The Bogambero Children Reception Centre project (BCRC) aims at setting up a reception centre for the children who are living in the Bogambero Primary School area. (750 children)
This community is located in a highly HIV virus infected area. Female Genital Mutilations (FGM), girls' education and early marriages are also serious issues.
Due to the location (country), the rate of registered children is very low. 99% of the children are not registered. The rate of HIV infected people is very high in Nyanza Province: 15% of the population suffers from this disease. The beneficiary community is especially affected.

The lack of information and the importance of local belief on Aids make children a particularly high-risk population, even more young teenage girls who must also deal with FGM and early marriages.
These children are even more vulnerable due to the fact that some of them are not registered, i.e. they do not exist officially and therefore their rights are not recognized. Bogambero's Community reflects this situation. This project targets three main actions:

Medical service
This service, in partnership with the nearest health Centre, aims at making health care more accessible, particularly for those who cannot easily walk to the health centre: pregnant women, children and the elderly. A regular medical service will be put in place.

RIGHTS OF THE CHILD PROGRAMME
Girl child education          
Every child has the right to go to school. This rule does not allow any exceptions. Nonetheless, girls are still suffering from discrimination. Comparing with boys, girls have less chance to be educated.    

The ultimate goal is that families send their girls to school because they become conscious of the importance of girl child education and not because of the grant or because we would have forced them.

Children Registration       
A non-registered child is a child who does not exist; he or she has no rights.
Ensure that each and every child is registered

• Create registration files and provide birth certificates
• Work in partnership with local authorities
• Sensitization actions on the importance of registering newborn babies. (Work in partnership with the authorities for the procedure)

The Rights of the Child
The Rights of the Child are guaranteed and protected by international conventions as well as by Kenyan legislation. Nonetheless, these children live in an area where the protection of their rights is not an obvious topic.

ARTS & EDUCATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT

• Give the opportunity to the children to entertain themselves and learn at the same time
• Provide a place where they can express themselves                                        
• Team games
• Educational games
• Workshops
• Writing of explanatory and summary leaflets on the topics raised by the project. Children will write them with their own words and illustrate them.

• Writing of short stories or dramas by the children
• Writing of « educational » songs



 

 



 

BIRTH CERTIFICATES PROGRAM

The Birth Certificates program has always been one of the most important programs for Enfants de Mabera, should it only be that “a non registered child is a non existing child”

That is the reason why, since 2009, Enfants de Mabera has registered over 300 children.



Parents bringing the documents to register their children

At first, both to draw the attention on the program and make a great impact in the community, the Program was fully free. It was a way for the community to come to Enfants de Mabera and register their children. Meetings of sensitization had also taken place by then.

However, in 2010, the Minister of Education, Mr. Sam Ongeri, has declared that from now on, in Kenya, children would not be allowed to take the KCPE exam if they do not produce a birth certificate. From 2011, they would not be allowed to access Standard 1 without such document.

Thanks to this statement, parents of the community really understood the meaning of the Birth Certificates Program started by Enfants de Mabera in July 2009.

Consequently, and regarding the new declaration made by the Minister, Enfants de Mabera decided to responsibilize parents and make them pay 150 Kenyan Shillings, the price of the actual document. Enfants de Mabera covers the remaining 200 Ksh used for the research made by the Registrar (for children born before October 1997) as well as the traveling cost to the Registrar Office.


Issuing of Birth certificates

 

GIRL CHILD EDUCATION PROGRAM

The Girl Child Education program has started in 2010 with some changes from the initial program. The situation has slightly changed and some adaptations had to be done.

It has been highlighted that some girls who are not going to school (3) in 2010 decided so in order to get married. It is important to say that this decision was going against the families' will. It seems that girls are still attracted by marriage better than school. Work has to be done by Enfants de Mabera, the schools and by the families to prevent such situations.

Fortunately, we could also see that families are pushing their children to go to school, boys and girls and that thanks to the Tobacco selling, they are able to pay the Primary school.

So the new challenging situation is now Secondary School.
More and more boys and girls want to go to Secondary School. However it is too expensive for the poorest families, no matter boys or girls.

In 2010, and according to the same criteria used for the Primary school (family situation, interest of the child and school level of the child) and under advice of the three headmasters who really know the students, Enfants de Mabera has been able to grant 5 scholarships: two boys and three girls.
The maximum of the scholarship was of 6,000Kshs (60 €).

