Inside this Issue:

Disaster Risk Reduction Shared

Learning Camp by CAPSAY

Rio+20: RAUKA Campaign

World Oceans Day 2012

2

2

2

Arise or Perish: Call to Action

Kwale Girls: Young Changemakers

Fuel Briquette Making

3

3

3

Operation Mwolyo Out –OMO

Messengers of Peace

UYDP Executive Committee

4

4

4

A Publication of

Vol. 1, Issue 2/3 August 2012

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Making the Difference SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE . YOUTH EMPOWERMENT . PEACE BUILDING

THE Young People Inspiring Change

Editor’s Note

It‟s my pleasure to welcome you to this

second issue of our tri-annual newsletter “The Uwezo Journal.”

This edition aims to keep you abreast with

some of the things that have happened and

activities we have engaged in since our last issue in April. It also gives a few lessons we

have learnt from certain initiatives. Aside from that we also introduce some projects

that may define our future engagements.

I sincerely hope you enjoy reading through and that you may find it useful, even if it‟s

just a little. Happy reading!

Nelson Opany Founder & Chairman

18th May at the Kenya Ports Authority Sea

Scouts and Girl Guides hall in Shimanzi, Mombasa.

Among other things, the training covered:

Personal and group banking, loans and investments, financial record keeping and

reporting, fundraising and resource

mobilization and financial discipline.

A total of thirty participants drawn from UYDP, other youth and women groups. The

chief guest at the training was Mrs. Josphine Kanyua Kimani, the Public

Relations Manager, Coast region.

The knowledge and skills on the ability to efficiently manage finances continues to

be quite a big challenge especially to the young people. This situation is further

worsened by the high rates of unemploy-ment and the ever increasing cost of living.

As UYDP we believe such trainings are very critical in the fight against poverty. With

support from partners like Kenya Commer-cial Bank there is a lot of promise for what

the partnership portends for both parties in making the difference in people‟s lives.

On Saturday, 21st April two Kenya

Commercial Bank staff from the Town Centre Branch in Mombasa, Mrs. Everlyne Nzioki

and Mrs. Fauzia Hamida attended a meeting of UYDP at the field office in Shimanzi. This

was a follow up visit since two weeks earlier UYDP had opened two bank accounts with

them. The Tuungane Investments Account

and the Tuungane Current Account are group accounts offered by the bank.

During the meeting, Mrs. Nzioki shed more

light on the features and benefits of the group accounts. They also presented to the

group members other personal banking products that the bank also offers. Mrs.

Fauzia on the other hand talked briefly about the Agent Banking service called “KCB

Mtaani.” After the talk, nine group members who initially had no accounts with the bank

were able to open them on the spot.

This visit by the KCB staff marked the beginning of a new partnership between

UYDP and the bank. And just to prove this, KCB upon the request of UYDP facilitated a

two-day Financial Education training. The training was organized by UYDP on 17th and

UwezoJournal

Participants of the Kenya Commercial Bank sponsored Financial Education training organized by

Uwezo Youth Development Project pose for a photo upon completion of the training in Mombasa

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The UWEZO Journal Young People Inspiring Change

In June 2012 all eyes were on Rio de Janeiro, where 20 years after

the 1st "Earth Summit", Heads of State and Government were attending the United Nations Conference on Sustainable

Development ("Rio+20").

African youth together with youth from other parts of the world, in partnership with the broader civil society in Africa took part in the

mobilization and awareness creation in the run up to Rio+20. Kenya Youth Climate Network (KYCN) organized an African Rio +20

Conference in Nairobi under the campaign banner “RAUKA: Act now for sustainable development.” The conference brought together 120

youth from Africa to add their voice to the global discussion.

The aim of this will was to take stock of the region‟s progress in achieving sustainable development, discuss pan African youth

demands going into Rio+20, as well as policy options for the successful realization of sustainable development. The conference

themes were food and water security, green jobs and energy. Uwezo Youth Development Project was represented by the Chairman.

RAUKA Campaign The World Oceans Day is marked on 8th June every year aiming at

raising awareness on the need for the care and preservation of marine resources. This year it was organized by Eco-Ethics

International, Kenya and took place at Baobab beach in Kilifi. UYDP participated in organizing and had 14 members present on the

actual day.

The sandy beaches and beautiful corals, fishing and tourism support

local livelihoods as well as the national economy. Cutting down of mangrove forests, pollution of habitats by introduction of harmful

substances and overexploitation leading to extinction of endangered species are some of the threats facing marine ecosystems.

It is possible to manage all human activities so they don‟t harm the

environment or over-exploited species. Coastal people depend more directly on the marine ecosystems for food and shelter, they will

benefit the most from a healthy environment and well functioning ecosystem. Coastal and marine environments need to be protected

to relieve poverty and improve the livelihoods of all people.

