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Wheels of resilient livelihoods

 

For 25 years, St. Martin CSA has been working with volunteers at different levels-governance, programmes management and at implementation level bringing together a network of over 600 volunteers. Volunteers at governance and management level are largely professionals drawn from both private and public sector inspired by our dream of a more just society that upholds the dignity of vulnerable and marginalised people. Volunteers at community level are men and women, young and old intrinsically motivated to share their gifts and talents with vulnerable and marginalised people through mutually transformative relationships. They provide technical support in each of our thematic area at grassroots level and mobilize their communities to solidarity groups around the most vulnerable members of our society. People who are broken, wounded and isolated because of the struggles they have in life or conditions they live with.  One denominator that defines volunteerism at St. Martin CSA is personal transformation. One researcher doing a study at St. Martin CSA concluded that “everyone in this movement (Organisation) - Board members, Programmes Management Committees members and staff, is a beneficiary!”

 

Due to low transport and communication infrastructure development in arid and semi-arid rural areas, some of our volunteers walk for kilometres to provide essential services in their community. In these areas more than half of the population relies on walking as their main form of transport, mostly the poorest in the community who are unable to pay for transport. In 2023, we provided 20 Sustainable Livelihood Champions with bicycles dubbed wheels of resilient livelihoods in partnership with Fondazione Fontana Onlus and Autonomous Province of Trentino Italy. Sustainable Livelihood Champions are volunteers who empower their communities with knowledge, skills and practices in sustainable livelihood. They sensitize their communities on climate change, impact of climate change on agro based livelihoods, coping and adapting strategies and approaches to mitigate climate change.  Due to low transport and communication infrastructure development in arid and semi-arid rural areas, some of our volunteers walk for kilometres to provide essential services in their community. In these areas more than half of the population relies on walking as their main form of transport, mostly the poorest in the community who are unable to pay for transport. In 2023, we provided 20 Sustainable Livelihood Champions with bicycles dubbed wheels of resilient livelihoods in partnership with Fondazione Fontana Onlus and Autonomous Province of Trentino Italy. Sustainable Livelihood Champions are volunteers who empower their communities with knowledge, skills and practices in sustainable livelihood. They sensitize their communities on climate change, impact of climate change on agro based livelihoods, coping and adapting strategies and approaches to mitigate climate change

"For some people a bicycle is a means of transport, for other a source of income and for the young at heart a recreational equipment. For me, it’s a tool for transforming lives. Every month, I cycle for over 30 kilometers visiting livelihood projects in households affected by mental illness.

Before I acquired the bicycle, I visited an average of 5 households per month because they are widely sparse but today I wheel to all 10 households under my care.  I also use the bicycle to attend the monthly volunteers and support group meetings. Besides saving time and effort in my volunteerism, the bicycle is helping me keep physically fit and I am reducing carbon emission to the environment.

At home, I use the bicycle to run errands like going to the market".  Rahab, Sustainable Livelihood champion.

The Wheels of Resilient Livelihood have enabled us extend our footprints in the community, strengthen trails of volunteerism and put poor households of paths towards sustainable livelihoods.

What we do

Protect and Rescue children from Abusive situations 

rescue

 

The programme rescues children facing harm as a result of physical, sexual, child marriage, FGM and emotional abuse, as well as neglect and exploitation. Street connected children are also rescued. They are provided with proper care in our rescue centres.  

Upon rehabilitation, these children are reintegrated back into the community and provided with education support like school uniforms and fees where need be in order to settle them in schools. The programme also target vulnerable in Nyahururu sub-county who lack access to one or more basic needs and their rights are constantly abused. The programme support such children with schooling needs, resource mobilization from the community as well as advocating for their rights. 

Advocacate for Child Protection

 

advocacy

 

The programme works with different stakeholders involved in child protection matters to advocate for child protection and resolve issues of violated children in a timely and child-inclusive manner in line with their best interests. The programme undertakes the following activities; 

  • Educating the public through radio shows and awareness creation on matters of children
  • Collaborating with the government agencies and civil societies on activities that enhance the promotion of child rights
  • Working with local and national networks in the field of child protection.
  • Empowerment of direct beneficiaries by providing information on the existing initiatives by government and organization that provides for their rights. 

Building Resilient Livelihoods

 

sustainable

 

Establishing Sustainable Livelihoods: We believe in long-term solutions. Through our unique approach, we train 20 “Sustainable Livelihood champions” Trainers of Trainers, cascading valuable knowledge on protection, diversification, and resilience to climate change to 200 beneficiaries. This ensures a lasting impact and empowers communities to thrive independently.

Empower parents socially and economically 

parents

 

These are parents and guardians of vulnerable children in the community. They are plagued by a myriad of vices which trap them into poverty and therefore are not able to provide for their children. The project works with these parents as a proactive strategy of solving the problem of street connected children. Parents are encouraged to join support groups for social support, counseling, empowerment on parenting skills and economic empowerment. Groups are expected to grow their savings by loaning each other for economic development.

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