Kenyan CBO’s urged to foster voluntarism spirit
Community Based Organizations (CBO’s) operating in Kenya, with main focus on orphaned and vulnerable children have advised farmers to foster the spirit of voluntarism in order reduce operational costs as well as foster community ownership of their projects.
Speaking at Kabrengu in Matete sub county when she visited Nucleus Children’s Trust (NCT), the World Vision East African Regional director, Mrs. Margaret Schuler expressed her delight over large staff working on voluntary terms with NCT and urged all CBOs under World Vision to emulate the same so as to channel the organization’s funds towards boosting income generating projects for future sustainability.
Nucleus Children Trust Director, Mr. John Kariuki noted that the organization, which currently is in charge of about 3300 children, boasts of voluntary services offered by 85 workers, mostly drawn from surrounding communities.
“This is a very excellent lesson this organization has taught World Vision today and we appreciate it,” remarked Schuler, revealing until then she had never encountered the kind of voluntarism spirit as exhibited by NCT in the last 15 years she has worked in the NGO world.
Schuler, who doubles as World Vision’s Vice President, was also impressed by the organisation’s involvement with various economic activities, including bee keeping, poultry and horticulture farming, which enable it meet costs of sustaining the huge number children under it.
“Though you get some boost from outside, however, due to enthusiasm the organization has come up with different ways of raising resources to support children sustainably. I’m impressed,” noted Schuler who was accompanied by World Vision Country Director, Mr. Dickens Thunde and staff from national head office in Nairobi.
The CBO, which is partially funded by the United States Agency on International Development (USAID), was registered in 2004, but officially kicked off its service towards caring of orphaned and vulnerable children in 2010.
According to the director, the CBO has so far spent about Ksh. 7.6 million towards payment of fees for a total 812 secondary students under its care between 2012 and 2016.
“At the moment we have a total of 653 students admitted in various secondary schools across the country,” revealed Kariuki.
“So even if USAID, World Vision and everybody else pulled out, this organization has demonstrated it will be able stand on its own, continue to scout for more vulnerable children in the community and support them,” Schuler expressed optimism.
Referring to NCT’s Blue Ribbon Action Month, which aims at creating awareness on rights and protection of children against violence, Schuler disclosed Word Vision will this year launch a five year global campaign, which will focus on ending violence against children.
“We are going to mount a five year campaign on eliminating and ending violence against children and I’m happy you have already aligned your activities to our main theme of focus,” revealed Schuler.
The CBO has attracted attention of the current US Ambassador to Kenya, Mr. Robert Godec, who is said to be in love with honey harvested from its bee keeping activity.