WOD: Saving Our Seas

Disaster Risk Reduction Shared Learning Camp

The Climate Action Programme for Schools and Youth (CAPSAY) under its Kenya Climate Challenge Project (KCCP) organized a series

of one-day event across the country dubbed “Shared Learning

Camp”. These events took place in Matuu 31st May, Machakos 2nd

June, Embu 5th June , Gilgil 9th June, Kisumu 12th June and Kwale on 16th June. The theme was “DRR is our Responsibility. What are

you doing about it?”

The camps involved the schools under the project together with the Climate Action Teams in these regions. Uwezo Youth Development

Project being one of them was represented by a six-member team.

The „challenge‟ has been for students in these schools and youths in

the CATs guided by their Lead Teachers and the CAPSAY team, to build practical projects that address Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)

and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA). The KCCP students/pupils group (25 children) and CATs youth groups (25 youths) have been

mentored to focus on one or more of the themes – Energy, Water, Waste, Food and Health – and to make connections to the

community that raise awareness of the issues and encourage community members to also take action on the same.

This Shared Learning Camps gave them an opportunity to showcase

what they have done to combat Climate Change as well as share knowledge and skills. It was so inspiring to see how creative and

innovative young people can become.

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The UWEZO Journal Young People Inspiring Change

of their customers for kales and tomatoes.

They have also planted 2,000 trees to support the school‟s tree growing policy

The school is doing very well with all their

projects. This has earned them admiration and recognition from the community and

even government agencies. Consequently

the school has been made a Centre of Learning by the Ministry of Agriculture and

The Ministry of Fisheries for green house farming and fish farming respectively.

Kwale Girls High School is one school in

the Kenya Climate Challenge Project. UYDP works with the project to support this

young changemakers with their efforts to combat climate change.

As part of their initiatives, the students

helped by their teacher Mr. Amboko, are

practicing fish farming, green house farming, vegetable gardening and tree

planting. In their last cycle they had three successful harvests in which they

managed 195 kilograms of Tilapia fish. In the green house they have planted

tomatoes which are doing very well evi-denced by a weekly income of KES 3,500.

The vegetable garden produces kales for

sale to the staff and the surrounding community with an average weekly income

of KES 1,000. A neighboring college is one

Kwale Girls: Young Changemakers

No matter whom you are or where you are;

together let‟s make the world a better place to live.

Remember Prof. Wangari Maathai's words;

“If you destroy the environment, it will destroy you. Nature always has a way of

having the last laugh. And by then we‟ll be

crying.” Arise, all you sleepers for it‟s still daytime. The night is coming when one can

do extremely nothing.

God created us and requires that we care for everything else He created. Come to

think of it, it‟s the least we can do but the most important for our lives greatly depend

on it. Therefore, arise or perish!

Emmanuel Mwaka Yatta Climate Action Team

We are living in a world full of pollution,

degradation and filth. The once beautiful and wonderful planet earth has been

turned into a place of turmoil and torture. It's heartbreaking and a pity to think of that

and see things changing from awesome to awful.

It‟s a great concern now as nations, kingdoms, continents and individuals are

suffering due to climate change .I feel like climbing to the highest mountain on the

face of the earth and shouting to every living being whether young or old, male

or female, illiterate or educated to arise; the time has come for reconstructive

action .It‟s wonderful and powerful to realize that we can do something about

the situation. Let‟s all arise, take the challenge and become agents of change.

Arise or Perish: Call to Action

The following are some important dates of

upcoming events that are worth noting .

September

6th World Urban Forum/World Urban

Youth Assembly from 1st to 7th Sept in the city of Naples, Italy.

Africa Ministerial Conference on Envi-

ronment (AMCEN) from 11th to 14th

September in Arusha, Tanzania.

International Peace Day on 21st Sept.

Important Dates October

15th Oct. is Global Handwashing Day

16th Oct. is World Food Day

November

20th Nov is Universal Children‟s Day

December

World AIDS Day is on 1st

Human Rights Day is on 10th

UNFCCC COP 18/CMP 8 in Doha,Qatar

Before Uwezo Youth Development Project

(UYDP) introduced the briquette making project, with the help of ERMIS Africa through

the Climate Action Programme for Schools and Youth (CAPSAY), the people of Shimanzi

in Mombasa County had no idea about briquettes. Some confessed that they had

never seen or even heard of them. However,

the situation is a little bit different now.

After holding several demonstration sessions on briquette making and creating awareness

about their use, a section of the community now understands what they are. They can

now tell how they are used and their differ-ence as compared to ordinary charcoal.

