Children's Village and Vocational Centre (CVVC), Kenya
Location
Project in Kenya will offer long-term hands-on skills training in development of sustainable livelihoods to vulnerable youths (probationers, orphans and street children).
About You
Location
Project Street Address
Project City
Project Province/State
Project Postal/Zip Code
Project Country
Your idea
Year the initative began (yyyy)
2007
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Project URL (include http://)
Plot your innovation within the mosaic of solutions
Which of these barriers is the primary focus of your work?
Low self-value and stability leads to risky choices
Which of the principles is the primary focus of your work?
Award responsibility with support
If you believe some other barrier or principle should be included in the mosaic, please describe it and how it would affect the positioning of your initiative in the mosaic:
This field has not been completed
Name Your Project
Children's Village and Vocational Centre (CVVC), Kenya
Describe Your Idea
Project in Kenya will offer long-term hands-on skills training in development of sustainable livelihoods to vulnerable youths (probationers, orphans and street children).
Innovation
Describe your program or new idea in one sentence.
Project in Kenya will offer long-term hands-on skills training in development of sustainable livelihoods to vulnerable youths (probationers, orphans and street children).
What makes your initiative uniquely positioned to create change in your community?
Project deals with youths (15-24 years old) who have completed their probation (for their crimes) and with vulnerable youths who have low self-value and stability. They usually come from poor families and need to find jobs after rehabilitation or care at a probation hostel or NGO. With a background of accumulated effects of cultural and environmental barriers and a lack of opportunities, these youths will continue to face public rejections and isolations and will easily return to doing petty thefts for survival even if they have unskilled labourer's jobs. CVVC will offers them a reasonable standard of living and opportuntiy to create their own future until they can gain new social and technical skills that can overshadow their past behaviours and crimes. The community can then recognise the youths for their skills and as assets to the community, and not their past faults. The CVVC initative will also need to be self-reliant in food and fuel.
Describe how you organize and carry out your work?
CVVC's site is in a 365-acre location at Lower Kabete, 15 km west of Nairobi (see CVVC photo albums at http://community.webshots.com/user/jackyfoo) where there are 4 children's homes (managed by the Kenyan Ministry of Home Affairs, MoHA). The CVVC project idea was endorsed in Aug 2007 by MoHA and it is now awaiting final approval for access to land. A pilot phase of 2 years will be launched in 2008/09. Basic funding is already available for activities in 2008.
What is your plan to scale and expand your innovation into your community and beyond?
The project has a 10-yr program (2008-2017) and aims to play a key supportive role in MoHA's after care services as well as to respond to the needs of NGOs that care for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). Pilot study will produce the first batch of youths 10-20 youths. The mid-term phase (2010-2013) of 4 years will ensure needed infrastructure (business/conference centers, guest houses), staff and training programs will be established. The long term phase will develop excellence in management. CVVC should be able to train 50-100 youths per year including participants/volunteers from other countries and to serve as a model for other countries.
What other resources, institutional, or policy needs would be necessary to help sustain and scale up your idea?
Project is a cooperation with MoHA and OVC NGOs. The mid-term phase (4 years) will need a proposed budget of 1.5 million US$. CVVC is looking for sponsor(s). Globetree is now interacting with the Kenyan Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of the Children's Village. From 2010 it will be replaced by a CVVC executive committee and other working groups will also be needed.
Impact
Describe your impact in one sentence, commenting on both the individual and community levels.
The project respond to very urgent needs of OVC youths for skills training and to change community's attitude towards these disadvantaged youths.
What impact has your work achieved to date?
MoHA and managers of 3 rehabilitation schools/homes for children (8-16 years old) have welcomed the project and Forum Syd/SIDA (Sweden) is funding Year 1 of the pilot phase. Kenyan committee has 4 representatives from MoHA and the Office of the Vice-President of Kenya.
