The solution to problems lies in the community
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Empowering Sustainable Livelihood Champions
For more than two decades, St. Martin CSA has been helping vulnerable people and at-risk communities cope with shocks and disasters ranging from the effects of political violence, drought and Covid 19. In 2022, the country experienced its worst drought in 40 years. To a greater extent, the livelihoods of the people of Nyandarua, Laikipia and Baringo counties, where St. Martin has been strengthening community capacities to care for and empower vulnerable people often depend on agriculture and the direct consumption of natural resources. The drought that has been witnessed in the country for 3 consecutive years and with severe impact on the ASALs including in Laikipia and Nyandarua counties has reversed gains made in improving the quality of life of households affected by disabilities, HIV/AIDs, mental illness, gender-based violence and violent conflicts and families with children living in a difficult social situation that excludes them from the rest of society. The quality of life in these 3 counties is directly influenced by the condition of their environment. As a result of the effects of climate variability and climate change, we have witnessed an increased number of households transitioning from food-secure households to food-insecure households, while those food-insecure households are now food hungry.
Annual Report 2022
The annual report for 2022 is now available. We thank all our friends, stakeholder and our staff for their continuous commitment to the mission of St. Martin CSA! It is only through you that we can empower the vulnerable people in our midst to lead a life in dignity and self-determination.
The hidden dimension of vulnerability
On 15th October 2023, 0830 hours I was stopped by a lady (I call her Risper) on a wheelchair being pushed by a school going boy at St. Martin CSA gates. I greeted them but Risper was in such a hurry to ask for my financial support than in exchange for pleasantries. Apparently, I knew Risper for several years because we had rescued one of her sons from the streets but she kept pulling him back to the streets until we lost the battle. I inquired from the boy why he was not in school. The mother retorted quickly that they did not have anything to eat back at home. By now she was already growing impatient with me. I offered to support them with food for a month and reinstate the boy back to school as we work out a sustainable solution to their vulnerability. She declined my offer and commanded the son to move on, with disappointment on her face. This is not an isolated experience. Many poor people with special vulnerability (real and crafted) are pushed to the streets of our towns by unscrupulous people to beg and pay a commission while others have found an easy source of shillings from charitable Kenyans.
Zero Tolerance To FGM
Female genital mutilation, or FGM, is internationally recognized as a violation of human rights. Yet over 200 million girls worldwide are at risk of undergoing this harmful practice every year, many of them under the age of 15. Many factors contribute to the prevalence of FGM but in every society in which it occurs, it is a manifestation of entrenched gender inequality. Here in Kenya around 4 million, or one in five, women and girls have been subjected to FGM. Although overall these numbers have declined over recent years, they still remain much too high. An estimated 574,000 additional Kenyan girls are at risk of undergoing FGM between now and 2030 unless urgent action is taken to prevent it. St. Martin CSA through the Community Programme for Peace and Reconciliation runs a project known as ‘Awakening Suppressed Voices’ with an aim of transforming communities where women and girls are free from all forms of violence and are empowered to claim their rights, and pursue their own goals.
Competency Based Curriculum - CBC
Competency-based curriculum (CBC) is the country’s new education system that was introduced in December 2017 to replace the 8-4-4 cycle. It plays an important role in the promotion of individual well being and acquisition of skills and capabilities to contribute meaningfully to the economy and society at large. The focus of the CBC curriculum is the potential of the child and not about memorization of content. It is about being creative, having the ability to think critically, being able to solve problems and also being able to apply the knowledge and skills gained. The CBC is a great opportunity for our children!
What we do
Support youth acquiring technical skills
The programme works with vulnerable youth by providing them with practical skills through attaching them with local artisans. In addition, the youth are equipped with life-skills and entrepreneurial skills. This increases their opportunity to access decent job creation and enhances their employability, thereby contributing to reduce unemployment, vulnerability and poverty for vulnerable and marginalized youth, both in urban and rural settings. }
Jaza Kikapu - Fill the Basket
In 2020, we launched Jaza Kikapu (fill a basket) concept to mobilise resources to support poor women headed households. Jaza Kikapu goal is to enhance and promote the unique role played by women on the family, community and societal level by empowering them and creating an enabling environment for their full participation in the development agenda. Women play an indispensable role in community development as weavers of the social fabric and caregivers. It is broadly designed to uplift poor households through the potential of women and hereby enable them to fully participate in the development of the communities.
Strenghten the capacity of Child Right Promoters
These are volunteers who are drawn from the community and are empowered to act as community TOTs, and supported to implement activities in churches, schools, public meetings and other fora with the aim of sensitizing the community on child rights. These volunteers are headhunted from among church school teachers, duty bearers and primary school teachers. In addition to awareness creation, they mobilize resources from their communities to support vulnerable children and shed lights on abuses facing children. The programme is currently working with 130 volunteers in various parts of Nyahururu, and Nyandarua.
Awakening Suppressed Voices
Breaking the chains of silence. By empowering communities to take a stand, we're unleashing the strength of women and empowering them to combat gender-based violence head-on. Together, we'll create a world free from fear and oppression. Read more … Empowering Women and Girls: Unleashing the Voices of Change.