A resident, Mrs. Mauwa Gabriel, say that “My

daughter, who is a member of the youth group producing this „makaa ya

kisasa‟ (briquettes) one day brought home some samples. I got interested to know about

them so I used the samples to cook supper for my family. I noticed some difference from

the usual charcoal. They burn slowly, produce little smoke and are cheaper.”

Mrs. Patricia Wajewa, a teacher at Umoja

Primary School in Mombasa one day visit UYDP and found samples of the briquettes.

Curiously she approached and asked what they were. After being taken through an

orientation by one of the members she requested the group to go teach her pupils

about briquettes. On Wednesday 6th June 2012, a team of 6 members from UYDP

visited the school and conducted a

demonstration that showed them how they are made and used plus their importance in

conserving the environment. The interest created by the demonstration attracted the

entire school including teachers from neighboring schools who got so interested.

Through such experiences, UYDP hopes to

promote the use of fuel briquettes to more schools, individuals and communities. By so

doing the briquettes will gradually become more commonly used and the community will

also increase their knowledge about climate change impacts and what personal actions

they can take to combat the same.

Fuel Briquettes

The UWEZO Journal Young People Inspiring Change

www.uydp-kenya.blogspot.com 8

The Uwezo Journal is a tri-annual newsletter Published by The Uwezo Youth Development Project. P.O. Box 93485-80102 Mombasa Kenya. Email: uwezoproject@yahoo.com/info.uydpkenya@gmail.com. Cell: +254 (0) 726 951296/ 714 942081/ 725 510107

Blog: www.uydp-kenya.blogspot.com © Uwezo Youth Development Project 2012. All Rights Reserved. Editorial Team: Nelson Opany, Phoebe Wanjiku, Benedict Okoth, Stephen Gudah, Jared Ogeto and Rittah Mwangi

Through OMO local families are

empowered to become self sufficient through modern farming methods in one of

the driest areas in the country. The farmers grow a wide range of drought

resistant and quick maturing crops that enable them to make their families food

secure as well as provide income to meet

their other daily needs. Other activities include water harvesting, fish farming and

animal rearing. Currently the farmers are able to individually earn an income of not

less than 300,000 per month.

The project is strongly founded on Christian living and family values. OMO

project‟s philosophy is that in empowering the individual, you empower the family,

which in turn empowers the church, the community and ultimately empowering the

nation.

“Development is personal not communal. And if you want to succeed then go out of

your way to do things in unconventional ways because there is no excuse for

poverty and food insecurity. Persistent mobilization of people around a common

cause and attitude change are critical elements in an effective community

development model”, says Dr. Masika.

“If you are a leader, nobody will listen to you for long unless you have something to show.” Bp. Dr. Titus W. Masika-CIM/OMO

Bishop Dr. Titus Masika is an evangelical minister with a difference. Several years

back, together with his wife, he founded the Christian Impact Mission (CIM) that he uses

to reach to people in his rural land of Yatta in the eastern part of Kenya and beyond. Apart

from spreading the word of God he goes out of his way to make real difference in the day

to day lives of his faithful. This led him to start the “Operation Mwolyo Out” (OMO)

project.

Mwolyo is the Kamba word for lining up for “relief food”. Over the years the area

commonly known as Ukambani has always suffered immensely during drought and the

residents greatly depend on government relief food. This brought about a relief

dependency syndrome that crippled hard work, creativity and innovation. And this

is what Dr. Masika and CIM have committed themselves to wipe out.

The Messengers of Peace is a project run

by the World Scout Bureau and supported by the World Scout Foundation. It has two

elements:

The Messengers of Peace Global Network is a tool for connecting Scouts using social

media allowing them to showcase their service projects and meet online to share

ideas, tell their stories and work together to build peace in their communities.

The Messengers of Peace Support Fund

provides financial support to service projects and Scouting initiatives around

the world; enabling Scouts to implement the types of vital projects that can change

communities.

The fund supports work in the areas of: Training in dialogue, supporting specific

peace projects, supporting young people living in “hot” conflict situations, capacity

strengthening and globalizing the Messengers of Peace Global Network.

Do you see a problem in your community? Can you do something to solve that

problem? If so, you can be a Messenger too. What are you waiting for? Visit

www.scoutmessengers.com or www.scout.org. You can also find on Facebook and Twitter.

Join us today and help make a difference.

www.facebook.com/MoPKenya www.facebook.com/msgrsofpeace

www.twitter.com/MoPKenya

“Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed.” Lord Robert

Baden Powell, Founder of Scouting.

Operation Mwolyo Out-OMO

UYDP Executive Committee

Nelson Opany

Founder & Chairman

Stephen Gudah

Programmes & Projects

Jared Ogeto

Communication/ICT

Ritta Mwangi

Finance

Phoebe Wanjiku

Administration

Benedict Okoth

Research & Training