Building sustainable communities in Kenya

Maria Kidney is a member of our innovations team based in Cork. For the past eight years she has worked to develop sustainable solutions for children in the Kenyan community of Londiani. Friends of Londiani (FOL) has had company-wide support from Musgrave.

FOL focuses on health, education and water, working with a community until the following services are in place for all its members:

• primary health care
• primary education
• support for secondary and further education
• provision of care for vulnerable groups (orphans, elderly, lone parents)
• development of strong community groups
• implementation of the Kenyan model of ‘A Healthy Village’.

Sustainability is always a key theme. For example, in the area of health the Maternal Healthcare programme includes training traditional birth attendants and community health workers and provision of essential obstetric care courses for health professionals.

In addition, the Bethel Medical Clinic provides access to primary healthcare for everyone, with additional support for vulnerable groups, while,, through Public Health Field Days, FOL provides preventative healthcare in areas including water and sanitation, vitamin A, de-worming, HIV/AIDS, nutrition, mother and child health screening, malaria and dental health.

FOL is working on implementing the ‘Healthy Village Concept’ in all villages in which it operates.

Sustainability also applies in education. Take Peer Education, a life skills programme. This has led to the creation of numerous community self-help groups. Education bursaries are open to members of all communities in which FOL operates, and encourage investment in the future, while adult literacy courses create local community trainers. FOL also supports infrastructure projects through the provision of classrooms in schools and local training centres.

As for sustainability in water, FOL supports many water programmes in Kenya. The water schemes involve an initial investment by the NGO together with local partners. Once this partnership is formed a Local Water Association is created which manages the ongoing project.

Finally, but of no less importance, there is sustainability through income generation: FOL supports sustainable communities through training and financial assistance.

See www.friendsoflondiani.com for further information.