Tenteleni ‣ Kisumu (Kenya)

Kisumu (Kenya)

Kisumu Formal and Non-Formal Education Project

Tenteleni’s Response to the Recent Political Violence in Kenya

As a result of the political violence across Kenya, following the national elections in December 2007, Tenteleni initially placed on hold the decision to send Volunteers to the Kisumu Project this year.

Following the improvement to the political situation during April 2008 whereby a coalition government has been formed with Ministers from both parties, reported violence has reduced significantly throughout Kenya. Volunteers from large volunteer NGOs such as VSO (Voluntary Services Overseas) and Peace Core have subsequently returned to Kenya, and the UK government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office is no longer advising against travel to the country.

Tenteleni’s Project Partners have acknowledged that the previous violence hit their communities hard and that many placements have experienced great setbacks as a result of damage, pillaging and price inflation. These Partners have now noted a significant improvement and have communicated their confidence that Kisumu is now safe for Tenteleni Volunteers to the area.

As a result of the recent developments outlined above Tenteleni’s Board of Directors have decided to go ahead with the Kisumu Project with a reduced volunteer team and additional safety measures.

Project Logistics for 2008

As a result of the delayed decision to go ahead within the Kisumu Project Tenteleni has selected a reduced team of Volunteers. Two Project Co-ordinators, four UK Volunteers and two Kenyan Volunteers will take part in the following Placements:

• Nyalenda Catholic Centre and Kisumu Children’s Remand Home
• Mama Nginas Orphanage Home and Kisumu Union Primary School
• Migosi Orphanage Home and Ogango Primary School
• Noble Charity Homes for the Destitute, Ebenezer Rescue & Rehabilitation and Alango Primary School

Although it is unfortunate that Tenteleni is unable to work with all of our partners in Kisumu this year, it is hoped that a full quota of Volunteers will be recruited next year.

Additional Safety Measures

As a result of recent events Tenteleni have added a number of security measures to the Kisumu project compared with previous years, including increased contact with the support team in the UK.

The Project
Based amongst the hustle and bustle of Kenya’s third largest city the Kisumu project is one of the most multifaceted of all Tenteleni’s projects.

Most placements consist of two paired organisations so volunteers experience both formal and non-formal education centres in a wide variety of organisations, including: primary schools, children’s homes and youth centres. This requires being prepared for meeting a real range of challenges and needs and adapting to these as necessary. Given the financial constraints of most placements volunteers mainly assist in organisations with few or no resources.

An exciting and long-awaited development for the 2008 project will be the piloting of the Shiriki Programme. The Shiriki programme will pair British and Kenyan volunteers together to assist in placements. Four out of the eight placements will benefit from this programme in 2008 and the potential for future expansion across the project will be reviewed at the end of the project. For prospective volunteers interested in experiencing another culture and working in an intense cross-cultural environment this programme is ideal. For more information on the programme please scroll down.
What’s more ALL of the placements will be live-in in 2008 meaning that volunteers will have the opportunity to really experience the local culture and integrate into their communities.

Before embarking on the project all volunteers are required to attend regular university meetings and a residential training weekend to adequately prepare themselves for their project. All volunteers attend a one week training and team-building week in Kenya. This is a very intensive week and covers Kenyan teaching methods; Youth Issues; Swahili; Luo culture and Tenteleni workshops. Volunteers also attend a Mid-Project Review in Kisumu where the team can explore project developments and reflect on their expectations and achievements.

Project Dates: Sunday 13^th July to Friday 12^th September 2008 (volunteers are required to arrive on Saturday 12^th July).

Project Aim

To work in partnership with local people to support the education and awareness of youth issues amongst children and young people in the Kisumu area.

Project Objectives

Exchange skills, ideas and experiences concerning teaching and caring methods
Facilitate an improvement of English within placements
Raise awareness about Youth Issues within the organisations and communities we are working with where this is appropriate and applicable
Pilot the Shiriki programme pairing UK and Kenyan volunteers in local placements
Build relations with Shiriki counterparts, staff and the community through integration, sensitivity and flexibility
Build up a stock of knowledge for Tenteleni and the community through annual research, good communications and the Tenteleni Resource Centre

Volunteer Role
The volunteer role as Education and Youth Support Volunteers is very varied and often loosely interpreted. It covers the following areas:

