Ebenezer Centre is a community-based programme handling orphans and vulnerable children and widows who are victims of the HIV/AIDS scourge in Western Kenya. It was begun in 1993 with 23 children who were without shelter, food and clothing.
The school has been sponsored by the community, which provides most of the things these young boys and girls need. Out of the initial 23 children at the orphanage, the numbers increased to 256 children in residence and 344 under Home based care with ailing parents or relatives. The school needs have grown due to the big number of students who have come to this Centre. Lack of enough water is a challenge, but through a partner organisation Geneva Global, they have been able to buy a water tank and they are therefore able to buy water from a local company.
They have been doing farming and they have depended on this water for irrigation and livestock. The school received three cows from the community which supply milk to the school and also for sale to the community to generate income. The cows have satisfied the milk needs at the Centre. The school is planning to include poultry farming and they are studying the demand of chicken in the area- this is another opportunity for income generation. They had started but due to Bird Flu fever that was feared, they shelved the idea temporarily. Coincidentally, due to Rift valley fever that has affected cows, the demand for chicken has grown.
In terms of growth, Ebenezer Centre initially begun with ministering to the many orphans in the community. After meeting their basic needs, the second level of intervention was the education needs of the children. The orphans used to be taken care of by their grandmothers. As the children were getting an education, the women in the community needed to have their capacities build and expanded so that they could provide for their children adequately. Other issues like advocacy have emerged during the ministry Ebenezer and they have been undertaken.
Education
The school has a nursery, primary and secondary school. This has been of great benefit to the surrounding community. The Secondary school has participated in 2 national exams (KCSE) in which it emerged the best overall out of 15 schools in its respective educational division. It was also the 15th most improved school in the country. (Kenya). They had a mean score of grade C in the last year national examination, and they expect to produce university standards students within the next few years. Most of the students now are enrolling with the school because it has a moral background where a practical faith in Christ is part of what the school teaches and practises. The Centre also provides non-formal education, crafts and technical training for the rehabilitated boys.
Growth
The school has experienced growth even in its assets. The school started on ? acre piece of land and now they have a total of 17 acres of land! The staff size has grown from 8 to 52 competent adults assisting the students to grow and live their lives at full potential.
Income generation
The centre realised that the widows in the community needed activities to generate incomes to support their livelihoods. This would be in addition to their fellowship and psycho-social support provided by the programme. They started a “Merry-go-round” savings scheme, where they make regular contributions and give them to different members of the group in turn. These funds are especially used to develop their lives.
Agriculture
Some other projects include generating thread (yarn) for knitting and crocheting activities. Cotton farming that begun in 2001 and continues to date has helped to eradicate poverty through the selling of produce to a ready market. A lot more needs to be done to enhance production. They women in the community are now able to make mats, carpets, and kikois (woven shawls) from the cotton they are producing. This has increased household incomes. Challenges exist in marketing the finished products internationally.
Through the women’s participation, the school is able to grow other crops like potatoes, beans, maize, and cassava for sale and subsistence. |
