KENYA
HOW PARTICIPATION IN THE TABLE BANKING PROGRAMME CHANGED JESSE’S LIFE
The story of Jesse Njugua, assistant secretary in Amani Women Group, is one of the examples of what impact the table banking initiative had on the whole family’s life.
Has the table banking initiative in any way changed your life?
Yes, it has. It has changed my life. Before, when I got my money, I would spend it. I had no vision. When I got 200 shillings, I spent it and was left with no money. But when the idea came, I saw it was better, and I saw that I was using money. But from that idea, I listened to them, and I take something from them and put it in my mind.
NIGERIA
THREE STUDENTS DECIDED TO ENROL INTO UNIVERSITY AFTER FINISHING THE BACK2SCHOOL PROGRAMME
Back2School was one of the initiatives started by Action10’s partner in Nigeria, SpellAfrica. The programme addressed adults that missed out from primary school and was designed using the Montessori methods.
The expected impact was to learn 200 illiterate adults and youths basic reading and writing skills in the English language to enable them to do better in their small businesses, be employable and socially active in society.
This impact has been achieved over the years, thanks to funding support from private and organisation donors, dedicated and passionate teachers who played an important role in the project despite only little financial support, and students who were ready to learn.
One unexpected outcome of the project was that three students took the examination for enrolling on the university.
But at the moment, this story doesn’t have an entirely happy ending. Due to the lack of self-sustainability, the programme is on hold, while HR&S and partners are identifying ways of generating sustainable income in parallel with the teaching, as the students do not have their own money to pay for the education. We are exploring the opportunities with providing teaching in the English language as before, while in parallel provide teaching in family farming. The farming itself has the potential to generate products that can be sold and thus generate income for the school. Moreover, the students will not only be equipped with good skills in the English language but will also know how to keep a family farm.
LIBERIA
FIGHTING EBOLA WITH SOAP, WATER AND INFORMATION
In 2012 Morris Matada, founder of IDEFOCS, contacted HR&S/Action10 to ask for help with a terrible disease spreading across Liberia – Ebola. By the end of the outbreak, nearly 5000 people had died in the country, leaving the economy and society in a dire state.
Action10, HR&S and IDEFOCS took action with 20 000 SEK to protect the inhabitants of three urban slums, each with a population of around 200 people, in the capital Monrovia. The funds were used to buy sanitary equipment and create awareness campaigns.
TOGO
TRUE STORY OF A GIRL WHO GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE SCHOOL
In 2013 our partner S.E.VIE in Togo was running an awareness project on the importance of schooling for children, especially girls. Cecilia, the founder of Action 10, travelled to Togo, where she was presented a short play based on the true story.
The play portrayed a girl and her parents living in the village. A rich aunt who lived in the city came to take the girl away. She told the parents that she wanted to put the girl into school and give her all the opportunities of living in the city, but instead of doing that, the aunt put her to work in the house, carrying water, cleaning, and doing other chores.
This is a sad fact of life for many children in Togo, where children’s rights to basic education are not always recognized, and children are vulnerable to exploitation.
One day, a girl’s friend visited her and told her about a group of people who have come to the village to help the children start attending school. Together, they found a way to reach out to Action10 and S.E.VIE for help.
S.E.VIE was able to approach the girl’s parents with a better option for everybody – bringing her back to her family and attending the local school.