CES Graduate Confirmed Unharmed at Garissa University

Imagine the horror...in the early hours of April 2 while students were preparing to write their exams, 147 people were killed in an assault by al-Shabab militants on a university in north-eastern Kenya. Heavily armed attackers stormed Garissa University killing two security guards then firing at random on students. Four of the gunman were eventually surrounded in a dormitory, and died when their suicide vests detonated. Witnesses have confirmed that Christians were singled out and shot. More than 500 students managed to escape, 79 of whom were injured.

Many friends of CES expressed their concern about the tragic events happening in Garissa, Kenya. There is no way to describe how we feel about this atrocity. Vulnerable young people were killed in the early hours as they were rising to prepare for their exams. This is so tragic and it deeply saddens us. The face of evil hides behind the mask of hatred and intolerance.

Yesterdays' terrorist attack took place at the four-year-old Garissa University College, the region’s only higher education facility. Universities are the sites of discussion and debate and the transmission of values that groups may oppose or consider ‘Western,’ which is clearly the case with the attack in Garissa. Only 6% of Garissa county residents have attained secondary level of education or above, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics; most live below the poverty line. This is a very needy area that sadly has been infiltrated by those wishing to destroy Kenya's democratic heritage. It is also an area where Christians are openly persecuted.

I lived in Garissa for three months back in 2003/04. In fact, the seeds of our work in Kenya were sown in this place. There was no university in Garissa at that time. I considered the place relatively safe and I learned much from the people. Teaching at Garissa Boys HS and spending time in a number of Muslim schools gave me a strong sense of what it means for students to learn in such a place as NEP.

Travelling east and crossing the Tana River is like going into another country. The conditions are hard and the opportunities for education, especially for girls are few. It was later in 2005-06 when there were reports of Christians being harassed and churches burned. Slowly things have changed and I must say that today all of NEP is unsafe, especially for those who are Christian.

This news is grievous and it is a blight on Kenya, my adopted country. People do not differentiate between Northeast or West - without being informed they think Kenya is unsafe, not to be accessed for any reason. There are obvious repercussions for Kenya's economy. I have no concern about travel to Nairobi and from there to western Kenya. The social and economic environment around Kakamega area are so different from what we see in places like Dadaab, Garissa, Mandera and Wajir. Kakamega has always been a welcoming place for Canadians.

Our concern was for one of our former students who is actually attending the University at Garissa. She graduated from Ibinzo Girls HS in 2011 and is now in her third year in the Bachelor of Education program. CES supported Mildred Ominde for four years and she was a fine student. She is part of the CES family as an alumnus. Often with some of our students who have been orphaned from an early age, it is difficult to find contact information through direct family. Today we have just heard from CES Kenya and it has been confirmed that Mildred is safe and now at a shelter in Nairobi. We are grateful; yet, saddened as we think about those who died. Today the soul of Kenya has been wounded. We grieve the loss of these young people who died essentially because they were Christian.

May the message of Easter circle the globe to embrace us all

Michael Frederiksen

President, CES Canada

CES in Kenya - A Collective Impact Approach to Development and Aid

CES Canada - Committed to Making Collective Impact Work in Rural Kenya

The challenges facing people living in a rural area of 3000 sq km in western Kenya are massive. Lack of access to justice and children unable to attend school are compounded by high levels of youth unemployment, acute poverty, rising costs of food, unsafe water supplies and the continued scourge of HIV/AIDS. Over the past eleven years Community Education Services (CES) Canada has made a difference as it seeks to transform these unacceptable realities. A collective impact approach focuses on the goal to reduce poverty and enable secondary youth to attend school.

CES Canada is the “Backbone Organization” that creates a working environment for others in Canada and in Kenya to discover real time solutions and positive outcomes. To be successful, the collective impact depends on CES to identify a common agenda, establish a shared measurement, and create a team approach through effective and continuous communication. In our work, this means identifying Kenya’s critical need(s), creating awareness of the need in Canada, brainstorming for solutions in both Canada and Kenya, and creating strategies for fundraising. CES is also attuned to the need for fiscal accountability, communications to supporters and ongoing tracking analysis of its community outreach.

