Vital community education for a 'lost generation'

Let me paint you a picture ...  during the past 2 years, life for 63% of the population where we work has included -  not being able to go to school, working in informal jobs with no future or security, getting in trouble, getting sick, losing their jobs, becoming a mother unexpectedly, being subjected to violence at home - all happening to girls and boys not yet 25 years old.   With 63% of the population of Kericho county under 25 and 19% between 15 and 24 years of age, life as a teenager through the pandemic is full of challenges as the pandemic continues and hopes and dreams fade into the distance.

Thanks to you and your support of this project, there is light and a brighter future for the many groups who are getting access to these business trainings and resources and getting work and income set up for themselves.  Quarum Self Help group is one example - they are a registered youth group with 15 members.  They do - merry go round savings scheme with short term loans and farming with poultry rearing as their main activity.  Together they have installed a poutry house and bought 10 hens to get started.  The support and encouragement they give each other will see them through these difficult times.

Kapsorok Boda Boda Drivers Self Help group is another example - a Boda Boda is a motorbike taxi.  From the outset of the pandemic it was evident that these drivers needed protection against COVID-19 and could also be a means to spread messaging about the importance of handwashing and protective measures against transmission.  Brighter Communities Worldwide provide the drivers with face masks, handwashing facilities, soap, water containers, high visibility vests with COVID-19 messaging printed on the back and sensitisation around transmission and the vaccine rollout.  

The group have 20 members and they heard about these business trainings through this interaction with Brighter Communities.  From their training they are doing merry go round, table banking, short term monthly loans and they have purchased plastic chairs for hiring out as an source of income.  They have continued COVID-19 sensitisation of other drivers and are encouraging them to form income generating groups.  15 of the members are now fully vaccinated.

If you would like to donate again to this project - the next match funding campaign with GlobalGiving is on April 4th to 8th when all donations up to $50 will be match at 50% - and did you know that all new monthly donations will have their first donation matched at 100% after four total payments?

 Thank you so much for your support of these young people! 

 Thank you for supporting this project safeguarding the livelihoods of 200 young people across Kericho county.

The pandemic is far from over in Kenya where vaccines are slow to arrive and less than 4% of the population are fully vaccinated.  Poverty and unemployment levels continue to rise and support for youth is more important than ever.

Duncan Bett is a community volunteer, a youth leader and the chairperson of Kiramkel Youth Group.  He started the Income Generating Group to bring youths from Koisagat together.

He says the aim of the group is to reduce youth idleness; help create employment; reduce drug abuse among the youths; get many to gain skills in various fields and also help raise school fees.

They started off with merry-go-round meetings where the members put a small sum of money into a ‘pot’ at each meeting, and then at each meeting a different member takes home the ‘pot’.  The money goes ‘round’ and everyone gets their turn for a bigger sum than they could save on their own. Later they registered their group and decided to raise money by growing and selling passion fruit.

Duncan thanks Brighter Communities Worldwide for supporting them with Income Generating resources that has helped the group set up their passion fruit farm.  He says “Togetherness is the key to the success of the group’’

We have continued to provide business trainings to groups over the past number of months and here is a sample of some of the groups and what income generation activity plans they have -

Knobwech self help group do beekeeping as their income generation activity, they received beekeeping equipment including suits and smokers at Kiletien village, Chepseon.  They are very happy and thank Brighter Communities Worldwide for the support.  They say they can now harvest their honey safely and can always do hive inspections without challenges as they have safety suits to wear.

Baraka multi-purpose women’s group is from Ainamoi.  They received poultry feed from Brighter Communities worldwide.  They are very happy as they had a challenge in getting feeds for their chicks and chickens.   

Sitoo women’s group officials received chicks to boost their poultry farming and Sitoo junior group received coffee seeds and potting bags to start up a coffee plant nursery for their income generation activity.

On November 30th, GlobalGiving is giving away one million dollars to non-profits around the world as part of their #MoveAMillion campaign for #GivingTuesday. Your generosity can help us unlock a greater share of those funds!  If you would like to donate to this project again, November 30th is the day to do it so please mark your calendar today!  

Think of how much more can be achieved together to promote income generation at this critical time for youth in Kenya.

Thank you for your support.