In 2011, the maximum scholarship is of an amount of 8,000 Kshs (a bit less than 80€). 20 students, boys and girls, of Secondary school could enjoy this scholarship.

 

ART PROGRAM

Since 2010, the art program has started with the goal of developing an art exchange with foreign primary schools.

This program allows a cultural exchange with foreign primary schools, children to use what they have learned throughout our activities and put in on paper and also it is a great opportunity for the youngsters to discover a passion that they might not know by having the opportunity to lead the different groups.






This Art Club gives the children the opportunity to express themselves on specific themes. The result can be a message they want to teach to other children as well as to the rest of the community (FGM, Violence against children etc). Concerning the cultural exchange with the Primary School in Spain, the pupils have been drawing about their lifestyle, country and continent.


In 2010, on the World Day against violence against children, the members of the Art Club exhibited their art. Parents, teachers and other members of the community were surprised to see how talented their children were.




This program is to be expanded and include other activities such as artcraft, theatre etc...



 

TREE PLANTING PROGRAM

 

One of the main farming activities in this part of Kenya is Tobacco. This crop brings an important income to the families that is why the farmers like growing it and intensively. However, the other side of the coin is that it requires a very big quantity of fire wood for curing it. Allthough Tobacco companies provide the farmers with seeds (on demand) for planting new trees every time they “shave” their lands, the population does not respond to that offer and continue with its irresponsible behaviour toward environment.

To this first reason, it is important to add that the Kuria Community mainly relies on firewood for cooking and timbers for constructing their homes.
All those reasons lead to a sad situation: the deforestation of Kuria Land, famous for its evergreen landscape.

However, some families and community members are really involved in this matter and try to grow tree nurseries. Enfants de Mabera has decided then to step up in that idea and create its own Tree nursery which would have many purposes equally important: generating income, Environmental & beauty purposes, and they'll also be used to be sold to furniture makers, for burning tobacco as well as for construction.

As a generating income activity,the income generated will mainly go, in a near future, to fund programs for orphans or vulnerable children by the Community. It is a way for Enfants de Mabera to make sure that the Community will be able to take over the school sponsoring program started by it in 2010 for the most vulnerable children of the Community.

Last but not least, this program targets also children directy, not only the incomes. Through this, Enfants de Mabera wishes to teach the young ones about environment, trees and the important of respecting the nature. A Eco Club is to be created for that purpose.



 

WORLD DAY AGAINST CHILD ABUSE -

19th NOVEMBER

 



 

Enfants de Mabera together with Bogambero Primary school invited parents and other community members to commemorate the World Day against Child Abuse on 19th November 2010.

The event took place in Bogambero Primary school playground.
In order to mark this day, Enfants de Mabera organized the lunch for the 480 pupils of the Primary school, after what, the program of the Day could start up.


Children queuing for the special lunch

After lunch, there were three major activities: Theatre, Art Exhibition and speeches.

There were four plays with different themes that reflected situations that are common in that area and in many other rural areas. There are several cases of abuse and violence on children that are due to ignorance and also due to some cultural practices.
The audience watched attentively to the four plays that left them informed and laughters were heard since some of the characters were hilarious. The dramas were organized by Enfants de Mabera volunteers and the characters were drawn from Bogambero Primary school pupils and Kubweye Secondary school students.

The themes of the plays were as follow:

• School drop outs / Education is power
• HIV/ Aids
• FGM
• Early marriage

Students acting

After that parents could discover the art works of Bogambero Primary school Art Club that the pupils, their children, exhibited in order to showcase child abuse actions and how art can be used as a tool to improve their skills and talents and how it allows them to express themselves on such issues.

There were art works against FGM and child abuse besides other themes.


For the special event, the children drew a poster where they posted
some stories on child abuse. How it happens, how to prevent it among others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since 2008, Enfants de Mabera has held 3 Football tournaments. The theme of this special tournament has always been “Let’s Fight FGM”.

In Kenya, many tribes still practice Circumcision. The period between end of November and all of December is usually the « Circumcision time » for boys and girls. FGM (Feminine Genital Mutilation) is banned by the Kenyan legislation. However a few tribes still practice them.
Many programmes are undertaken in order to eradicate this custom.

Boys between 10 and 14 years old watching a football game,
2 days after being circumcised.

