- Location:
Ugenya, Siaya, Western Kenya
- Theme:
COMMUNITY ACCESS TO HEALTH FACILITIES FOR IMPROVED LIVELIHOODS
- Project overview:
Established in 1980, the school has student population of 214 boys and 206 girls making a total of 420 pupils. It offers primary School education to community children to enable them gain skills and knowledge that is fundamental towards the holistic development of the child as well as towards the overall development of the community structures. Some of the major challenges that the community faces include but not limited to: inadequate classrooms, water and sanitation, reading materials; High poverty levels among the parents and the immediate community members and HIV/AIDS pandemic that continue to ravage the community leaving in its wake many orphans and vulnerable children.
- PROJECT Activities:
Volunteers will work for six hours daily from Monday to Friday with focus on the following manual work and intercultural activities...
- Brick making and construction work at the School
- Tree planting
- Study visits to community based organizations such as youth, women groups and Children homes
- HIV /AIDS awareness; embracing the reading culture among the learners; guiding and counseling on career development
- Inter-cultural learning coupled with home visits for exposure to development challenges.
Possibility to visit the historic sites like Hippo point on Lake Victoria in Kisumu City, renowned Kakamega Rain Forest and the Equator point at Maseno University; among other spectacular sites of interest in the region. However, this will be done most probably during the weekends.
- PREVIOUS WORK CAMP:
The School hosted the first work camp by KVDA in July 2013 that brought together 20 volunteers from Kenya, South Korea, Belgium, Netherlands, Mexico, France, USA and Hong Kong. The team made 12, 000 bricks that have since been baked awaiting the construction of classrooms and toilets.
- STUDY THEME:
COMMUNITY ACCESS TO HEALTH FACILITIES FOR IMPROVED LIVELIHOODS
Health and development are intimately interconnected. Both insufficient development leading to poverty and inappropriate development resulting in overconsumption, coupled with an expanding world population, can result in severe environmental health problems in both developing and developed nations. The linkage of health, environmental and socio-economic improvements requires inter-sector efforts. Such efforts, involving education, housing, public works and community groups, including businesses, schools and universities and religious, civic and cultural organizations are aimed at enabling people in their communities to ensure sustainable development.
Particularly relevant is the inclusion of prevention programs rather than relying solely on remediation and treatment. Health ultimately depends on the ability to manage successfully the interaction between the physical, spiritual, biological and economic/social environment. Sound development is not possible without a healthy population; yet most developmental activities affect the environment to some degree, which in turn causes or exacerbates many health problems. Conversely, it is the very lack of development that adversely affects the health condition of many people, which can be alleviated only through development.
Education and appropriate services regarding responsible planning with respect for cultural, religious and social aspects, in keeping with freedom, dignity and personally held values and taking into account ethical and cultural considerations, also contribute to these inter-sector activities. Promote health education in schools, information exchange, technical support and training.
By continued efforts, to provide health and hygiene education and to ensure universal access to safe drinking water and universal access to sanitary measures of excreta disposal, thereby markedly reducing waterborne diseases and reducing. Provide education and disseminate information on the risks of endemic communicable diseases and build awareness on environmental methods for control of communicable diseases to enable communities to play a role in the control of communicable diseases.
- Orientation:
Will be done on 5th July 2014 at KVDA Residence in Nairobi and the team will leave Nairobi for the project on the morning of 6th July 2014 for a trip of more than 6 hours by public transport.
- Arrival to Kenya:
KVDA educational tour destined for Maasai Mara Game Reserve and Lake Nakuru National Park is scheduled from 1st to 4th July 2014 and those interested in this program should arrive in Kenya on 30th June 2014. Volunteers who are not participating should arrive in Kenya at least on 4th July 2014. Tours can also be arranged after the work camp on a needs basis. Volunteers should confirm in advance for reservations.
- Airport pick-up services:
This will be done subject to provision of full flight details. The port of entry to Kenya is Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Volunteers will stay at KVDA Residence in Nairobi at a fee.
- EDUCATIONAL TOURS:
KVDA offers educational tours to spectacular sites including the renowned Maasai Mara Game Reserve at separate fees. Please contact us for specific tour information.
- ACCOMMODATION:
The host community will provide a house to accommodate the volunteers with very basic living conditions. Volunteers have an obligation to climb down the level of the people with the aim of exposure to development challenges. KVDA will provide foodstuffs and volunteers will cook their own meals in turns. Water is available from springs and it is recommended that drinking water should be boiled or medicated. Mineral water available at supermarkets is also recommended. There is no electricity connection at the project but volunteers can charge their electric appliances at the nearest market center.
- LANGUAGE:
English is the language of the work camp. There will be a possibility of learning Kiswahili and other international and local languages as cultural diversity is a major component in international service.