Audiwarriorswithoutweapons's Weblog

TASK 7 – EVALUATION

audiwarriorswithoutweapons — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:48:10 +0000

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Dear Warriors,

I wish to thank you all for the tasks that really enlightened, opened my eyes, broadened my mind and increased my thinking. The just concluded tasks have contributed to my achievements in the last four months.

1. To evaluate on the work that I started and that I continue to do both in my community and my area of residence, from what seemed to be so had in the beginning, I have to date engaged a total of 800 pupils in primary schools and students in secondary schools through the “Tree Planting – Greening our Community Campaign. Each school is taking care of the trees planted and in December, We shall have awards for the 3 winning schools.

2. Through the USA Embassy in Kenya, we have received a new machine that will enable us to make the briskets / the white charcoal for domestic use. At least fourteen youths have gotten employment and as the production increases, we will employ more youths to market and deliver them to clients.

3. The recycling of waste products by the Eco-Families, we now have a membership of Thirty women and children who are helping with recycling, sorting and looks after the tree seedling project that we started recently.

I do believe that once you believe in change, I should start with oneself.

I will on weekly basis keep you posted on further developments. Otherwise, I do thank you all. Continue with the good work and I applaud all those who made it to the last task.

Hoping to see you in the near future.

Love you all.

Yvonne.

ANSWERS TO TASK 6

audiwarriorswithoutweapons — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:34:26 +0000

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LEVEL 6:

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 GO!

We are crazy to see you in action!!!!

YOU HAVE 10 DAYS TO SHOW US WHAT YOU HAVE ACHIEVED

So: SHOW US your action, instead of only describing or writing about it. Use all resources you have (including the friend’s and communities’ resources) to show us what you have achieved.

Having started a recycling project in my neibourhood and from the progress I discussed in Tasks 1 – 5, the number has now grown to 15 members, Every week we have a meeting of the members that have started recycling their household waste. To me there is no better way than to describe my initiative working perfectly well within the community. In this task in the action I took that has worked successfully is the formation of an Association of Eco – families. With the association we not only focus on the sorting and recycling of waste, but extended to decompose all the waste food stuff to produce manure to be used in our tree seedlings nursery project.. The residence association has recognized the work we are doing and they have provided a small piece of land where we can use to operate. Just reminds me about warriors team work in transforming the dumpsite to a basket ball pitch. What we have done now we have planted trees all round it to secure it and we intend to have an information center where the community especially the youth can come and learn about what we are doing. As we are now also in the manure project, we intend to sell to farmers in future otherwise what is produced right now is very minimal and we try to use it in our trees.

I then traveled and I was only back yesterday. Otherwise all is progressing well.

THROUGH THE WHITE CHARCOAL PROJECT IN KOROGOCHO DESCRIBED IN THE VARIOUS TASKS, I HAVE RECEIVED INVITATION TO GO TO THE USA – CALIFONIA NEXT MONTH TO PRESENT A PAPER OF PAPER WASTE MANAGEMENT AS A SOURCE OF ENERGY. THANKS WARRIORS!!!

ANSWERS TO TASK LEVEL 5

audiwarriorswithoutweapons — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 10:54:24 +0000

LEVEL 5:

You’re not alone

Now is your chance to make a difference and do it!!! Decide who you can help and by what means. YOU HAVE TILL SEPTEMBER 13th TO TELL US HOW YOU WILL GATHER PEOPLE, WHO THEY ARE, AND WHAT YOUR PLAN IS.

I wish to help my community embrace recycling as a way of reducing on the waste that we produce from our homes on daily basis. and to face lift the community where I work by planting trees and beautifying the community.

The recycling project is going on very well, it is now one month since we started sorting our garbage and recycling them in three flats in the area where I live. We have a system where by community elders rules the community. Regular meeting are held and the community members here discuss and air out issues that are either affecting them or just discussing how to improve the community we live in. Every month a bigger meeting is called by the Area Chief (Baraza) where by different stakeholders in the community, i.e. church elders, head of different organizations, school heads, youth groups and women groups are gathered to discuss on the issues raised by the community elders, Here, I get a change to share on what I am doing in my estate together with some other people. From this Baraza, the chief automatically supports our initiative which will result in the community believing in what we are doing and want to move along. This will also in a big way change their mind set and want to emulate what we are doing.

A good example of a recycling project that we started two weeks ago, working with empty canned sodas and beers, we cut them in different animal shapes, use different colors to make them look attractive and write some good quotes on them to produce greeting cards, has proved very successful and we sold the first lot in our church and the money we receive will be used to purchase big three dumping bins each for our flat as well as the two others that have started doing recycling. My vision is to one day have a recycling plant in my community, where other communities can come and learn from us.