Number of individuals served
Still at the planning phase (in the future: 50-100 trainees per year, 200 youths who will help to run the CVVC (business/conference centre, training workshops and farm)
Community impact
It will offer a new hope for OV Youths from rehabilitation schools and OVC NGOs. CVVC will also provide probationers who are on after care programs to interact with other vulnerable youths.
Society at large
The goal is to produce socially adapted youth with skills training and who can contribute productively to the society.
What measure do you use to gauge your impact and why?
By the number of youths trained and who have gained employment which is a measure of success.
By monitoring/measuring yield/productivity from crops, livestock, products made.
By income/savings made through food/fuel production or use (renewables)
By the number of activities organized.
Through feedbacks from youths and organisers of training activities.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Sustainability
How is your initiative currently being financed and how would you finance further expansion and/or replication?
Pilot phase (2008) funded by ForumSyd/SIDA (Sweden) with possible extension into 2009.
Sponsor(s) for 2010-2013 is needed (budget 1.5 million US$).
No plans for replication of CVVC in other cities in Kenya nor in other countries yet.
Provide information on your current finances and organization:
CVVC Project:
(a) Annual Budget
2007: 36,000 US$ ; 2008/March 2009 = 61,000 US$
(b) Annual Revenue/(c)Source of Revenue: none (yet)
(c) Number of Staff: one (1)
Globetree Sweden:
(a) Annual (total) Budget
2005 budget: 443,000 US$ ; 2006 budget: 964,000 US$
(b) Annual Revenue:
2005: 67,000 US$ ; 2006: 96,000 US$
(c) Source of Revenue: Membership and donations
(d) Number of Staff: 2006: 14 ; 2005: 6
Others (Network Volunteers/members): 2,500 persons
Who are your potential partners and allies?
Kenya:
Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA, Kenya)
Nairobi Children's Remand Home (DCS/MoHA)
Kabete Rehabilitation School (DCS/MoHA)
Getathuru Rehabilitation School (DCS/MoHA)
Children's Garden Group (Nairobi, OVC NGO)
Kenya National Association of Probation Officers (Nairobi, NGO)
WEMA Centre (Mombasa, OVC NGO)
Nakuru Girls Probation Hostel (Nakuru, PACS/MoHA)
Shanzu Probation Hostel (Mombasa, PACS/MoHA)
Kimumu Youth Correction Centre (Eldoret, PACS/MoHA)
Kimumu Probation Training Centre (Eldoret, PACS/MoHA)
Thika Rescue Centre (Thika, DCS/MoHA)
Partnerships will be developed with other NGOs to give them an opportunity to send promising youths for training.
Sweden:
MKFC Stockholms Folk High School, Sweden (www.mkfc.se on e-learning)
Who are your potential investors?
SIDA (Sweden)
Ministry of Home Affairs, Kenya
The Story
What is the origin of this innovation? Tell us your story.
Globetree (recipient of the Global 500 Honor Award) started projects in East Africa in 2000 and partner with an OVC NGO (Children's Garden Group) to help street children. Currently CGG operates an informal primary school for about 200 children and a home for 90 children with a budget of about 63,000 US$ per year. In 2006 some of the boys got into trouble with the law and on March 2007, a feasibility study was made on "Children on Probation and their Environment at Probation Centres in Kenya". In general living environment is very good when compared to living environments of children from poor families. The after care service (MoHA) however has a very urgent need for skills training for vulnerable youths and also for youths from OVC NGOs that currently only focus at children up to primary school age (16 years old). MoHA was very interested in the project and in Oct 2007 a second study was made to identify the site for the CVVC.
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers marketing material.
Educated as a botanist, agricultural microbiologist and trained with a broad working experience on waste utilisation, water, eco-sanitation, environment and integrated biosystems for rural development and agro-industry. Specialises in project development and full cycle management/implementation.