The results are worth noting. 26 CES associated schools,1500 scholarships enabling 450 students to achieve the KCSE; and, 1/3 of CES graduates engaging in higher education. A growing number of alumnus are now working in the areas of education, medicine, agriculture, nursing, technology and science.

In 2004 CES Canada undertook research in 30 schools across Kenya on the effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on the Kenyan school system. As a result, 4 schools in western Kenya were selected and 12 students identified as bright, needy and orphaned by Aids. With CES Kenya supervising the work on the ground, a key partnership evolved. An initial governance structure was put in place that gave CES status as a charity with Revenue Canada and later with the Economic and Social Development Division of UNESCO.

CES has taken part in two other research projects, the first at U of Massachusetts (USA) and the second at MMUST(Kenya). The former determined what locals were indicating their needs to be while the latter identifies and promotes better hygiene practice within school communities.

Ten CES constructed wells produce clean water to an estimated 15,000 people in these school communities. An estimated 3 million hours collecting water each year have been saved for more productive activities. Safer water means healthier learners who now have more time to study and achieve higher grades.

Musaga SS has been built entirely by CES and since 2010 has welcomed 440 students through its gates. Previously students were forced to walk 8 km in either direction to attend secondary school. A hydro project (2014) and this year a new Kitchen will make Musaga SS fully operational. Other infrastructure programs at Ibinzo SS, Eshitari SS, Navakholo SS, Shikoti Girls HS and Bishop Sulumeti Girls HS include a Dormitory, Library, Kitchen, and two Science Labs.

A unique partnership with UNICEF’s global WASH in Schools program encourages schools to create behaviour change and provide resources for hygiene management. Girls are supported through the CES Kenya PAD project, receiving training and resources for their personal hygiene needs. All students are provided anti-malaria mosquito nets and medical/healthcare support.

CES Kenya is providing ICT training and certification for students in a 2015 pilot project at St Patrick's Ikonyero SS. Participants create a personal resume and receive further Life Skills and prep training for post secondary studies.

Two Dairy Farm projects and working vegetable farms at St Mary Goretti SS and Bishop Sulumeti SS provide food to students in these communities. Effective collaboration with EAAPP (East Africa Agricultural Productivity Project) has made this possible. CES has also established a market garden farm at Navakholo SS. In 2010 CES initiated a Re-forestation program in honour of the life of Prof Wangari Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

Through a unique partnership with Canadian based World Without Worms, a massive de-worming project in 2013 resulted in training, education and medical outreach for 50,000 primary school children.

CES has a special friendship with the Divine Providence Orphanage in Kakamega. Provision of school uniforms, a water well and education for high school students has given this place hope and encouragement. Canadian volunteers spend many hours assisting and caring for the babies, toddlers and the 120 children living there. Since 2007 CES Canada has created important Canada-Kenya friendships through the direct involvement of 60 volunteers to Kenya.

The CES Leadership Scholarship initiative will permit six top achievers to receive a full four year university scholarship. A leadership training component includes community service. Students will at the end of their studies be able to take their place in society as leaders and nation builders.

With the help of 26 elite Kenyan marathon runners CES created a global first, the 2013 CES Kenya 140km Peace Run (Kericho to Kakamega) and Peace Rally. The message of peace and reconciliation was heard by 20,000 people who were entering into a time of national elections. The annual Canada Day Run brings together 200 CES students who participate in long distance running at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.

CES Canada has consistently focused on the need for Education, Clean Water, Health and Nutrition with emphasis on Gender Equity and Environmental Sustainability. CES has witnessed acute poverty, injustice and abuses against women and children in Kenya. There is a sense of urgency that drives the organization.

CES has grown incrementally as financial resources have allowed. Other partnerships have served to build the "collective impact"; these include a local university (MMUST), the national EAAPP Dairy Initiative, IPA International Poverty Action Group, World Without Worms, Kenya Ministry of Education, and school governing bodies at 26 secondary schools. These partners are key to making progress against urgent and complex problems.

