PROGRAMS & PROJECTS
HESED Africa is working to create two model programs, one in Ng’ando Village, a peri-urban slum situated in Dagoretti Division, Nairobi, and one in Sihay Division, Ugenya District, Nyanza Province, Kenya to address problems affecting vulnerable sectors of the population with health, social and economic components. Models set up in these two program catchment areas will be field tested and replicated in additional areas in the country and beyond East African Region.
NG’ANDO VILLAGE PROGRAM, DAGORETTI DIVISION, NAIROBI
PROJECTS
Youth Friendly VCT & Resource Centre Project
The Ngando Program based in Nairobi provides a Resource Centre through which the youth and children use during free time to get gain knowledge on various topics such as health, environment, local and international news. The center will soon be including voluntary Counselling and Testing activities. Apart from being the meeting place for the women and youth groups, it also serves as a library for local children and youth. A ‘Children’s Program’ offering participatory story-telling sessions conducted by HESED Africa volunteers is very popular with both in-and out-of-school children.
In 2010, Books R Us Ltd donated five boxes of books to HESED Africa containing various guides to the nature and people of East Africa as well as novels dictionaries and several other informational books which were placed at the Ng’ando Resource Centre.
Youth and children in this area of Nairobi usually come from very poor backgrounds and have little access to books. Every book the centre receives increases their knowledge, empowering them with greater prospects of a brighter future. Newspapers are also available at the Centre for older youth wishing to keep up with current affairs.
Life Skills Training Project
During 2010 Life Skills sessions were conducted for ages 10-18years. The session are conducted at the community Schools. Topics covered included environmental awareness, sexuality, gender, and hygiene & sanitation.
There are opportunities to work with other partners in promoting life skills in schools. Hesed Africa is seeking for partners to sponsor the project so that the volunteers can reach out to more schools. The project will use drama, music and other theatrical methods to impart various skills to the youth.
Social Justice through Gender Equality and Human Rights Project
Hesed Africa has a commitment to gender equality through strategies that include: women's economic empowerment, girl child education and advocacy against gender based violence.
Hesed Africa mobilized women to form a group, Kasalengo Women’s Group. The group is a successful pilot project in women’s micro credit consisting of small scale businesswomen in Ng’ando. Formed in early 2010, the Group is now registered and self governing, able to offer and manage loan facilities to empower women to upgrade their businesses. The women are involved in small trade such as selling fish, green groceries, selling charcoal, tie & Dye cloth, beadworks and knitted clothes and kerosene. Others engage in casual jobs in the neighboring mid class estates.
The women group’s major objective is to improve their current socio-economic status.
There are trainings organized for every Monday: - topics range from women’s health, small business, nutrition, entrepreneurship, leadership skills, decision making and governance skills.
Young Mothers Project
The young mothers aged 18-24 years. The young mothers have come together to engage in various issues. Priority for the group is promotion of nutrition for their children (under 5s) and economic empowerment. During discussions the mothers have expressed need for initiating income generating projects. Other related issues including Gender Based Violence are discussed during the sessions held at the compound of local administration, Chief’s camp. There are victims of gender based violence in the groups.
Youth Empowerment
The youth living in Ngandu, Dagoretti Division, like their counterparts in other parts of Kenya are faced with challenges such as teen and unwanted pregnancies, drugs and substance abuse, lack of employment just to mention a few. The organization works with youth out of school to form groups. One of such groups is called Lenana Youth Pillars of Change, it comprises of both male and female aged 15 – 29 years. They meet every Tuesday afternoon at the Resource Centre to problematize issues touching on urban youth, and to develop solutions. The youth use the sessions to learn about new opportunities and get information. The youths organize Outreach programmes such as environment clean up days.
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