The Ileho Community Centre for Social Services
Oscar Siema Mmbali, Director
Caring for Women, Children and Youth in Western Kenya Who Cannot Adequately Care For Themselves
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All contributions are graciously accepted (click on the blue sweater to donate) |
Ileho Community Centre for Social Services |
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INTRODUCTION | |||||||||||||||||||||
Since her emergence, ICCSS conceived a mission to educate and empower the grass root community for human development. This mission is carried out in different activities of the agency which include practical training and conferences. Soon ICCSS hopes that a learning institution will be put up in order to comprehensively deal with the needs of the society with great investment in the future; through educating the poor children and the increasing helpless orphans. In regard to this, ICCSS December conference is organized with the purpose of empowering grass root community leaders with skills, knowledge, and a new conscience towards better social relations which include environmental relations. Over the years we have experienced social, economic, gender, HIV/AIDS, cultural, and political challenges, resulting to dire environmental degradation which in turn has began to threaten the livelihoods of both the people as well as the ecosystem. Poor families, people living with HIV/AIDS, drug addicts, orphans, widows, and the victims of gender oppression mostly women, children, and youth; end up extracting resources from the Kakamega forest and other private bushes in order to earn income. Hundreds of trees, shrubs, and bushes are cut every hour as people struggle to earn their daily bread. The community also depends on the forests, shrubs, and bushes for medicinal use in response to human and animal health problems. While the international community is talking about global warming, in Africa, it is a matter of loss of energy (fuel wood), health (medicinal plants), income, and climatic problems which will soon shut down agriculture, the only economy for rural Kenya. Over the recent years, Western Kenya region has faced climatic changes which altered rain seasons and increased starvation and poverty in a region whose 52% of its population already live below poverty line. While conferences have been held at national level, the community has not been reached. It is in response to this situation that we organized this conference during December holidays so that we can bring together young and adult leaders who are influential in different spheres of the society and have the potential to help change the situation for a better future. THE PURPOSE The purpose of this conference is to empower the community through integrating social relations, environmental conservation, and basic community sustainable development. THE GOALS The conference seeks to:
THE TARGET The conference targets youth and women leaders in social institutions (schools, churches, and community social groups), church leaders, grass root government leaders (chiefs, assistant chiefs, councilors, and village leaders), primary and secondary school teachers, and interested individuals. THE ALLIES The grass root government leaders have been helpful in spreading the information and will ensure security during the conference. Church leaders have also been instrumental in spreading the information and will also provide learning opportunities in their churches for this program. The Roman Catholic Church in Ileho has provided the church facility for the conference in exchange with the training of 50 delegates from this church. Rev. Norman Cretin from Mauritius who is volunteering with us for 3 weeks is the chief conference facilitator and has been training university students from different universities who will be facilitating the conference. The students come from Ileho but have never had an opportunity to participate in and contribute to the region’s development issues. The university students and the delegates will raise money for their expenses during the conference by the support of their churches, friends, groups etc. One local cafeteria has entered into an agreement with us to use the church facility to prepare meals for the conference at a lower and affordable cost for our delegates. Conference facilitators are all volunteers. Churches and individuals are lending bicycles to delegates who do not have bicycles since we need bicycles in Practical education by extension outreach program; which will take place on the sixth day of the conference. THE CONFERENCE The conference seeks to educate and empower 200 delegates. The following topics and practical assignments will be covered: 1. Conference Introduction The guests and delegates will get to know each other. The purpose of the conference will also be explored 2. Introduction to the environment The delegates will be introduced to the environment around them, in the country, and around the world. The challenges, issues, and the way forward will be explored. 3. Poverty and Environment The topic concerns the relationship between poverty and environmental degradation and how to deal with these challenges 4. HIV/AIDS and Environment The topic concerns the relationship between the challenges of HIV/AIDS and the over consumption of the environment resources, and how to deal with this problem 5. Trade and Environment This is about the relationship between local businesses and environment and how to deal with the related problems 6. Law and Environment The delegates will get to know about environmental laws, what they seek to protect, what it means to them, and what they can do in order to contribute to environmental and human development 7. Religion, Culture, and Environment This concerns lessons, inspirations, and principles from various religions and cultures which are helpful in environmental and human development 8. Advocacy for Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development This topic builds on the previous topics and discussions as a background and preparation for the delegates. The topic aims at equipping the delegates with basic knowledge and skills which can help them to be able to: 9. Practical Out Reach Education by Extension
The delegates will divide themselves in two groups: The group for the road show and the group for home visits. The group for home visits will further divide itself in more groups (each group having three people) and identify locations for the outreach. By the help of conference facilitators, both the road show group and the Home visit group will have the following assignment.
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Donate: (click on the blue sweater to donate) All donations are greatly appreciated. We know times are difficult and appreciate your effort all the more for it. |
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Staff of the ICCSS and Link to Photo Gallery |
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