Supporting English learning through acting as a teaching assistant in English lessons and providing small group support where appropriate
Taking classes and activities independently (especially in the children’s homes)
Supporting youth issues in lessons and youth groups/ activities
Providing care and extra-curricular activities
Facilitating relations between NGOs and placements (e.g. HIV and AIDS peer education NGOs who can do talks in placements)
Assisting in other subject lessons as (e.g. maths or social sciences)

The Kisumu project runs over the school holidays (lasting four weeks in August). During this time the top three standards attend extra exam tuition classes at the schools (these children are approximately 10 – 15 years old), provided by the few teachers who continue to attend.
Given this timing there is often disruption to volunteers’ timetables and a lack of structure in many of the informal placements. However, given the right attitude of flexibility, initiative and determination these challenges make for an excellent experience which volunteers gain from immensely.
Kisumu itself is a predominately evangelical Christian area and volunteers must be aware that most placements are Christian and they are expected to be culturally and religiously sensitive.

Project Support
Throughout the project you will be supported by two Project Coordinators (PCs). Their role is to provide both volunteer support and develop the project. This includes, amongst other things, building relations with local stakeholders from Ministers to placements; running training sessions for the team and developing the future direction of the project in close collaboration with the Project Manager. The PCs are supported throughout the project by the Kenya and Tanzania Project Management Team based in the UK who are responsible for the management and preparations of the project throughout the year in collaboration with local partners. PCs spend 10 days prior to the project finalising various issues and stay for a few days afterwards to tie up loose ends.

Project Logistics
The majority of volunteers, if not all, will be living on site. The PCs (and any volunteers not in live-in placements) will live together in the town centre in shared bedrooms in a guesthouse. Although those in live-in placements will experience very different environments, all of them will enable you to experience local life first-hand. Facilities in all accommodation will be basic, electrical blackouts and water shortages are common. Breakfast and traditional Kenyan dinners will be provided 5 times a week (volunteers in self-catered accommodation are provided with an equivalent food allowance); in live-in placements volunteers may well be expected to cook for themselves. All volunteers will be expected to hand-wash their own clothes. Volunteers will travel to work (Monday-Friday) either by walking, minibus taxi or boda-boda (bicycle taxi).

Volunteer Numbers
There will be approximately 10 UK volunteers and 4 Kenyan volunteers plus 2 Project Co-ordinators in 2008.

Placements

Live in Placements
Every year live-in placements come back with rave reviews and for this reason we have tried to implement ALL live-in placements on the Kisumu project for 2008. While changes may still occur this will remain the aim. These vary greatly but include living on the site of a street children’s centre, living with a local teacher in town and living on-site at a children’s home in a village on the outskirts of Kisumu. All UK volunteers will be living with one (or possible two) other UK volunteers. Kenyan volunteers will live in their own homes for the duration of the project.

Mama Ngina Children’s Home and Kisumu Union Primary School - Shiriki Programme placement
This Placement is based in the centre of Kisumu town. You will work in Kisumu Union during the mornings and Mama Ngina’s in the afternoons. At Kisumu Union there is a great deal of opportunity to work on Youth Issues and link with local NGOs. Although Mama Ngina’s is not an education centre as such volunteers are expected to initiate education based work. As the majority of children are a lot younger in the home there will be a substantial caring aspect to this placement as well.

Migosi Orphanage and Non-Formal Education Centre and Ogango Primary School - Shiriki Programme placement
This Placement is based in Kondele, an informal settlement in the suburbs of Kisumu. Migosi houses 30 children ranging from 3-18 years. Some of these children are taught in an on-site nursery. Within the school and with the older children in the home there is the opportunity for working on Youth Issues.

Nyalenda Catholic Centre and Kisumu Children’s Remand Centre - Shiriki Programme placement
These organisations work together on various activities. Nyalenda Catholic Centre is based in Nyalenda, an informal settlement in Kisumu and the Remand Centre is based within the town centre. At Nyalenda you will have the freedom to assist with non-formal education (NFE) and a community health outreach programme. At the Remand Centre you will assist with NFE and activities for children awaiting trial. Children at both centres range from 7-18 years.

Noble Charity Homes for Destitutes (NCHD), Alango Primary School and Ebenezer Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre - Shiriki Programme placement
NCHD is a Community Based Organisation that supports the community though education, health and providing for “destitutes” (their term) in a village outside Kisumu. At NCHD you will assist with extra tuition for children below 10 years, support a local youth group (with Youth Issues) and assist with Home Based Care within the community (primarily to adults). The school and rehabilitation centre are relatively new additions and volunteers will probably be able to work around Youth Issues.

