All contributions are graciously accepted

(click on the blue sweater to donate)

ICCSS Conference - "Seizing the Future" Dec 14 - 19 2009

ICCSS Welcomes Vera Butschi

Photo Galleries

Introduction and Background Information

Narratives About the ICCSS

2008 Statistics and Reports (pdf)

Wish List of Supplies
(mostly for children)

Letters from Director Mmbali

• Working With ICCSS
• The Orphan Girl in Rural Western Kenya
• Organic Farming in Rural Western Kenya
• The Orphan Boy in Rural Western Kenya
• Volunteering With The ICCSS
• The Effect of Gender Relations on the Environment in Rural Kenya

Flyer About The ICCSS (pdf)

White Papers - Reports of Interest About Kenya (mostly pdf's)

• HIV Prevention Services Not Reaching Rural Women


• Protecting Africa's Future: Livelihood-Based Social Protection for Orphans and Vulnerable Children


• A Short Guide to HIV Slang in Africa

Get Involved With The ICCSS - Your Opportunity For A Direct Connection With A Kenyan Social Service Agency

From offering organic farming expertise to making a donation of any amount, The Blue Sweater Project and the Ileho Community Centre for Social Services are grateful for all contributions. Building a sustainable, humane and thoughtful project whose direction is determined by the people who live in the region takes all kinds of help. Would you like to spend sometime living in rural Africa, volunteering for the ICCSS? A trip is tentatively planned for the summer of 2010. Send your inquiry. Would you like to read the journal of someone who made the trip? This past summer the ICCSS was pleased to host Swiss social work student Vera Butschi. We posted her entries and photos here. If you want to take the plunge and design your own rural Kenya adventure, contact us. The ICCSS is especially interested in hosting people with medical or farming expertise; this is a great opportunity to see what life is like in this part of Africa by actually living there.

Programs always need supplies, and this year the situation is especially bleak for those living in developing countries. Starvation is coming to the front as a cause of death, food security is more of a struggle than ever. Below is the ICCSS’s wish list of skills and services the as the project goes forward in 2010:

To send a care package directly to the program, please download the pdf of the ICCSS Wish List of supplies.

Expertise needed:

Organic Farming     Become an advisor on organic farming (PDF)

Organic farming is no longer thought of as a “western lifestyle fad” in Africa, it is well on its way to becoming a first rate poverty reduction tool. See this article on the IOL Technology website

From ICCSS Director Oscar Siema Mmbali: “We counsel and help youth out of drugs and other forms of violence. The women cases we deal with also need economic empowerment in order to provide a total healing. This is because some forms of violence and domestic struggles are related to poverty. The youth and women situation then calls for a meaningful programme that can facilitate change and lead to total empowerment. This is why we need a professional in organic farming ... as well as an organic farming programme established.”

Social Work, Substance Abuse Counseling and Mental Health Counseling

The program is interested in hearing from those who can offer training materials in general social work/mental health counseling or practitioners who are interested in working with those who suffer from combined mental health and substance abuse problems.
The ICCSS would greatly appreciate ideas for funding sources or a partner in an ongoing (email) relationship to treat clients and/or train others.
From Director Mmbali: "Africa direly lacks psychologists. There are many mental cases we encounter but the community is not aware of it and what to do. Strikes in Kenyan schools have greatly increased and it worries us since it is now claiming lives. Investigated cases reveal mental related issues. Part of our vision is to reach out to church leaders, youth leaders in institutions and organizations, school chaplains and even leaders of different institutions and individuals; providing the necessary knowledge and skills in dealing with mental problems. This is why we need a specialist in this ... as well as working out to finding a programme that will hold continuous training for the people."

Peace Building, Dispute Resolution and Mediation

There is a lot of interest on the part of the ICCSS staff to have an in-house program for mediation and training of the ICCSS staff in mediation techniques, dispute resolution and peace building, as well as interest using those same skills in implementing a program that can work with those currently incarcerated.
From Director Mmbali: “Encountering wars in homes and society is the order of the day. Youths have been misused for a long time in social functions particularly for war purposes. Strikes in institutions and organizations are also a matter to worry about. We also experience ethnic violence which is a great hindrance to the economic growth of this country as it is in other parts of Africa. Since Ileho and other intended areas are cosmopolitan, it would be very helpful to have a person or persons who are experts in mediation ... a continuous programme for this. This vision can grow and reach out even to prisons in the future.”

Construction     

In Africa, “social work” is work that addresses whatever the society needs. As often as not, this involves repairing and shoring up homes for widows and grandparents who are taking care of orphaned children. The roofs of houses always need repairing and materials are always in short supply. Any kind of construction material is appreciated. The mid to long term goal of the ICCSS is to buy land and build a community center. At that time all interested will be invited to come to Kenya to help in the design and building process.

Education

The original purpose of The Blue Sweater Project was to raise awareness of the educational needs of the children of the western Kenya region. The quality of the educational system in Kenya is relatively good (English is the first language) but children are often needed in the workforce or don’t have the funds to attend school. The ICCSS endeavors to get as many orphans as possible in the educational system and keep them there. Eventually they would like to build a local elementary school level academy.
From Director Mmbali: “We deal with children who are orphans and require education. Education facilities in the region are very few. It is also my feeling and experience that a children’s academy (elementary school) is very meaningful so that this children will be brought up together in education, sharing values that would make them meaningful to the global system and redeemers of Africa. I wish them an academy with a parental touch, an academic sight and mind, a transformational intention, and international values. I welcome those willing to contribute to this.”

Legal Advice (on matters in-country)

The mid-long term goal of the ICCSS is to buy land and build a multi-service community center. Advice from someone who knows the process of buying the land in Kenya and the legal process involved would be greatly appreciated.

Medical

The ICCSS welcomes any medical personnel who are interested in either working in Kenya or acting as consultants for the project. Africa in general is in great need of medical talent. The ICCSS will provide you with housing with a family in the community if you are interested in spending some time helping the community heal. People with all levels of skill and in all areas of medical expertise are encouraged to contact us.

Donate:

(click on the blue sweater to donate)