This December my partner Ben and I are going to Mutumbu, a rural village in Kenya. We are going with World Youth International (WYI), and continuing their amazing work. Ben and I have already paid for our own airfares and program fee which WYI charges for accommodation in the compound and other general administration fees out of our pockets (a total of approx $14,000) so that every dollar raised goes directly to our organised projects, when donated with our reference number quoted.

At this stage we have 3 main areas that we wish to focus on, however it is all dependent on the funds that we raise.

Project 1: Rangala Orphange feeding program

$500 will feed 4 babies for a month

We hope to contribute to the Rangala babies home feeding program. Previous volunteers have changed the babies diet from watered down cow’s milk which their underdeveloped digestive systems are unable to process, to a balanced formula diet. Unfortunately these babies are orphans, and breast milk is not an option. Prior to the formula program, the babies had a 50% chance of survival, a 3 month trial on formula has begun, not only have the babies put on much needed weight and being more responsive, but they have yet to lose a child. Formula for one baby per month is nearly $125.

Project 2: Housing & Income program

$800 will build a home for a family

We also hope to be building houses and income/food producing projects for those most in need. This includes families who have their children in orphanages as they cannot afford to put a roof over their head, and widows who without a house are forced to live with their brother in-law as their new husband, in many cases exposing them to risk of HIV/aids, which they may have not been exposed to previously. This then creates the potential problem of more orphans if the mother falls ill. By providing widowed women with a house and a small income, they are no longer in that desperate position. To build a house it cost approximately $800, which covers materials and local labour. A portable chicken coop costs around $250 including laying hens.

Project 3: Mutumbu Community Centre income projects

$30 will buy a goat a breading goat
$130 will buy a milking goat.
$320 will buy a standard goat house.

A previous group of volunteers have built a community centre in Mutumbu, which acts as an unofficial school for those who cannot afford to go to school. The community centre also runs woman’s groups, and much more. Our goal is to create sustainable income projects to enable the centre to have teachers and a long term goal is to install electricity allowing night classes, and classes in computer skills to create job opportunities for the youth of Mutumbu. Potential projects would include a goat farm, as goats are low risk with disease, and easy to maintain producing sufficient milk for profits, and a chicken coop, allowing their eggs to be sold. Both of these projects are profitable and easy to maintain once we leave.

Every dollar counts, so please visit www.buildinginafrica.com if you wish to donate.