Funding is critical to reach target goals. In 2014 CES Canada received significant funds from The Peter Cundill Foundation. With its emphasis on promoting the health, education and well being of young people, the Foundation honours the legacy of renowned Canadian philanthropist, F. Peter Cundill. As a result, CES has increased its outreach and impact by creating 100 new secondary scholarships and support for 20 university students.

CES Canada continues to depend on individuals who share Vision R2E (Right to Education) for youth living in Kenya. Small business, community and school groups in Canada as well as local service clubs provide support for specific events and projects. CES seeks to discover new sources of interest from venture philanthropy and social entrepreneurship.

CES Canada depends on a "Collective Impact" that involves a variety of people who are passionate about human rights in developing countries and who care deeply about the plight of young people in rural Kenya. It acknowledges and appreciates the fact that caring Canadians have sacrificed time and finances to create positive change. The fact that Kenyan partners have enthusiastically responded and have worked so hard to enable Vision R2E is inspiring.

Social change takes time; yet, its effects can be felt over two to three generations. CES believes in the "seven fold" multiplication factor where young people helped will in turn reach out to better the lives of seven others. The collective actions of hundreds of Kenyan students lifted out of poverty cannot be underestimated.

The question for CES comes down to one basic element: when CES withdraws and is no more, has it left any evidence that social change and increased education opportunity have occurred? When the backbone organization ceases, will there be another locally run aid group to take its place? When Kenyan partners disband, will they say "we did it together"? That is the goal, the prize, the calling to which CES Canada is committed to achieving.

Education is Key to Change

“Providing Hope through Education”

CES Canada (est.2004) is committed to providing access to education for secondary school youth orphaned by the HIV/Aids pandemic living in rural Kenya. In 2015 CES supports 300 students with tuition, healthcare and daily nutrition. 24 school communities are strengthened through clean water and other infrastructure building programs designed to create better schools and healthier learners.

Humanitarian Outreach Based on Research

The foundations of Community Education Services (CES) Canada are Education, Water, Health and Nutrition. These cornerstones are confirmed through a decade of experience in the field. In addition, CES has been directly involved in  six research projects within school communities in rural western Kenya. An assessment model for determining community needs shows key priority needs  to be more schools, quality education, clean water, health, nutrition and opportunities for youth employment.

Additional research initiated by CES defines goals and strategies that improve the lives of Kenyan youth. A 2004 “Impact of HIV/Aids on Kenyan Schools” defines the reason why CES exists to assist orphaned youth. A 2010 “PAD Project” outlines the problem of absenteeism and the need for girls to receive education and feminine hygiene resources during their menses.  A 2011 “Need for Tertiary Student Loans in Kenya” highlights the pressing need of KCSE grads having limited funding available to pursue post-secondary education. A 2013 “CES Kakamega De-Worming” research project provides the structure for education, training and medical outreach program impacting on 50,000 children in the Kakamega/Navakholo communities of rural Kenya. In 2015, a “Water Management:Health and Hygiene” research project is being conducted in partnership with Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.

Responding to International Dialogue

In July 2013 CES Canada was granted Special Consultative status with United Nations through the ECOSOC (Economic and Social Development) Branch of UNESCO.

CES Canada has partnered with the UNICEF Wash In Schools (WinS) program, a global focus on health education, clean water and personal hygiene.  CES also contributed to an international dialogue through UNESCO on “Making Education a Priority in the Post-2015 Development Agenda.” This UN report outlines why a focus on equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all is critical if we are to overcome current and future political, economic, health and environmental challenges.

Priority areas for CES are that all girls and boys have access to and complete quality secondary education; and, that these youth, particularly girls and women, have access to post-secondary learning opportunities that develop knowledge and skills relevant to work and life.  The fundamental areas of education, health, water and sanitation, gender equality and equal access for disabled youth remain critically important to the work of CES Canada in Kenya.

Continued Focus on Reducing Poverty

Since 2010 the United Nations in partnership with governments and civil society has included organizations like CES Canada in crafting the next development agenda. It is clear that although significant progress has been seen in the 2015 Millennium Development Goals; the desired  outcomes have not been met.