Fellow (since 1996), World Academy Of Arts and Science
Chairman (2004-2006), International Organization of Biotechnology and Bioengineering
General Secretary (2007-2008), International Organization of Biotechnology and Bioengineering
Member (Board of Directors) (since 2006), South East Asia Rural Development Fund
Vice-President (since 2005, inactive), African Foundation for Environmentally Sound Technologies for Farms and Cities
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Comments
Welcome to the discussion on my entry on "Children's Village and Vocational Centre" (CVVC) at Changemakers.net.
Your comments are welcomed and most appreciated in order to improve its activities as well as to learn from other experiences too.
Globetree works with children. (see CV of Globetree 1970-2003: http://www.globetree.org/infomaterial/cv_globetree_en.html). In the 70's and 80's its Globetheatre had more than 2600 story telling performances around the world using puppets. The performances evolved in time and then included discussions with children on issues that were important to them.
A question in the 70's and asked by a 8-year old was "Do you really believe we have a future". It had provided the major driving force for the work of Globetree since. In 2000 Globetree became the first NGO from Sweden to receive the "Global 500 Roll of Honor Award" given by UNEP for its outstanding achievements in the protection and improvement of the environment. This served as a stepping stone to more activities and events in East Africa. In 2001 at the HABITAT's 18th Session in Nairobi, Globetree with 300 children from 10 schools in the slum areas met with former President Moi of Kenya. In 2001 a tree at the UN Office grounds (UNON) in Nairobi was dedicated as the "Children's Meeting Place" where children meet every year to discuss environmental problems that they face. Now there is a network of "Children's Meeting Places" (often at city councils) in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and in Sweden so that children can meet and interact with their city Mayors. In 2006 Globetree started a bi-annual conference on "World Championship in Cooperation" in Stockholm (www.globetree.org). The next will be in Kampala in 2008. The Children's Village will be the next major undertaking of Globetree.
CVVC wants to learn from lessons of the past and also from your experiences too.
There are so many things that one could do at a Children's Village and Vocational Centre.
Best regards
Jacky Foo
+++++
Globetree's motto: "What we do today will be the children's
By the way, my recent visit to the surroundings in Islamabad reveal an interesting work by a local NGO for the training, providing accomodation with food and at the same time involve them in the growing grape trees in a manner that a drug addicted youths (16 to 24 years of age) from up country or left orfan in devastating earth quake two years back, are provided accomodation in a camp style fashion with referred land of vine yards where more than 10,000 plants have been grown which are subsequently maintained till sale of grapes to the market in Punjab province of Pakistan. This grape quality is competing well with grapes that use to come previously from Quetta/Chamman cities of Balochistan province bordering Afghanistan. In a way this setup provides training as the youth work on the vine yards and this way cover more than 70% of the expenses and rest comes from donation etc. I am told that an entrant to this farming of grapes spends about 18 months and in this time the drug addicted youth becomes use to normal life and also becomes acceptable to his community back home. He is then free to start his own work. There are about over 60 youths living there.
best regards,
Liaqat Hayat
Dear lhayat
thank you for the interesting case in Islamabad.
An important point that you made and observed is that the youth that spent about 18 months with the NGO at the grape farm. Such a "hands-on" training and internship (not short-term) is very important as it also provides experience and excellence needed to find jobs/or even start its own business in the future.
>.....this setup provides training as the youth work on the vine yards
>and this way cover more than 70% of the expenses and rest comes
>from donation
thank you for the info.
Lower Kabete (location for the CVVC) has available land with existing activities e.g. farming, dairy cows, rabbits and short term workshop training (liquid detergent production, baking). CVVC will improve some activities and initiate new ones. E.g. LB's dairy cows (Fresian and Asyhire) yield between 10-2 liters per cow (depending on its milking production period of 7 months). Fresh milk sells for 20 KES per liter. The rabbit production is a very simple rabbit house. Vegetable production is rain-fed and therefore only productive for very short periods of time during the year. Improvements can be made and also to provide a healthier environment for the animals as well as integrating waste management to recycle nutrients from animal manure.