The population of this area in Nyanza are Kurians, an ethnic group that still practice FGM. Nonetheless, part of the inhabitants, mostly the parents, denounce this custom. In order to support these reactions and promote the end of FGM, Enfants de Mabera brought its support to different local football teams who decided to come together and organize a tournament and circulate a message anti-FGM.
The teams put a lot of themselves in the tournament and in the discussion with the youngsters about FGM. Its meant to be an annual event.

At the time of the First Edition (from 24th to 27th November 2008) there was not a big change in the behaviours, however something was different. Parents wanted the few volunteers who were there supporting the tournament to chat with their girls in order to make them change their mind and not be circumcised.
This tournament gave the opportunity to have discussions with parents, teachers, boys and girls. They all agree on the fact that they wanted to see a programme against FGM in their community in order to stop this custom « coming from another time ».

Enfants de Mabera together with the Football Committee of Mabera Division organized the 2nd Edition of the Football tournament against FGM.

6 teams played as Junior and 12 teams were Senior teams from the entire area.

The tournament was officially opened by the Counsellor of Komosoko, William Sinda, and closed at the ceremony where Enfants de Mabera gave medals, cups and balls.

The theme of the tournament “Let’s fight FGM” was reminded at each match thanks to a short message told by the referees and thanks to the Tshirts they were wearing on which was written “Enfants de Mabera/ Let’s fight FGM”

Enfants de Mabera organized two activities in Bogambero Primary School: a debate about FGM and also an art morning where children drew two banners explaining why FGM is not good for girls.

Those posters/ banners were shown at the final day when teams received their trophies. The children who participated in the activity received Tshirts on that same day.

As they were exhibited, speeches about FGM and the importance of fighting it were made by officials of Enfants de Mabera, officials of the Tournament Organizing Committee as well as by some of the referees and a nurse of Kubweye Health centre who is also the head of the HIV/Aids department of the centre and board member of Red Cross Kuria.

In 2011, the tournament has been held between the 12th to 25th April. This year the Organizing Committee wished to have girls team. There were supposed to be 4 of them and 16 boys’ teams. In the end only 2 girls team played however it is a very positive sign for the future and the Communities around because it gave a new challenge that girls and woman want to take. Be the best girl teams in the area! Of course, it is also a very positive message towards the fight against FGM!

Girls team

Activities have been organized with the children, a discussion and an outdoor game about FGM. Children responded to our appeal though they were on holidays.

2011 is an important year because in December 2011 will be celebrated another FGM (and male circumcision) season. The activities on advocacy on FGM are not only held during the tournaments but the whole year long, since 2008. Though, girls (and also boys) are now much more aware of the consequences of FGM and are not willing to undergo such an act, we cannot deny that custom and culture are deeply rooted in this area. After all, that is what give them the feeling of belonging somewhere, with a history, aculture and traditions to respect.

The role of Enfants de Mabera in 2011 will be to undertake an intensive activity of advocacy on the young ones who are supposed to undergo FGM this year and monitor/assess the happenings and the number of girls who will actually respect the tradition.

WORKCAMPS

Since 2008, Enfants de Mabera has held 4 work camps. However, the project really started up in 2009. Since then, Enfants de Mabera has hosted 82 volunteers, Kenyan and foreigners, work camps only.

2009: Two international work camps took place, in July and October, gathering a total of 33 volunteers from Kenya and abroad.

Workcamp July 2009

The volunteers usually focus mainly their activities on sensitization/advocacy on HIV/Aids using quiz, Q&A and many other educational games. Activities of sensitization on the importance of respecting the environment more specifically the trees and activities about Child abuse are also undertaken by the volunteers. This last activity is very important due to the fact that, Enfants de Mabera celebrates the World Day Against Child Abuse and Violence against Children every November 19th.

In addition, physical education activities are organized, leisure education activities such as cooperative games, team games etc in order to teach the children and the youths the meaning of solidarity and help between people.

Those activities are organized in both Bogambero and Komosoko Primary schools.
The Art Club prepared posters for the cultural exchange with foreign schools: “Let’s make new friends” and “Bogambero Primary school”. They also drew their houses in the optic of presenting themselves and their lifestyle to children living abroad. This is to be presented to a school close to Barcelona, Spain.

On December 1st 2010, the group of volunteers participating to a work camp, celebrated the World Aids Day with the youths, and organized football games as well as group games. Booklets on HIV/AIDS from WHO were distributed to the teenagers.

Game on The World Aids Days between Volunteers and Youths

Rehabilitation of a water point