Teenage Mothers Association of Kenya (TEMAK) and Kunya Primary School
TEMAK is based in Obunga, an informal settlement in the suburbs of Kisumu. TEMAK is a vocational training centre for young mothers. At TEMAK you will assist in the small non-formal school for the children and with classes for the mothers – English and sexual reproductive health especially. Most of the children in the school are below 12 years and come from very difficult backgrounds. You may also assist with the business development side of TEMAK such as the website. There is also the opportunity for covering Youth Issues in both placements.

Vision and Passion Fellowship and Children’s Home (VPF), Rabour Primary School and Ranjira Primary School
You will live at Vision and Passion Children’s Home, a well resourced local orphanage, home to around 40 children. You will assist with extra curricular activities and homework with the children who live there. You will assist in teaching at 2 local primary schools, Rabuor and Ranjira during school hours.
Vihiga Children’s Home
Vihiga Children’s Home is in a village about 1 ½ hours from Kisumu. The home has an on-site school from nursery to standard 5. The volunteers placed here will have the chance to really become a part of the family and local community and become involved with all that goes with that. You will live in a small house within the family compound and will be responsible for cooking for yourself. As a relatively new placement building relations with the community and helping direct Tenteleni’s expansion within the area will form a large part of your work. In the home you will be arranging activities for those who live there and assisting with the on-site school.

HOVIC and Kudho Primary School
Kudho is based in Obunga, an informal settlement in the suburbs of Kisumu as well as assisting with academic subjects you will have the opportunity to assist with Youth Issues. HOVIC, a centre for street children, is a new placement for 2008 and you will be responsible for forging links with the organisation and developing a role for volunteers. You will be expected to assist with non-formal education around both academic subjects and Youth Issues.

Shiriki Programme
Tenteleni plans to pilot the Shiriki Programme in Kisumu in 2008.

The Shiriki programme is an exciting pilot Partnership Volunteer Programme between Family Health Options Kenya (FHOK) and Tenteleni. The programme will pair four Kenyan and four British volunteers together in formal and non-formal educational placements in the Kisumu area.

Through this dynamic new partnership volunteers and placements will benefit from the cross-cultural aspect as they have a unique opportunity to share their ideas and learn from each other.

This is a new area for Tenteleni to move into and whilst it represents a very positive development it will also be an extremely challenging programme. Any prospective volunteers who are interested in having an intense cross-cultural experience and are keen to learn and develop their skills alongside a Kenyan counterpart should state their interest in this programme.

Shiriki Programme Aim

To support the education of children and young people in Kisumu through a youth focused cross-cultural exchange which promotes global volunteering.

Shiriki Programme Objectives

Provide a cross-cultural experience for British and Kenyan volunteers and their placements
Build relations with Shiriki counterparts, staff and the community through integration, sensitivity and flexibility
Work in close partnership with local organisations, placements and communities
Exchange skills, ideas and experiences principally concerning teaching and caring methods
Promote volunteering to young people in Kenya and the UK
Promote greater cross-cultural understanding within the communities where we work
Facilitate an improvement of English within placements
Raise awareness about youth issues within the organisations and communities we are working with where this is appropriate and applicable
Build up a stock of knowledge for Tenteleni and the community through annual research, good communications and the Tenteleni Resource Centre

Volunteer Role
Kenyan and British volunteers will work together as Education and Youth Support Volunteers on

Supporting English learning and other classes as appropriate
Supporting youth issues in lessons and youth groups/ activities
Providing care and extra-curricular activities
Facilitating relations between NGOs and placements

The Partner Organisation
FHOK is the pioneer of family planning in Kenya and now focuses on providing integrated reproductive health services in response to the needs of Kenyan society. The FHOK office in Kisumu is a dynamic and youth focused office with an active Youth Counselling Programme. Youth Peer Educators volunteer within the community, raising awareness on sexual and reproductive health issues.

For More Information
In Kisumu you can contact the Shiriki Programme Coordinator George Ngolo on doctagee2005@yahoo.com

In the UK you can email the Kenya and Tanzania Project Manager on ruth.talbot@tenteleni.org.uk

The Kisumu Project Preparation pack and Language pack are available to current volunteers by registering a website account. To register, click on the link at the top of the page and create a new account. All packs are then available through the Volunteer Information page.

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Kisumu Formal and Non-Formal Education Project

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