bo lla hed the The co litated has quas bi ha re g in be ated by continue ntiments enunci se t en pm lo ve anti-de unity can how the comm n ow sh d an positive some es to nurture iti tiv ga ne e m overco me of the en shown by so be s ha is Th . minds eir time to rs reserving th be em m ity un comm excavated mped along the du e ag rb ga e to create remov g who dumped rin ca t ou ith w without drains ans to proceed tis ar e th r fo s avenue anything. being inhibited by the idea also suggested ve ha es di la l ca pecially The lo every house es d an ch ea g tin of visi lk on how the drains to ta to e os cl g in liv sanitation those rough observing th ng pi m du rb to cu d garbage nce on haphazar lla ei rv su as l el e on this as w d that knowledg de ad ey Th . al dispos . will be important

r unity Centre fo t Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Comm S k ld an th ou w to I . is ine system good drainage implementing a use, before, we ca be good job, a ne do ve ha ple in our com say they l problems. Peo ra ve ne se or -b ve er ha used to d from wat the time suffere oeba, typhoid munity most of a, a, choler am oe rh ar di e lik did not have a diseases is because we is Th . rs he ot r sufficiently for among that could cate em st sy ge na ai good dr waste. sing domestic the ever increa in ers stagnated ainage, the wat dr os or m po e e lik th s rasite Under ng sites for pa di ee ci br in g tin us ea rio the va pools cr rectly linked to di e is th th ith d w an w quitoes ia. But no y rienced of malar have completel dences we expe at pools of w er e th be , t ns no ai ill dr w proper children is means our will not have a disappeared. Th qu the mos itoes as , ia ar al m to prone ly. place to multip ed to face prob ons we also us as se e y er in th ra e as th es During r hous entering into ou e lems like water ater properly. Th w in ra nel the an ch to n ai dr was no en remarkable. change has be me system has co ated drainage lit bi eir ha th re do e le th op For us tion as pe ta ni sa d an e en drains. with good hygi water into the g in ur po le hi at w cleaner and ne domestic work ntly result in a ue eq ns co ill w This environment. bengst many other entioned amon m ge e na ov ai dr ab e ed th litat With y that the rehabi sa to y th or w s . itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; efits, g standard anged our livin system has ch

George Njoroge tration, ovincial adminis pr , ee itt m m co great The local cillor have given un co e th d an l n how city counci d this has show an t ec oj pr is th support to the community mmitted to seeing well they are co so they have benefit. More ensure that they serve eded support to ne e th ve gi to n priority promised nitation is give sa l ta en nm ro as other that envi ising as well ar s ic em id ep n as well to avoid ong the childre am es as se di infectious as the adults.

ve been lost a h s e v li y Communit ed drains t a id p a il d e ion through th escue miss r a e e s y e and th es. for their liv

Peter Mugendi

not be ll i w n e r Our child , as the a i r la a m prone to t have a o n ll i w es mosquito multiply o t e c la p

By Umbrella

aving realized that divided we fall but united we are strong the various environmental and sanitation groups have come up together under an umbrella called PYGRON (Pumwani Youth Groups Network). This will be a formidable forum to help us advocate for pertinent and overriding issues affecting us and the community as a whole. Under this we expect to create ways and means of positively handling dissenting views among and within groups. We will also bring the various groups together in addressing the different problems we are facing as well as sharing their successes. Most importantly we will speak with one voice to the concerned parties and authorities to address existing and arising issues. Each group has elected two members to represent it in the umbrella, who in turn have elected the officials and committee members. The task force has already worked on the constitution and the umbrella is preparing to launch the network.

Paka wenu mnoma mpaka aki shika panya inaitisha chumvi

From top to bottom: Meeting in progress; Public health officer addressing the network; CDF committee visits the PYGRON (Pumwani youth groups network)

Health Awareness Door-to-Door Campaign Lilian Akinyi

aisha Young Women group has been undertaking a health awareness campaign at Sofia village. This is one of their planned activities for the year 2007 under its objectives of having a cleaner environment (Environmental sanitation). The group saw the need of carrying out this exercise due to bad health practices like throwing human waste into the open ditches, gutters, garbage being thrown any how etc. The group has gone a step ahead in initiating the door to door campaign in order to sensitize individuals on the need of practicing good health to avoid the breakout of water-borne diseases or other sanitation related diseases such as cholera and typhoid. The exercise began on 19th May 2007 and so far 30 households have been sensitized. It is usually done on Saturdays from 10am – 12pm. The group focuses on garbage disposal, use of toilets, gutters/ditches as well as food and water storage.

