Here is an article provided by Deborah Hines, PR committee chair and member of the International committee, along with club member Julie Laird, who recently visited one of our matching grant projects in Kenya.
South North Nexus, with support from a Rotary District Grant is working with Blessed Community Empowerment Organization and Innovative Concepts to empower women to build resilient livelihoods in Turkana, Kenya. Community members identified accessing clean water, preventing malnutrition, empowering women and developing their skills to run their own businesses as urgent priorities.
A Turkana shop owner who participated in project trainings.
The project supports women-led actions that enhance the resilience of livelihoods and ecosystems and to date 129 women have started their own businesses or vegetable farms after receiving trainings and start-up support.
Rotarians from Bozeman and Missoula visited the project in October and had the opportunity to meet and talk with women starting to farm and to build small businesses. It was an inspiring experience to witness how women were learning and applying new skills, many with the objective of being able to send their children to school. Turkana is a dry ecosystem and Rotarians heard from a diverse group of community members, government officials and local Rotarians. Conversations always focused on how water and the availability of water was so crucial for all families. Water is life was repeated very often.
Stopping at a newly established printing business owned by a woman.
The project team is outstanding and discussions ranged from food security, soil health, the impacts of climate change and how rivers have no water, strengthening localized economies, and so much more. Montanans and Kenyans were able to learn from one another, see the similarities and differences in their work and create a connection.
Montana Rotarians were even asked to help a new Rotary Chapter in Turkana get going.
Missoula Rotary President Ricky Oncken planting a tree.
Missoula Rotary President Ricky Oncken planting a tree.
It was really moving to see the power in locally-guided work and the dedication of local groups to make a difference in their county.
Bozeman Sunrise Rotarian Julie Laird with women farmers.