Program Updates March 2007
As the new school year started in January, our primary school opened its doors to Grade 5. We now have pre-school through Grade 5 and plan to continue adding one new classroom each year until a full primary school up to Grade 8 has been established. The new classrooms added each year are typically funded and built by overseas volunteers. If any group is looking for a fun, exciting, worthwhile project, please contact us about helping build a Grade 6 classroom. Volunteers are welcomed to help fundraise for the classroom ($2,000 to $3,000 USD) and then help build it in Kenya with our local masons and carpenters.
This December we had several volunteers conduct a program and impact evaluation on our Empower AIDS Training Program. The Empower Program is a “training of trainers” course that aims to develop local AIDS peer educators within the very rural communities of western Kenya . Several volunteers spent their time meeting with past Empower participants to assess the impact our training had on the participants and their community. The volunteers also developed a list of action items and recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the program. We are very appreciative of the time and thought that went into this evaluation work. The report will not only be useful for internal planning purposing but will also be helpful for future Empower volunteers.
Our Mobile Clinic program continues to be extremely busy – and extremely costly. The volunteer fees are rapidly consumed by purchasing medicine and supplies for the mobile clinics. Volunteer medical students are strongly encouraged to contact their local hospital and medical school to enquire about possible donations of supplies and medicine that they can bring to Kenya .
During December we had a group of students from Cornell University (USA) initiate a new nutritional education program for HIV+ individuals. The Cornell group spent several months before their trip developing a comprehensive training manual and program outline. The group used this program manual and education outline to hold nutritional education seminars in rural villages throughout the greater Bungoma region. The program was a great success with many villages requesting additional training. We are hoping to utilize the research and preparatory work the Cornell group did so that other future volunteers can continue this very worthwhile program. Future volunteers that are interested in participating in the nutritional education program should contact the International Coordination Staff so that you can be put in touch with the appropriate Cornell team members.
We are also excited to report that we received a very generous donation of $12,000 USD from the parents of a past volunteer in Cleveland , Ohio ( USA ). This is by far the largest donation we have ever received and it could not have come at a better time. We will be combining this donation with a $2,000 donation from CRA International to purchase a school bus for our grade school. Purchasing this school van will allow us to safely transport up to 60 students at a time.
With the financial sponsorship from a past volunteer, we have also hired an Operations Manager to oversee the day-to-day organization of our programs. Joyce Wasike joined the Volunteer Kenya – ICODEI team in January and will greatly help improve the daily planning and running of our programs. As our volunteer headcount has grown, the complexity of organizing all our various outreach programs has also grown dramatically. We are excited to have Joyce join the team!
Spaces for the summer of 2007 are quickly filling up. So if you are interested in volunteering this summer, please contact us soon.
Asante Sana ,
The Volunteer Kenya – ICODEI Team