(Top of the page) Maisha ladies set out for the household action plan Talking to the community in all settings

summary of the exercise outcome Garbage 8 households don’t give their garbage since they are not aware of the garbage groups. 12 households usually hand over their garbage to the group in-charge (operating in the area) and pay a fee of Kshs 20.They feel that the services provided are good. 5 households give their garbage to ‘mad men or chokoraa’, who return for food or just Kshs 5. These people subsequently dump this garbage in Nairobi river. 5 households indicated that they directly (personally) take the garbage to Nairobi river as they feel that they can’t afford the twenty shillings charged by the groups and also feel that their garbage is not as much as that of business people operating hotel or miraa business. Toilet Almost all the households use the public toilet during the day. At night only few people go to these toilets because of insecurity hence the use of potties after which the waste is thrown to the open drainage. The residents appreciate the work of the youths manning toilets as there is a big change in terms of cleanliness of the toilets in comparison to the way they were when they were being managed by the city council of Nairobi. More so their charges are fair,

that is Kshs 40 per month. Gutters These are the filthiest places in the village. Human waste and other garbage are disposed into the ditches. Although there is a person who usually cleans them on Saturdays, other residents dump garbage immediately after the clean-up as they believe it’s the role of the city council to clean up and take care of the environment. City council By-laws The residents are not aware of the by-laws especially those regarding disposing garbage. However Maisha Young Women have been educating them on the by-laws. Challenges Faced • Many households closed during the exercise. • Some people don’t want to talk. • Maisha young members don’t have identification. Recommendation The residents need more training on proper environment management. Action should be taken to those who violate environment rights as quickly as possible i.e. by-laws to be effective.

The

By Helen Maina

perience

n the 27th of May at around 1pm, we departed from Nairobi to Naivasha. We were going for a workshop about Good Governance with the coffee bar ministry. The experience in Naivasha was quite interesting.

On our way we stopped at Limuru to view the great Rift Valley. The place was cold because of its high point. We bought some African artwork and took some photos. There was this amazing site in Naivasha that will be engraved in your mind forever. First there are these beautiful acacia trees that in an amazing way purify the air around. The beautiful sunrise and sunset that make you appreciate God’s creation in this amazing way. There was this incredible way that the weather changes when it becomes 4pm which I believe is due to the Lake Naivasha. The weather becomes chilly and sometimes there is a heavy or light shower.

At Lake Naivasha you experience something new. First you start with taking a short walk to the lake that leaves you refreshed, for the walk leaves you feeling fit as a fiddle. You then see water contained in one place in this special way that leaves you

wondering at the wonders of God. If you make a lot of noise the hippos will lift their head to see who’s disturbing their peace. It’s not yet over until you take a short ride in the boat that will leave you begging for more. To crown it all you just have to take a photo near the lake for future reference. Hell’s Gate is another place that is a must to visit. For those who enjoy walking like me, you will be glad to know that it’s only 28km from the main gate. B y this I mean that you have to walk for these kms to get to t h e

gorge. When you are taking this walk you come face to face with these beautiful animals in their natural habitat. There are these beautiful rock walls that make you wonder whose artwork it must be. You also see these beautiful black rocks that you can carry as souvenirs. Now the best thing in all this lies in the gorge itself. Here you have access to natural hot water springs and above all there is this beautiful gorge that you climb down to. It is such an incredible experience! There is also some climbing to do but the most amazing one is when you do some rock climbing. My days in Naivasha were the most satisfying days of my life and this made me appreciate the vast, beautiful and natural environment that we have in Kenya. Though we still have a long way to go in recovering our lost environment, let us protect the natural wildlife that is left and appreciate it. I also think that there is a need for us to do some domestic tourism for this will open our eyes and make us see the importance of our wildlife. On 2nd we had to come back. Though it was somehow sad to come back to Nairobi, at the back of our minds we knew that we had actually learnt something and had come to appreciate the great works of Mr. God.

The Encounter

questionnaire

By Child Protection Team t’s about a girl called Jackline Akinyi aged 14 years old. She was rescued by a group of gamblers, who brought her to Kanuku village, to live with a woman of her origin. People started to labour her with household tasks without any payment, they only gave her the left over food One evening at around 9.00pm when she was going to the toilet, she met a stranger who hijacked and carried her to the bush near the river where he defiled her. That night she went back to the house crying and reported the matter to the guardian who subsequently reported the matter to the nearby police station.

Unfortunately when the girl gets released from the hospital she will have no place to stay as the guardian who has been living with her feels she is a burden. Now we ask for well wishers to come up and assist the needy soul.

The following day the guardian met a CPT member and narrated to her the whole story. The child protection team member undertook the initiative of taking this girl to Nairobi Women’s Hospital for specialised attention where up to now she is still undergoing treatment.

1. What do you like about the magazine? 2. What issues would you like addressed in the next issue? 3. What don’t you like about the magazine? 4. Do you feel you were involved in the development of this issue? How would you like to be involved for the next one? 5. What would you like improved in the next issue? Any last comments or questions?

to send in your views. This will help us bring the topics that you like. Also some of your views could be printed in the next edition of your magazine:

Unfortunately when the girl gets released from the hospital she will have no place to stay as the guardian who has been living with her feels she is burden.Now we ask for well wishers to come up and assist the needy soul.

Articles for the next issue of “Dumisha Usafi” are due by December 2007. We encourage you to submit articles, jokes and illustrations on environment, health and social issues to Francis Kinyua at St. John’s Community Centre. The last pages of Dumisha Usafi will be dedicated to answering your questions on ANY topic. Do not be embarrassed to ask. Write about whatever is important to you or is bothering you. We will try to answer as many questions as possible.

Our Village

In our village there is a beautiful river. However this river is very dirty. Alongside this river, There are some members of the community Who have built their houses here These people have made the beautiful river a garbage pit. Dirty water also drains into the river They also relieve themselves in the river. This has made the environment very dirty.