There are pressing issues facing the world of today: ending extreme poverty, ensuring that women enjoy the same rights as men, making sure children don’t die of preventable diseases and combating the negative effects of climate change – all in the context of justice and freedom from the ravages of war.

Effective poverty eradication strategies need to recognize the interconnections between various aspects of poverty. Poverty is made up of factors that together deprive people of their rights and freedoms. Malnutrition, poor sanitation, lack of clean water and no electricity are daily reminders of what people in rural Kenya face. These realities reflect the realities of poor health, lack of education, inadequate living standards, environmental degradation, gender discrimination, violence and lack of access to justice.

The practicalities of eradicating poverty remain daunting at best. The most vulnerable are the children. Always depending on adults, they suffer greatly when caregivers live in acute poverty. Powerless and without a voice, their choices are limited to meeting needs for basic survival. The way forward remains largely in the domain of education, for it is here that minds and hearts can be shaped and values, skills and attitudes molded into something positive.

CES Canada – A Part of the Solution

The work of CES Canada in Kenya may appear to be but a small drop of medicine in an ocean of good intentions. The HIV/Aids pandemic has produced the phenomena of “children raising children” and “grandmothers raising children.” There are 1.2 million orphaned children under the age of 19 years living in Kenya; most cannot pay the school fees necessary to attend school. CES Canada’s scholarship program includes paying tuition and providing basic healthcare and nutrition for 300 secondary school students. Daily feeding programs, improved sanitation through Wash In Schools Program (UNICEF), access to clean water, PAD feminine hygiene education and provision of treated anti-malaria mosquito nets help each student to become brighter, better learners – all this for under $1/day.

The ability of our CES graduate students to enter college and university is limited to available financial resources. CES has provided partial funding for some who have demonstrated exceptional learning skills. In 2015 a CES Leadership Scholarship has been established through the support of the Peter Cundill Foundation.  Five talented CES graduates will receive a full scholarship to attend a Kenya university.  

CES Canada is involved in a “seven-fold” strategy where needy, orphaned students receive scholarships and support in their education. This means that on average one CES graduate will help seven others to achieve their education. Families and communities are strengthened as these Kenyan youth find ways to rise above the grinding poverty they face.

Mobilizing youth to create stronger communities is a not only relevant for the work of CES, it is indeed necessary. In 2014 the CES Alumni group was established. Their aim is to create scholarships for needy students, helping others as they were helped. Students at MMUST (Masinde Muliro University in Kakamega) are involved in community health research in CES associated schools.  A CES team provides life skills and ICT training for those applying for higher learning.

In a world where 800 million people go to bed hungry each day, where 1 billion people live on less than a dollar a day and where 600 million children live in absolute poverty, CES Canada continues to bring hope to school communities through its unique work in rural western Kenya.

Finding Furaha in a Bar of Soap

Furaha in swahili means "joy and great happiness"... we find our happiness in lots of things, but hardly  in a bar of soap. Soap is something you use every day - several times a day in fact. You can't get by without it. So what's the big deal with soap?

During a recent trip to Kenya I kept asking students what they really needed besides the opportunity to attend school. Time after time the same response...a bar of soap. One young student from Buhayi SS said, "My aunt cannot provide soap for her family of ten and the only soap I have is at school where I share with fifty others." 

Students at Buhayi Muslim SS share their hopes and dreams

Our students work hard to focus on their studies while lacking in what by Canadian standards are considered essential items. Bath soap, shampoo, toothbrush and paste, skin moisturizer, and laundry soap have been the toiletries and hygiene products that our students report that they simply cannot afford. Good oral health, hand washing and the ability to launder their school uniforms can improve health, decrease risk of communicable illness and thus keep students in school where they can continue to be successful. Healthy beautiful skin and smiles would provide CES students with the comfort and confidence they need to continue on the path of leadership and growth within their school and community.