Just to mention that through the school project on Tree Planting and Greening our community, One of the leading Mobile Telecommunication Organization has agreed to sponsor 20 schools with 200 tree seedlings. They have started doing some research in the area and would like to partner with us to implement this project.

I am so happy, excited and very grateful to you “Warriors” for the positive thoughts, questions and tasks that made me come up with this project.

Currently, I am working on a detailed proposal for funding.

Thank you Warriors

Love you all.

Level Four – Great ideas are born from small causes

audiwarriorswithoutweapons — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:24:58 +0000

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Great ideas are born from small causes

To create change, you must be willing to be that change. It requires a lot of energy, commitment and dedication. Most importantly, you must keep the passion for the work always alive.

I wish to Engage the youth in my community in positive social change by:-

a) Giving them a voice on critical issues affecting them

b) Promoting their involvement in all community affairs, the area I really want to focus on is planting trees at every door step through a Campaign dubbed “From Dust to Green” which will involve primary and secondary schools in my community.

In Korogocho, you can count the number of trees we have. Many people do not care much about the state as every bare land means structure, I wish to spearhead in changing my community to a green community, by engaging the children and youth through a tree planting competition in schools in my community.

By involving other interested stakeholders who are willing donate an amount of tree seedlings, all schools will be given an equal amount of tree seedlings to plant and will be challenged at toping the number received or exceeding as the competition will be judged by the school that will have planted the most number of trees and taken care of them within a period of 3 months. The trees will be planted inside the school compound as well as different points in the community neighboring the school area.

The Kenyan Nobel Peace Laureate Prof. Wangari Mathai through her organization “The Green Belt Movement” has agreed to award the first three winning schools with a trophy, a trip to one of the National park and sponsorship of one child from that school for a period of 5 years, i.e. one child will be sponsored each year from that school for the next five years. This was decided upon, to ensure that the program runs for the next five years without neglecting their duty to continue caring for the planted trees.

After the first year of the project take off, a conference will be organized, bringing about 10 students and 3 teachers from each school plus other interested stakeholders to learn, share and discuss on successes, challenges and future innovations. From this conference, these children will be able to learn the importance of conserving their environment.

Already I have found 3 interested organizations willing to support this initiative. And I am glad to share it with you and others who can also do the same.

I live in a community where most people would not think run away from due to insecurity, filth, dust etc, I am determined to turn it around to that community where people will be wanting to visit through the green movement.

Answers to task Level Three

audiwarriorswithoutweapons — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:10:14 +0000

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LEVEL 3

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Small individual actions can create larger collective difference.

Yes I do agree, as in the building where I live which houses 16 families, we have started the household waste sorting and now I am thinking of involving them in planting flowers at every door of every house.

MY TRASH

My trash is another person’s treasure

The trash in my estate is normally collected every Friday. All these time when I take my trash out as well as my neighbors, there are a group of youths, women and even very old people who salvage on these trash, looking for plastic cans, bottle, papers, metal pieces or even food. With this task, I was challenged and started sorting my house waste.

1. Start a recycling program at home

2. during one week, make a list of everything you throw away and everything you recycle.

Since this week I cut on my consumption, there was not a much to recycle as I cooked just enough food to finish. Though I was able to convince my neighbors and provided them with 3 different big paper bags that I place just next to the entrance gate to the building where we live, by today morning , I collected one and a half filled bags of different plastic containers, half a bag of bottles (breakable) and the rest were food waste.

MY EXCESS

As little as I have, I know that there is always someone out there who has less than I do.

My work involves giving a lot but normally, they are donations we receive from other people or organizations. I also do not keep a lot of things, yet realistically, you will find that people keep a lot of stuff they do not use. This task taught me to always keep only what I use and give out what I don’t. In my case, there are a lot of clothes, shoes, extra beddings, that my son and I have not used for more than a year, even though we do not use them frequently, we tend to love them very much.

1. Make a list of all the things you don’t use and donate them to people who might appreciate them.

a) Dresses assorted mine and my son’s 22

b) Shoes assorted mine and my son’s 6 pairs

c) Beddings 4 bed sheets, 2 blankets, 1 mattress

d) 2 Wash basins, 5 cups, 5 plates, 2cooking pots and cooking stove.

e) Assorted toys

2. We want to know what you donated and to whom

The dresses and shoes I donated to different household in Korogocho (community where I work. The beddings and toysI took them to “watoto pamoja” Children Together home that takes care of abandoned and orphaned children.

My younger brother started his family recently, working as a casual labourer in one of the industries with very poor pay, can hardly buy enough for the family. I gave all the rest to him as he needs them more than I do.