Child probationers (10-16 years old) are often cured of their drug habits (usually glue sniffing) at hostels where they spend 6 months to 3 years. Difficult cases who need special care are first sent to special clinics before they go to probation hostels. So by the time they join the CVVC, I do not anticipate such problems. The Kenyan services (probation and after care services) for child probationers is actually quite good. There is also a unit for mental care and health.
regards
jacky
CVVC has a 10-year conceptual program which starts with a 2-year Pilot Phase in 2008. Its activities will start with 2 projects in 2008. Its training course will have hands-on exercises and on :
(i) how to care for rabbits (for meat production) and preserve rabbit skin
(ii) how to make and use liquid fertilizer
(iii) how to construct a dry toilet and use solid wastes for growing fuel wood and fruit trees
(iv) how to treat washwater and use it for irrigation of crops
(v) how to start and manage a tree nursery
(vi) how to develop activities that can generate income
Budget: 114,000 SEK (~12,000 Euros)
Sponsor: Swedish International Development and Cooperation Agency
Co-sponsor: Globetree Association
Primary NGO Partner (Kenya): Children's Garden Group, Nairobi
This project received only 33 % of the requested budget and so we will now restrict the number of participants to 15 (children from 12 years old) and from 6 organizations (NGOs and Probation hostels/Schools). In Feb'08, I will be in Nairobi and one of the tasks will be to contact (and identify) the organizations and to discuss/prepare the training exercises.
REQUEST:
I am looking for an NGO (in Kenya) that care for girls. NGO should already be doing one or more of the 6 exercises listed above. If you know of a suitable NGO that I could reach within a day's trip, please let me know. THANKS
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CVVC training course (2008) will have hands-on exercises and on :
>(iv) how to treat washwater and use it for irrigation of crops
It will use the basic principles of the 'dry creekbed' technique (see IOBB e-seminar (2004) materials and discussion messages at http://www.iobborg.net/drupal/forum/64) with a simplify and appropriate changes (original diagram at http://www.changemakers.net/files/fig-3.jpg by P. Totterdell). The changes will be that the plastic-lined and underground canal will be narrower so that water will flow upwards and then overflow from both sides into the surrounding soil where vegetables can be grown on raised beds and all round the year.
The materials needed are locally available in Nairobi (plastic sheet @85 KES/m and PVC pipes).
Since irrigation water is always under the soil surface, leafy vegetables will have minimal risks of contamination from the wash water (root crops will not be grown). The system will have gravel/stones which increases the surface area for microbial growth and enhances bio-treatment and breakdown of organic matter in the water. Clogging may happen after a few years of use (due to sludge accumulation) but it can be easily flushed out off the underground pipe at the other end.
At the site, washwater currently flows into an open drain (http://www.changemakers.net/files/IMG_7674s.jpg). This drain water (with human urine as a bio-fertiliser) will be used in the irrigation system.
++++++
the washwater may contain soapy material as well in the overall household wastewater disposed. Does this soapy material needs to separated out before use for the irregation purposes?
lhayat asked:
>the washwater may contain soapy material as well in the overall
>household wastewater disposed. Does this soapy material needs
>to separated out before use for the irrigation purposes?
Hello lhayat
thank you for your question.
When water is scarse/limited, many Kenyans (and also people from Cambodia, Western Samoa, Uganda) put water in portable basins for washing their plates and cooking utensils after meals rather than running the tap water directly to do the washing. Often two basins (plastic or metal) are used. The first one has no soap and just rinses the dirty out. This water can be used in the wastewater treatment system. Often this water can be poured into a sand filter (connected to the WW system) and chickens can scavenage food debris. The 2nd basin soaks and washing plates with soap. This water is discarded and not used for irrigation. Soaped plates are then rinsed with water (either directly from the tap or using a basin). This water if not too soapy can also be used in the WW system.
Note:
wastewater is not directly used for irrigation or water the plants. Wastewater passes through a long, narrow, gravel bed (serving as the irrigation canal) for microbial treatment first. Then it flows upwards and overflows out of the plastic-lined canal to surrounding crop beds (usually a backyard garden) with vegetables. The system is simple to build but needs an initial investment of PVC pipes and plastic sheets (and gravel/stone pebbles if not available).