A gift of $15.00 CAN provides: soap, shampoo, toothbrush and paste, deodorant, laundry soap, skin protection/moisturizer and shoe polish in a gift bag for one student. For more information visit www.cescan.ca

Giving Tuesday – December 2, 2014

Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving. After the sales of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday is a time to celebrate and encourage activities that support charities and non- profits. Whether it’s making a donation, volunteering time, helping a neighbor or sharing some good news, Giving Tuesday is a movement for everyone who wants to give something back.  

On Giving Tuesday CES Canada is creating 300 Health and Hygiene Kits – just in time for the beginning of the next school year.

You may never find "furaha" or joy in receiving a bar of soap. You can however, ensure "furaha" by giving a bar of soap...why not give it a try.

A gift of $15.00 CAN provides: soap, shampoo, toothbrush and paste, deodorant, laundry soap, skin protection/moisturizer and shoe polish in a gift bag for one student. For more information visit www.cescan.ca

CES Canada Promotes Effective Hygiene and Sanitation Practice

Kenya is grappling with high incidents of diarrhea, amoeba, typhoid and cholera due to poor sanitation. CES Canada joins Kenya in its national behavior change campaign to encourage adoption of hygienic practices to reduce these infections.

Statistics from the Ministry of Health indicate that half of Kenya's population lack access to improved sanitation. An estimated 6 million Kenyans do not have latrines and are forced to defecate in the open. These people are vulnerable to contagious diseases and physical attacks.

Kenya launched a community led total sanitation program in 2011 to eradicate open defecation in villages and shanty towns. Since then 1,300 villages across Kenya have been declared open defecation free, thanks to investments in sanitation infrastructure and public awareness.

The Ministry of Health has partnered with county governments to raise public awareness on proper hygienic practices at the grassroots level. A recent World Bank study indicates that 19,500 Kenyans, including 17,100 children under the age of five, die annually from diarrhea. Childhood stunting which affects education and long-term productivity has been linked to poor sanitation.

Since 2004 CES Canada has been partnering with thirty (30) secondary schools in the western area of Kenya. The cornerstones of Education, Water, Health and Nutrition have supported a number of projects that embrace the need for a holistic approach to community development. Promoting environmental health and safety through clean water and improved hygiene is a top priority for CES.

In 2015 CES will conduct research in ten secondary schools with the intent of relying on data to improve daily hygiene practice and water consumption. This will be done in conjunction with the Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) in Kakamega. The goal is to improve learning by enabling healthy students.

The focus on implementing water sanitation and hygiene programs in rural secondary schools in Kenya has been supported through a partnership with the WASH in Schools (WinS) global outreach through UNICEF. CES subscribes to its Three Star approach that describes schools in various stages of hygiene and clean water development.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/210986567/The-Three-Star-Approach-to-WASH-in-Schools

The minimum standard of a “One Star” school looks at daily routines to promote healthy habits. These include daily, supervised group hand-washing with soap, normally before the school meal.

Schools that provide on-site clean water, adequate latrines that are segregated for separate use for boys and girls, and also provide hand-washing facilities will achieve higher rates of attendance and academic achievement. Schools that provide feminine hygiene resources also report lower levels of absenteeism for girls.

In order to improve hygiene and access to safe water, CES Canada seeks to work with schools to meet essential criteria for a healthy learning environment. This approach ensures that healthy habits are taught, practiced and integrated into daily school routines. Expensive infrastructure in schools is not necessary to meet health goals. The intent is to keep it simple, scalable and sustainable.

CES Canada Fights Poverty in Kenya

CES Canada Fights Poverty in Kenya

CES Canada is a small NGO working in rural Kenya. Its goal is to alleviate poverty through the provision of education, water, health and nutrition. CES believes that lack of education is a key element when addressing the core roots of poverty. The path to economic freedom lies in the ability of people to be educated and to make choices and investments within their means. A top down government regulatory approach has been proven wanting in countries that cannot or will not provide quality education for all. The way out of the quagmire of poverty is from the bottom up, in small villages, communities and urban centers across each county where education and health are given equal priority with large scale national economic development strategies in place.

