We have since expanded the project to supply fishing boats to help individuals start up their own business and provide for themselves. In rural, semi-arid areas, activities like fishing can provide a sustainable source of income for communities.
A National Problem
Kenya has more than 10 million people living in rural poverty out of the total 36 million inhabitants. More than 70% of the total labour force work in agriculture, and in regions such as the Turkana district, activities like fishing can provide a sustainable source of income for communities. Supplying the Community with Raw Materials
We provided the funds for 7 new boats to be built in 2007, which has allowed 70 people to benefit from the fishing trade. There are two communities who are provided with these boats, the Turkana and the Merille. Historically these communities have resented one another, and through our programme we have brought them together in peace.
Towards the Future
The next steps were to educate the communities on areas such as financial management, sustainable fishing so as not to exhaust the reserves, quality drying of the fish to gain the best price at market, and many other related skills to optimise the success of the project and ensure its survival in the long term.
St. Patrick's Centre
In Lokitaung, near the shores of Lake Turkana, we have also built an orphanage in collaboration with pupils from Stonyhurst College, Lancashire. St. Patrick's Centre is currently home to 36 nomadic girls, aged 6-14. Built near the local school, these girls now have the opportunity to receive an education, which usually would be denied to nomadic girls in Kenya.
St. Patrick's centre has been built with a long-term vision for sustainability into the future. To this end, the girls have been growing their own crops and are now looking to get a water pump and bore hole for better irrigation. |
