One way or another, education must be brought to any life challenge in order that there might be change. Hellen Moseti (above) from the District Health office teaches Health and Nutrition in Rionchogu.
Caleb Omolo is from a very poor family in the southwest region of Kenya. His life turned drastically when at a very young age he was fortunate to be selected for an education in New York state. Caleb went on to major in Geography, and after graduating would stay in America for thirty years, sending money home to support his family. In the back of his mind, though, Caleb always dreamed of returning home, taking the lessons he’d learned in the US and applying them there. He wanted not only to send his money back to help his family survive, but to return with knowledge that would help generations of Kenyans reverse the trends that were destroying the livelihoods of farmers nationwide.
In Rionchogu, in 2008, the very first project was to empower women with agri-education and new practices of community farming groups to take advantage of the opportunities to improve health through better crops and crop diversification to preserve the soil. This project has become self sustaining as the profits from excess crops are used for securing seed for new crops.
Composting had become a new skill which greatly increased crop yield and reduced need for buying fertilizer. Skills such as these, new practices of working together and using the bio-degradable materials to fertilize crops has significantly improved the health and the awareness of women as they are having a greater impact on their community.
Five years of putting his research into practice has taught Caleb a great deal. He realized that there is a strong need to farm with nature rather than against it and when a farmer learns to use natures’ powers the bounty can be large. Caleb’s increased production has allowed him to not only feed his family, but to bring ample food to market and improve his personal livelihood. The three principals of permaculture that Caleb lives by are: care for the earth, care for the people, and share the surplus.
The practices which GAD Kenya introduced to the village of Rionchogu are very similar to those which Caleb brought back; better health, ample food for families and sharing the surplus with others. Self sustainability with better health added in.
There are many stories of life changes which occurred due to the education regarding gardening. Agri-education took one woman from making illicit liquor to growing nutritional vegetables to feed her children. Potential still exceeds resource in Rionchogu; , click here Touch life, help us help those who work hard.
Here is the link to Caleb’s Story