Before asking how poverty eradication is best pursued, the question of what poverty means is critical. Poverty is more than a lack of income. According to the United Nations, the accepted benchmark for income alone is $1.25/day.  However, simply increasing income above $1.25/day will not create long term sustainability. People living in poverty are vulnerable. They need more than an infusion of funding.

Effective poverty eradication strategies need to recognize the interconnections between various aspects of poverty. Poverty is made up of factors that together deprive people of their rights and freedoms. Malnutrition, poor sanitation, lack of clean water and no electricity are daily reminders of what people in rural Kenya face. These realities reflect the realities of poor health, lack of education, inadequate living standards, environmental degradation, gender discrimination, violence and lack of access to justice.

The practicalities of eradicating poverty remain daunting at best. The most vulnerable are the children. Always depending on adults, they suffer greatly when caregivers live in acute poverty. Powerless and without a voice, their choices are limited to meeting needs for basic survival. The way forward remains largely in the domain of education, for it is here that minds and hearts can be shaped and values, skills and attitudes moulded into something positive.

The HIV/Aids pandemic has produced the phenomena of “children raising children” and “grandmothers raising children.” There are 1.2 million orphaned children under the age of 19 years living in Kenya; most cannot pay the school fees necessary to attend school. CES Canada’s scholarship program includes paying tuition and providing basic healthcare and nutrition for 300 secondary school students. Daily feeding programs, improved sanitation through Wash In Schools Program (UNICEF), access to clean water, PAD feminine hygiene education and provision of treated anti-malaria mosquito nets help each student to become brighter, better learners – all this for under $1/day.

CES Canada is involved in a “seven-fold” strategy where needy orphaned students receive scholarships and support in their education. This means that on average one CES graduate will help seven others to achieve their education. Families and communities are strengthened as these Kenyan youth find ways to rise above the grinding poverty they face.

Gender Equity

International Day of the Girl Child 

CES Canada is passionate about and actively supports girl’s rights and gender sensitivity. The difference education makes in the life of a girl is monumental.  Investing in youth is a social justice imperative. It is also a key strategy to fight poverty and to lift a society above the levels of mere survival. The inclusion of girls is essential to integrating human rights with progress and development.

All children have the right to a quality education in a safe environment in which they can learn and thrive and fulfill their potential. For girls in particular this means an investment in education and in health, including comprehensive sexuality education in and out of school.

Discrimination against girls includes health inequities, harmful traditional practices, gender-based violence, and social and economic discrimination.  Girls are less likely to be literate and to have completed secondary schooling, and they are less likely to have the means to defend their rights and access justice.

Eliminating all forms of gender-based violence against women and girls and sexual abuse of children including child or early marriage and female genital mutilation is essential. So too is justice and access to health, social and legal services for all victims of exploitation and human trafficking.

The effect of secondary schooling on the health of mothers and children is well-documented. Girls in Kenya who achieve the KCSE have a better chance to access employment and medical care for themselves and their families. Equal access to land, property and inheritance however remain a cultural problem for women. 

In Kenya, most schools do have gender responsive sanitary facilities. Toilet areas are usually separate for both boys and girls but they do not offer any sense of privacy. In these bathrooms, there is a bucket and soap to be used by girls should they start menstruation while at school. 

Over 100 girls sponsored by CES Canada are given basic needs like soap, uniform, sanitary pads, anti-malaria mosquito nets, writing materials and school bags to ensure their regular attendance in school. Students who can only access latrines have a greater risk of getting worms, diarrhea and other diseases such as cholera. 

CES Canada in partnership with UNICEF’s Wash in Schools (WinS) Program is actively encouraging schools to push the agenda of washing hands with soap. In addition, the addition of sources of clean water through the provision of wells at 10 schools has helped to create healthier school communities.

These basic provisions not only raise the status of the girl child in school, they ensure a healthier student capable of meeting the demands of secondary school education.  Improved school attendance means increased retention rates and higher grades.  Equal opportunity with boys to learn and create a future of their choice is the ideal to which CES Canada in Kenya strives to achieve.