RCE Kakamega-Western Kenya-2014
1. Name of RCE :
KAKAMEGA _WESTERN KENYA
2. Continent:
Africa and Middle East
3. Country:
Kenya
5. Project Title:
Youth and Education for Sustainability Camp 2014
7.Project Partner Contact Information Provide information about the main contacts for the project. :
Organization:
BUMA Fish & Integrated Farm
Role:
Project Leader
Main Contact:
Zippy Shiyoya/ Ellen Savude
Organization:
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST)
Role:
National Chair of RCE Kenya Coordinators/RCE Kakamega Western Coordinator
Main Contact:
Dr. Gordon Nguka
Organization:
The County Government of Kakamega
Role:
Acting Minister for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives Organization
Main Contact:
PeninahMukabane
Organization:
Kenya Youth Network for Sustainable Development
Role:
coordinator
Main Contact:
Haron Oichoe
9. Project Description Provide a short description of the project including regional challenges it addresses, its aims as well as project activities/strategies Allow text field (character count 500 words):
Theme was “Empowering youth to explore their potential in accelerating education for Sustainability beyond 2014
The main aim of the workshop was to provide a forum for young people to learn and share practical best practices and sustainable empowerment towards learning for sustainability with a focus on the global strategy on education for sustainable development.
Some local challenges:
According to Ellen Savude report 2013 (Youth), In Western Kenya the culture of dependency, encourages interdependency where the community supports each other irrespective of their economic status. The challenge here is the comfort zone where responsibility is shared. When young boys become of age and can earn money, they drop out of school and move to urban areas for “casual labour”. Young girls toodrop out of school and settle into mother hood at an early age, when lifebecomesharsh, they leave their children to their parents/grandparents in pursuit for job opportunities in urban areas and subsequently marriage. Another cultural barrier is on land inheritance, whereas the population continues to grow,landto be inherited continues to shrink, leaving young people with little or no land to inherit. This means that as long as their parents are alive, youth have no say on how land can be utilised, furthermore farm work in the rural village is laborious and not as lucrative as “gardening” in the urban areas with a “modern lifestyle”. So, young people choose to migrate to urban areas in search of “milk and honey”
Some Regional Challenges:
The workshop brought together youth from the local community and the region as well as from other parts of the country mainly arid and semi-arid areas. We also had cross border participants from the neighbouring country – Uganda. The challenges shared were quite similar, including unemployment, drug abuse, and little education, lack of exposure, lack or no access to information anda special concern on lack of mentors.
The workshop was designed to provide youth with the opportunity to learn and share from one another the best practices towards accelerating the achievement of ESD and beyond. Self-emancipation as an individual and a member of the community, mentorship for empowerment, enabling youth to understand some vocational opportunities in agri-preneurship and climate change, wholesome grooming of the youth to enhance conservation of natural resources and harnessing of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) in the context of ESD, and finally but not least provide a platform for networking and resource mobilization for Youth projects.
The workshop activities involved on arrival pitching their own tentsa great ice breakerallowing youth to work together, it was informal with local visits in the community/Excursions to Kakamega forest/Cultural activities/Topical thematic discussions/life skills/agri-preneurship with a highlight on fish farming/Group discussions/Green school activity involving the community and ongoing mentorship sessions. The intention was to empower youth to be responsive to issues of sustainability and explore what they can do with the community; the workshop took a participatory approach.
The main aim of the workshop was to provide a forum for young people to learn and share practical best practices and sustainable empowerment towards learning for sustainability with a focus on the global strategy on education for sustainable development.
