CHANGING THE WORLD, ONE LIFE AT A TIME

ADRA KENYA NEWSLETTER
2014 Issue 3
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CHANGING THE WORLD, ONE LIFE AT A TIME
WHAT'S INSIDE
Our mission in 2014
In Retrospective
It seems as though everyone takes a collective gasp when we turn the
calendar page over. December. When did it get to the end of the year?
How fast did this year fly by?
And also, as it tends to happen, at this time of year, we slip into a
reflective mood. We ask ourselves: have we done enough with this year?
What didn’t we do that we wanted to? What can we learn from this
year?
As a team, ADRA Kenya is also asking the same questions, and if you’re
reading this newsletter, it means you were also part of our ministry in
2014 too. So let’s journey back and see what we’ve learnt and what
we’re thankful for this year. (Make sure that you check out pages 3 and 4
for more interesting information on what we’ve done this year!)
In 2014, our Child Education Support and Development Project has
changed the lives of more than 667 orphans and vulnerable children and
their families.
Our Anti-Female Genital Mutilation Project (Anti-FGM) has touched the
lives of more than 2970 vulnerable girls, boys, women and men.
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ADRA KENYA NEWSLETTER
2014 Issue 3
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ANTI-FGM girl club
“’I never thought that I could remain
uncircumcised and attain respect from my
controversial society. This looks like a miracle’,
says Neema Wegesa, one of the girls who have
said no to FGM. Our project manager Mary hears
such stories a lot. She’s on the ground witnessing
the changing attitude towards FGM and how we
can best combat it. What have we learnt? We’ve
learnt that partnering with government ministries
and the Area Advisory Councils is paramount.
Without their support and without their authority,
we will never see the end of FGM in Kenya attains.
This year, our Food Today and Tomorrow Project (FTTM) Project in Mandera has distributed a lot of food. Tonnes and tonnes of
it. Rice, beans, salt, oil – all of it going to families who are in crisis. Families, whose futures are being choked by consistent
drought. Our FTTM project also had the privilege of training communities in new farming techniques. Families, who’ve never
been able to grow vegetables, to see a glimmer of hope – they now know they can provide for their children and family. What
have we learnt? We need to discover a solution for the lack of safe and secure water sources. This is key for the communities to
thrive and upscale their vegetable production while also allowing their livestock to grow and be healthy.
With happy hearts we saw our Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Project in Mwingi came to a close in September. We were happy
because our DRR project worked with communities who bore the brunt of the 2011 drought, but through their hard work and
determination they will be able to reduce the impact drought has on their families. What have we learnt? We’ve learnt that
listening to our communities provides insight, innovation and ideas to solve problems. And we need to continue listening.
There’s more to share, but we’re running out of room and we want you to read the rest of this newsletter (check out the next
page for more news on our projects!), so we better stop there.
But we want you to know that we, as ADRA Kenya, are on a journey of learning and growing too. We want to learn how to
meet the needs of people more accurately, delve deeper into what it means to be a sustainable organisation, and work harder
to be courageous and honest.
DRR Mwingi project, results of hard work and determination of women group
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ADRA KENYA NEWSLETTER
2014 Issue 3
with ADRA Kenya’s
This year in numbers*
We distributed 9168 TOMs shoes
We distributed 1500 sanitary towels
We distributed 344kg of seeds and
seedling per househould
We distributed 197 metric
tonnes of food
Total number 15537!
* not including EFSEK and BRACE project figures
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ADRA KENYA NEWSLETTER
2014 Issue 3
We have worked with more than 19
field volunteers and 3 volunteers
based in Nairobi
ANTI-FGM project was the most busy one with
the most completed trainings and sent reports
( 30 training and 14 reports), Well done team!
We supported 92 children via
school fee support
We employed 30 incredibly passionate people for ADRA
BRACE yourselves!
ADRA Kenya is happy to announce we have another NEW project! Our
Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) project will be based
in Mwingi, Kitui County and will further the work of our Disaster Risk
Reduction (DRR) project which finished in September.
Funded by the German organization ADH through ADRA Germany, BRACE will
empower communities to combat the effects of the changing and often
unreliable weather patterns which affect their farm production. With ADRA
Kenya’s support, communities will be trained in how to make soap from readily
available local ingredients, market their products and grow their business.
ADRA Kenya will also empower families through alternate food production
methods, introducing multi-storey gardens which will enable them to have
vegetables consistently throughout the year.
Sylvester Kioki, the Project Officer and Aaron Mwaniki, the Project Manager,
are starting their new lives in Mwingi and left our offices full of hope!
