Women Day Stories by LFC

[Guest guest]

STORIES ON WOMEN DAY BY LAKE FELLOWSHIP CENTRE

Women are very important in our communities. They

shoulder a major role in each and every person in

life. There are a number of things that have happened

around the life of women. We as Lake Fellowship Centre

have compiled a few stories that we feel should be

aired on this day to remember the occasion and to help

us to think more about working with our community.

These are actually true stories that if you need proof

then we take you to these sites.

Three sisters who died of HIV.AIDS.

These three sisters lived in Ahero Kenya, they all

died one by one and were not married, they left 5

children who are below 16 years and they are living by

themselves after their grandparents died after their

mothers. A girl who is about 15 years is taking care

of the other children with little donations that are

not enough. I have actually visited these children

twice. The situation is pathetic since their house is

one roomed and about 10 feet by 10 feet in size. Among

these 5 children three ate girls who will be onefs

mother in future.

Jane onunga

She lost her parents through HIV/AIDS sometimes back.

A relative took her and took her to school. The year

2003 she did her Grade 8 she passed and she was

admitted to a school but could not report because of

lack of school fees. But later the head teacher traced

her and took her to school. Later last year the head

teacher became sick and she had to drop out of school

because the teacher who was paying was medically not

able.

She dropped out of school and she is still hoping she

will get education to make her goals true.

Devoter Olando.

She is the head of her family now after the death of

her father and her mother developed mental problems.

She came to one of our Community Health and

development training in Rae. She impressed us because

after the trainings and found she had a very big

change in her life. She had slashed her home, paid

somebody to plough their farm and they had food in

their store.

We think she was empowered to face life positively.

Actually she was introduced into this forum by one of

our members to help her get more exposure.

Silper Okelo

She from AIC Masana She was able to fence a good

kitchen garden since her husband is working 70 miles

away. She was able to buy a heifer with the money she

saved because of the kitchen garden. Previously she

was buying vegetables but after the training in

November, she was able to start saving money to buy

the heifer. She was doing some micro business but she

never calculated her profit after the training she was

able to do so. All these savings she bought a heifer

to give her milk.

Kira

and her husband are from AIC Masana (I wish

this site was accepting attached photos I could have

shown photos of their family in the farm)

They managed to do rain water harvesting to start a

kitchen garden in a dry region that people thought

could not work. The wife said to us during our follow

up that within the last two months they were able to

save about $50 per month which they used to buy an in

calf heifer which gave birth just a few days ago and

the photo of their first born milking while the grand

mother and other children are looking is included. The

cow has costed about 100 $. The milk used in

providing better nutrition to the family.

Linnet Akeyo

Linnet Akeyo is a girl who is aiming high to play

soccer up to international standard. She is doing her

final in high school now and she will put all her

efforts to achieve more in sports.

CHALLENGES WOMEN FACE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

- Most women have no proper source of income.

- Most women are shouldering heavy burden of raising a

family.

- Many women walk long distance to fetch water and

fire wood.

- Many rural women are in a separated world with no

means of networking with the outside world.

- Most training favors male people.

- When there is a problem in a community the first at

risk are women and children.

- Many face infection of HIV/AIDS.

WAY FORWARD

- We trained a few women last year and January this

year about Income Generating Activities we will

continue to do this in future to help more women.

- We trained women and men about rain water harvesting

to reduce time spent on looking for water, we plan to

continue to help save more time for development.

- We trained women and men about starting of small

tree nurseries to reduce time spent on looking for

firewood and building materials we plan to continue to

help save more time and resources for development.

- We have tried to write proposals to find funding for

a rural internet and mobile phone service for rural

women, we will continue to pursue this again.

- We are planning for a purely women trainings on

agriculture, bee keeping, weaving etc so that our

trainings will favor female.

- We will target women in our HIV/AIDS awareness

campaigns to help reduce the infection.

We have done very little but since very many things

are happening around us we are starting to move fast

to help in whatever level we can.

As soon as I am able to join the forum I will be able

to learn more. If you want to contact me then you

email me through

ascarodhiambo@...

Ascar Odhiambo

Lake Fellowship Centre

Sondu

Sent through

Tom Okeyo

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