Some local challenges:
According to Ellen Savude report 2013 (Youth), In Western Kenya the culture of dependency, encourages interdependency where the community supports each other irrespective of their economic status. The challenge here is the comfort zone where responsibility is shared. When young boys become of age and can earn money, they drop out of school and move to urban areas for “casual labour”. Young girls toodrop out of school and settle into mother hood at an early age, when lifebecomesharsh, they leave their children to their parents/grandparents in pursuit for job opportunities in urban areas and subsequently marriage. Another cultural barrier is on land inheritance, whereas the population continues to grow,landto be inherited continues to shrink, leaving young people with little or no land to inherit. This means that as long as their parents are alive, youth have no say on how land can be utilised, furthermore farm work in the rural village is laborious and not as lucrative as “gardening” in the urban areas with a “modern lifestyle”. So, young people choose to migrate to urban areas in search of “milk and honey”
Some Regional Challenges:
The workshop brought together youth from the local community and the region as well as from other parts of the country mainly arid and semi-arid areas. We also had cross border participants from the neighbouring country – Uganda. The challenges shared were quite similar, including unemployment, drug abuse, and little education, lack of exposure, lack or no access to information anda special concern on lack of mentors.
The workshop was designed to provide youth with the opportunity to learn and share from one another the best practices towards accelerating the achievement of ESD and beyond. Self-emancipation as an individual and a member of the community, mentorship for empowerment, enabling youth to understand some vocational opportunities in agri-preneurship and climate change, wholesome grooming of the youth to enhance conservation of natural resources and harnessing of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) in the context of ESD, and finally but not least provide a platform for networking and resource mobilization for Youth projects.
The workshop activities involved on arrival pitching their own tentsa great ice breakerallowing youth to work together, it was informal with local visits in the community/Excursions to Kakamega forest/Cultural activities/Topical thematic discussions/life skills/agri-preneurship with a highlight on fish farming/Group discussions/Green school activity involving the community and ongoing mentorship sessions. The intention was to empower youth to be responsive to issues of sustainability and explore what they can do with the community; the workshop took a participatory approach.
11.Provide references and reference materials (possibility to upload additional documents (up to 8mb):
12. Duration of the Project Start Date: End date::
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Describe Coordination and management of the project. Please also reflect how the RCE as a network organization has contributed to the project and the challenges involved, if any. Character count 400 words :
BUMA Fish and Integrated farm a stake holder and a member of the RCE Kakamega Western has a resource that is community facing.
The Farm took the lead in Coordination and management of the project. RCE Kakamega western and Kenya youth network formed part of the secretariat, while UNEP's Environmental Education and Training Unit (EETU) gave technical input, support and encouragement.
Some challenges RCE Kakamega western experienced was no buy in from the RCE network. The main challenge was lack of financial resource and perhaps bringingthe right skill set to the institutions that host RCE’s. Otherchallenges were linking up with other NGO’s running projects on ESD.
The question perhaps is the function of the RCE which is “bring together institutions at the regional/local level to jointly promote ESD, build innovative platforms to share information and experiences and to promote dialogue among regional/local stakeholders through partnerships for sustainable development”. What is the right communication channel?
The Farm took the lead in Coordination and management of the project. RCE Kakamega western and Kenya youth network formed part of the secretariat, while UNEP's Environmental Education and Training Unit (EETU) gave technical input, support and encouragement.
Some challenges RCE Kakamega western experienced was no buy in from the RCE network. The main challenge was lack of financial resource and perhaps bringingthe right skill set to the institutions that host RCE’s. Otherchallenges were linking up with other NGO’s running projects on ESD.
The question perhaps is the function of the RCE which is “bring together institutions at the regional/local level to jointly promote ESD, build innovative platforms to share information and experiences and to promote dialogue among regional/local stakeholders through partnerships for sustainable development”. What is the right communication channel?
14. What are the current results of the project in terms of outputs (e.g. publications, developed practices, course materials)? Character count 300 words:
A documentary covering the whole workshop although it is yet to be released officially.
Developing a website with a link to the material.
Developing a website with a link to the material.
15. What are the expected/confirmed outcomes (e.g. impact of the project) Character count 400 words:
Community collaboration with RCE Host - Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST), has prequalified the youth and women groups in this community to supply vegetables and poultry. Currently, working out the modalities. A goodexample of“taking the community into the University and the University to the community”.