Reference: CRC/C/KEN/Q/2/Add.1 (28 November 2006):
WRITTEN REPLIES BY THE GOVERNMENT OF KENYA CONCERNING THE LIST OF ISSUES (CRC/C/KEN/Q/2) RECEIVED BY THE COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD RELATING TO THE CONSIDERATION OF THE
SECOND PERIODIC REPORT OF KENYA (CRC/C/KEN/2) Original: ENGLISH
COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD, Forty-fourth session (15 January – 2 February 2007)
http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G06/458/39/PDF/G0645839.pdf?OpenE...
http://www.bayefsky.com/issuesresp/kenya_crc_2006.pdf
==============
90 % of children (age group 16-17) who are involved in crime and convicted are boys.
see: page 25 of document,
Table 36: Number of children by age group, gender involved in crime and convicted between 2003- 2006.
Year 2003 (Children of ages 16 - 17 years old).
Male : 5,465 (89.45 %)
Female: 644 (10.54 %)
Total: 6109
Year 2005 (Children of ages 16 - 17 years old).
Male : 4,486 (89.86 %)
Female: 506 (10.13 %)
Total: 4,992
Kenya has a population of about 34 million. Children (under 18 years old) number 17,584,473 (2005) i.e. slightly more than a half of the population and 15.5 % live in urban areas. 405,737 who live in urban areas are 15-17 years old. It is said that 50 % of the population live below poverty line. If (for example) 5 % of urban youths are at risk (orphans and vulnerable children), then we have 20,000 youths (15-17 yr old).
In 2002 it was estimated that 250,000 children were living "on the streets of urban areas".
6000 children were reported to be removed from the streets and placed in rehabilitation programs by the government. The number removed by NGOs are probably many by several folds. By the time these children become 16 (i.e. after primary school education), most of them will need to find work. While efforts and donors have focused at younger children, there is inadequate efforts on skills training for these "graduating" youths. The lucky ones may earn an income of between 5,000 and 10,000 KES per month. (80-160 US$).
In 2005, 5,054 (4,548 male, 506 female) youths of 16-17 yr-old were involved in crime and convicted. 2,337 (1,748 male and 589 female) "juveniles" (10-16 yr-old ?) served under probation and on community service orders in Kenya. (http://www.bayefsky.com/issuesresp/kenya_crc_2006.pdf).
CVVC activities will focus at youths at risks who have completed their probation (undergoing after care services) and also youths from NGOs (who have finished their primary school education and unable to continue secondary school education).
++++
The concept of children's village and the need for vocational training are not new to most countries in the world. Trade skills are handled down to family members for centuries. CVVC as a centre will welcome all youths esp. the vulnerable ones. CVVC is innovative because it provides long-term and hands-on internship in job skills.
It will give youth a "choice" for change.
Rather than a lack of choice, youth probationers can gain skills to develop their own sustainable livelihoods.
E.g. Kabete Rehabilitation School (a partner and at the CVVC location too) has 12 dairy cows. Fresh milk sells for 20 KES per liter. If a daily income is targeted at 300 KES (or 9000 KES per month which is a good income) then an operation with at least 3-4 cows is needed. If milk production is improved with good management, income can double. To be sustainable, fodder grass is needed when zero grazing method is used. In many places in Lower Kabete, spaces between the roads and private property are now rented out for a very small fee for urban agriculture. I have seen napier grass grown on such places.
The knowledge gained through training on dairy management by youth probationers can be spread to their home villages. Such CVVC activities have the ability to affect not just one village but many more villages. Simple management methods and how-tos can to be replicated.
see also http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-11/bc-nth110707.php
Milk consumed: 145 litres per Kenyan per year
regards
jacky foo
Children's Village and Vocational Centre (CVVC), Kenya
http://www.changemakers.net/en-us/node/3940