“The idea of moving a community and watching the interventions of a project
like BRACE change the lives of the rural poor people…seeing that materialize
before your eyes it’s such an exciting experience, I can’t wait to see it!” said
Sylvester, our Project Officer.
BRACE team: Sylvester on the
left and Aaron on the right
“I want to achieve food secure divisions in Mwingi,” said Project
Manager, Aaron.
Our BRACE project is second project within Kitui County, we are
also changing lives through our Enhancing Food Security in East
Kenya Project, based in Lower Yatta and Kanyangi. Check out our
website www.adrakenya.org to learn how you can support our
projects and be part of our ministry!
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ADRA KENYA NEWSLETTER
MEET MARCEL KABA our new
COUNTRY DIRECTOR
Marcel joined us in August this year and we are all excited
about the new direction and vision that he is bringing to
ADRA KENYA. He is passionate, innovative and challenging.
Get to know him more via a few questions that we asked!
2014 Issue 3
Marcel proudly showing off the
great products made possible by
the DRR community greenhouse
What did you do before coming to Kenya?
I enjoyed some international travelling and studying with my wife.
My last posting before coming to Kenya was as Country Director
with ADRA Slovakia.
What was your motivation behind coming to Kenya?
For a long time I have desired to live with my family in a country
that is less developed than Slovakia or the US. We prayed about it,
and felt this is where God was leading us.
What do you like most about Kenya?
I love the beaches and the ice-rink in Nairobi.
What is the most challenging thing at ADRA Kenya for you?
Understanding certain cultural beliefs and how they inform
everyday life at the office.
What is your vision for ADRA Kenya?
To be a foretaste of God’s kingdom in the NGO world. For me the
kingdom is excellent – God always keeps his word and goes after
the greatest impact almost impossible goals. Also, the kingdom is
built on selflessness and care – Christ is the King that does not
abuse His power, but rather reigns by serving and laying down his
life. It is in His kingdom where the poor become rich and where the
hungry are fed. Lastly, the kingdom is surprising – no one would
have guessed that God would choose the people He did to carry His
message. The birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are
the ultimate illustration of that. I would love for ADRA Kenya to
reflect all of that.
Marcel is helping out during seeds distribution
“ADRA Kenya’s mission is clear – we work to
improve the lives of people in need so profoundly,
they are able to help themselves and create positive
change around them.”
This vision shapes how we define ourselves. We focus on great results and
impact (excellence), we challenge assumptions, and look for new ideas
that become radically useful for those we serve (innovation), we desire
what is best for the organization and our beneficiaries (selflessness), we
listen well, are free to express ourselves and admit our mistakes (honesty),
and we question inconsistencies, and are not afraid to speak up and take
smart risks (courage).
When we truly believe in those values and pursue them in everything we
do (hiring and letting go, designing our materials, writing proposals,
revising our policies, deciding how to pursue our mission), only then will
we achieve our vision. Only then will ADRA Kenya be the most excellent,
innovative, selfless, honest and courageous organization.
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ADRA KENYA NEWSLETTER
2014 Issue 3
Meet Lopedez
Food distribution in Turkana,
September 2014
Lopedez is explaining her
gratitute
In Turkana, where people have been experiencing severe prolonged droughts most
of the year, we visited Lopedez who benefited from one of our food distribution
responses this year.
ADRA Kenya responded with food relief twice this year in Koono village in Turkana.
We are always trying to help those in the biggest need. In September we provided
food to 100 vulnerable households and 48 malnourished children. We make a
difference. Who can describe it better than someone as Lopedez?
“Your help in March kept me going and now here you come again. May the
good Lord clear your way so that you do not step on a pin or thorns. I could
be long dead if it was not for your assistance” she graciously and thankfully
said.
Lopedez an elderly widow has been sick and bed ridden for 3 years. When our
project manager Elisha arrived to interview her, these were her welcoming words:
“Thank you………thank you, thank you ADRA….thank you, thank you very much”.
She kept on saying these words repeatedly.
“How did ADRA come to know about someone like me?” she asked. “Big
companies have been around in the past but they have never come to visit
me and help me. Thank you ADRA.”
Lopedez has a swollen left leg and has not been able to access proper health
services for the past three years. Elderly people tend to receive little or no
attention from other family members who see them as a bother since they are also
struggling to make ends meet.
Speaking of Turkana, did you know that
Lake Turkana is:
- in UNESCO World Heritage List ?
- the world`s largest permanent desert
lake?
- the largest saline lake in East Africa?
Source: UNESCO webpage, 2014
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