Cross border collaboration with a stakeholder in Uganda Grassroots Innovations Uganda (GIU) together with Greater eastern Uganda RCE – acknowledged in August 16, 2014. Plan to replicate the youth workshop in December 2014. Founder of the NGO will attend the 9th Global workshop in Japan 2014
Mentored our youth leader, recently accepted at Earth University in Costa Rica topursue a degree in Agriculture Engineering and Natural resources
Cross border collaboration with a stakeholder in Uganda Grassroots Innovations Uganda (GIU) together with Greater eastern Uganda RCE – acknowledged in August 16, 2014. Plan to replicate the youth workshop in December 2014. Founder of the NGO will attend the 9th Global workshop in Japan 2014
Mentored our youth leader, recently accepted at Earth University in Costa Rica topursue a degree in Agriculture Engineering and Natural resources
16. Are there any unexpected/unplanned results achieved by your project? If yes, briefly describe or list them . Character count 200 words.:
We had financial constraints, with unpaid bills. Holding up full reports the documentaries, website and reports
Down side of the project was -Out of pocket expenses causing real dents to the organisers, not been able to recover.
Down side of the project was -Out of pocket expenses causing real dents to the organisers, not been able to recover.
17. What are the remaining challenges and/or limitations for further development? Character count 300 words.:
ESD is known well and understood with a selected few. There is need to actively to engage the higher learning institutions and the Public through media etc
Get buy in from the RCE networks
Financial resources
Skill set within the host institutions
Networking with other partners already in ESD and Youth
Get buy in from the RCE networks
Financial resources
Skill set within the host institutions
Networking with other partners already in ESD and Youth
18. What is the project’s contribution to innovative and transformative educational processes for sustainable development (especially regarding formal and/ non-formal learning/research)? Character count 500 words:
Mentorship brings about change in behaviour and the youth are expected to embrace organic farming and more so be able to generate income in their communities hence promoting sustainability. In terms of farming the youth are expected to relate and intergrate poultry as means of generating natural fertilisers for their crops hence empowerment
19.How can you scale up and mainstream ESD and SD practices of the project and enable it to contribute to the implementation of the Global Action Programme (GAP) as proposed by UNESCO? (max 300 words):
Develop the workshop into a program
Replicate into other regions
Develop training materials and share the learning’s
Advocacy through media, talk shows( including comedy shows ) an education / fun event in big towns
Replicate into other regions
Develop training materials and share the learning’s
Advocacy through media, talk shows( including comedy shows ) an education / fun event in big towns
20. How does you project contribute institutional and policy reforms as part of sustainability change? Character count 500 words:
RCE already are hosted within Universities. Sustainable change in relation to Conservation and environment is cross cutting to our lives.
Universities together with Ministry of Education and other partners can develop a curriculum for students that can take place perhaps over the school holidays. This must be rolled out to public schools and must be all inclusive. (e.g. Music festival in Kenya which is an event on school calendar) and schools use it to market their own schools/Universities.
For example Eco-generation &Samsung Engineering in Korea
Universities together with Ministry of Education and other partners can develop a curriculum for students that can take place perhaps over the school holidays. This must be rolled out to public schools and must be all inclusive. (e.g. Music festival in Kenya which is an event on school calendar) and schools use it to market their own schools/Universities.
For example Eco-generation &Samsung Engineering in Korea
21. How does your project further improve capacities of various partners and stakeholders on the theme? Character count 500 words.:
By collaborating with other partners that have a component on ESD.
Include a hands on approach , involve youth in the local communities with an addition to life skills’ mentoring and fun!
Include a hands on approach , involve youth in the local communities with an addition to life skills’ mentoring and fun!
22.What is the significance of this project for developing global linkages in order to strengthen activities in this area? (max 250 words):
Education plays a central and critical role in one’s ability to respond to constantly changing opportunities that development presents. Basic education serves as a foundation for an improved condition of life. The expected improvements are not only for those who are young but also for adolescents and adults who have been missed by that system (Human Development Report, 2005)
23. What is novel about the project within the RCE network and what could other RCEs learn from this experience? (Answer only if relevant) Character count 250 words.:
The pragmatic approach, all inclusive i.e youth from all parts of the country spending some time on the land and simply appreciating the local community and each other.
24. What is the significance of this project for the region? How important are its results for its particular project category? Character count 250 words.:
Wholesome grooming of the youth to enhance conservation of natural resources and harnessing of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) in the context of ESD
Region:
Africa and Middle East
