2. Community Strengthening

A 2007 census showed that 12% of households in Kenya were caring for orphaned children in addition to their own children. The average number of orphaned children per household stands at 1.9. However, children who do not have relatives to take them in often have no other option but to live on the streets. Homeless, these “street children” forage in the city’s garbage dumps for food, begging or stealing to survive. The children who come to live at our home have no possibilities for placement in the village with extended family members, but many orphaned children do. We help local families care for orphaned children. The goal of our outreach program is to keep the majority of vulnerable children where they need to be: in school and with their relatives.

When parents die in Kenya, it is often a grandparent or an aunt/uncle who take on the responsibility to care for orphaned children. It is almost always preferable to keep the child in a familial structure, even when the household is not headed by the child’s parents, but this can put an overwhelming burden on what is often an already precarious financial situation.

Many guardians submit applications to our Center because they can no longer afford to care for additional children. However, small grants (normally between $9 and $14 per month) drastically reduce this pressure, allowing the children to remain with their extended family.

Mary’s grandfather, Samuel Mwangi, her sole caregiver, put in an application to Flying Kites Kinangop because he felt she would have a better life at the Center. At home, Mary was not attending school because her grandfather could not afford the uniform. The one room they lived in was unsuitable and Samuel was working two jobs and still struggling to pay for food. Flying Kites provided Samuel with a grant that he used to pay for Mary’s uniform ($3), school books ($7), and furniture/bedding ($14). He also receives a weekly package of milk, eggs, and vegetables from our on-site farm. This has made an enormous difference in their situation, and now the only time we see Mary is when she comes to help our little ones with their homework!

Farming Support: Farming in Kinangop covers a wide range of practices with an equally broad spectrum of technical sophistication. Larger farms grow produce to be sold in local, regional and international markets. Most households have small subsistence farms, with only a minimal excess sold locally. Innovative products and techniques drastically increase yields; however, access to knowledge and supply in the local community, especially among the smallholders, is limited. We propose a three point program to improve access to faming innovations and technology.

Training: We are fortunate to have the regional Farmers Training Center (FTC) as our neighbor. Beginning in January 2009, we will co-host a biannual workshop for local farmers. The focus will be on determining appropriate crop mix, increasing yields, and strengthening negotiating positions.

Model Farm: Flying Kites Kinangop leases 30 acres of farmland which is open to students from FTC, and showcases crops and products to the local community, with clear before and after examples to illustrate results.

Support and Finance: We will design a protocol to provide ongoing support and advice to local farmers by FTC professionals, staff and visiting experts. Our initial Farmers conference will also allow us to assess the scope of a micro-finance scheme in Kinangop.