MY CONSUMPTION

Everything I consume has an impact in the world

This task has taught me to on the importance of saving, even on the least of things. I also did not buy anything on impulse. This is also teaching us to consume just what is enough to take but not more for spoil.

1. Observe what you tend to consume. Make a list of things you could economize.

Electricity

Water

Fruits

Milk

Bread

And the food I buy on weekly basis.

Impulse buying of cloths and shoes and toys for my son.

2. We want to know what, and how much you were able to economize during one week.

This week, I only bought fruits whenever we wanted to eat them. In most cases, I could buy in bulk and end up rotting and throwing them away. I reduced my food consumption intake and buy less by 1kg, I switch off electricity in all the rooms that I did not use at the moment, used a shower when having a bath and not a bath tub thus reduced on the amount of water. My work place is a bout three and a half kilometer from my home; I walked to work on Friday, Monday and Wednesday. As always my trend I did not buy any new cloths or shoes during this week. You wont believe it, I saved a total of Kshs. 850/=. I can not tell right now on my electricity and water but will continue with this task and will inform you at the end of this month. I am very sure my bill will reduce.

Just like in any game, the first levels are easy. Most people have already passed these levels. If this is the case with you, tell us about what you are already doing to make a difference. If you can’t think of anything, know that you are running a bit behind…

This morning when I was giving out the trash, I felt really happy that we had already done the sorting for them and they were very happy and really appreciated. When they get this stuff, they paid back some money by the industries I am going to have a meeting with my neighbors today evening and discuss on how we can team up, contribute and buy the three bins that we will be using on our building so that the exercise can continue. I intend to move to the next building and will inform you how I will fair on. This week alone, I feel much lighter and very active. I think I will continue with the walking to work at least twice a week as it is also good exercise.

Answers to Task 2

audiwarriorswithoutweapons — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:37:51 +0000

MY PURPOSE

Why do you want to take part in the program Warriors Without Weapons 2009?

The reason why I really so badly would like to participate in the Programme Warriors without weapons 2009 is because, for a long time, I have been struggling with the concept of change through sustainable development. Working with disadvantaged youths in the slum and changing their mind set to embrace projects that are geared towards changing their life styles and the community at large.

MY COMMITMENT

What you intend to do once you are back home after the Warriors Without Weapons?

Mine is to have a first hand experience, once you know something, you will do it to the best of your ability. This after getting the expertise and experience I am sure the community will believe in me and work with me in the rehabilitation of this play ground to what will be accommodative to every youth. There after we will start our own “warriors without weapons” training other youths to work in their communities. I also wish to bring back home the knowledge so that others can believe that all is possible once you decide, dedicate and determined to undertake any task.

MY ACTION

How, in your opinion, your experience during the program here will support you to take action in your location? As I have always indicated earlier in my mails, many people are adamant to change some are ignorant and others just will not act until they see (doubting Thomas’s) results. To achieve this, we have various locations for the youths for playground in my community which have been neglected for many years by the local authority. I have started negotiations with them, for us to partner with them and rehabilitate one in my area. If this succeeds, we will do it to all other playgrounds in the entire community and its environs. I have also seen how the warriors work and engage in their activities, I wish to be part of that team.

Yvonnes Proficle

audiwarriorswithoutweapons — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:53:30 +0000

Hi all,
My name is Yvonne Anyango, I am a 32 years old single mother of my boy who I love very much (he is 10 years old), I am Kenyan and have been working with youth empowerment in the slum for 8 years now.
For young people growing up in Korogocho, a sprawling slum community on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya, the future can seem hopeless. With most parents unable to pay for their children’s education, many young people are forced to drop out of school. The majority ends up on the streets – begging, stealing, or buying or selling drugs.
To help change the odds for other youth, I have been involved in voluntary activities since the age of 16- first as founder of Cardinal Otunga Orphans and Youth Empowerment Programme, and now as project administrator of Co-operation Arena for Sustainable Development in Africa – Kenya, which focuses on creating a meeting point for universities, schools, youth led organizations, county councils, private sector and the business sectors, to discuss issues affecting them based on economical, ecological, and social perspectives guided by the UN, EU, AU Kenyan government’s work and aims towards a global sustainable development.
My work entails:-
1. Organizing workshops where organizational and activities are developed by the youth, with the basis from and idea that describes a possible organization and activities, possibilities, strategies and ways to implement are discussed.
2. Educational efforts aiming to create knowledge about, above all, Kenyan politics for global development and Kenyan strategy for sustainable development. The educational efforts are also seminars where matters of measures and applications are discussed.
3. Look after and support youth initiatives especially in areas of waste management, greening of the community, planting trees and looking after them.
This is all for now, will avail more information should need be.
Best wishes to you all.
Yvonne

Hello world!

audiwarriorswithoutweapons — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:21:16 +0000

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