Spider Self Help Group
Be part of the change (a)
REAKENYA
SPIDER DEVELOPMENT NETWORK ONE PEOPLE, ONE COMMUNITY- Purely A Youth Initiative P.O. BOX 274-50400, BUSIA-(K)
Tel: +254 735 369 516, Email- spiderdevelopment@yahoo.com ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…………………………... August- September 2011 INFORMATION OUTLET Spider Development Network is a Self Help Group pioneered by young professionals across Busia and Teso Districts (Busia County). The group wants to re- register as a Community Based Organization. We are located at Tangakona Shopping Centre; this is on Busia – Mumias Highway (17kms from Busia and 47kms from Mumias). Brief History of Spider: In July 2005, the students of Migori TTC come to burry their teacher Mr. Silas Onyango Dindi in Tangakona village, Nambale. The students come back in August the same year to say sorry to the family, Spider Development Network was formed to as a remembrance. The group run successfully till 2006 when it became dormant. In 2009, TACUSA (Tangakona College and University Students Association was launched, six months latter, the name changed to REA KENYA (Rural Education Aid). In 2009, the group (REA KENYA) merged with Spider and became Spider Development Network. A new constitution was written and election done. The Current Coordinator, Benjamin Ong’aria oversaw all this happenings when he was in college at Nairobi Aviation College doing his DIPLOMA in Social Work and Community Development. From there, Spider became the name of the two group combined and currently we as a group privileged to work with the community in collaboration with other partners like Populations Services International (PSI Kenya) among other partners. The group is run by the youths and encourages the community to give youths a chance to manage their affairs not forgetting gender issues. The vision of the group is to see a first class society where all people live above the poverty line and literacy levels are of high standards. Our mission is to have an adequate community where all members take part in development activities. The core objectives are:
To bring all the community members together for the sake of development
To empower the community for the sake of development and social networking
Other objectives are:
To provide a resource centre in the area
To help vulnerable children get education
To promote understanding among the youth
To offer counseling services in the area
To help eradicate opportunistic infections
To help the youth in the locality be computer literate
To empower the society
The group has three committees that help on advisory issues- Executive, Welfare and Sustainability Committees, headed by Benjamin Ong’aria, Esther Olaboro and Karen Nekesa respectively, other than these, the group has the Secretariat, headed by the Coordinator and the Field Officer; Benjamin Ong’aria, and Janet Atieno respectively, the two are professionals in Social Work & Community Development and Disaster Management respectively.
Spider Self Help Group
Be part of the change (b)
REAKENYA
The group tries to bring the community together so as it can achieve a stable development; Thus the need for Behavior Change Communication. Currently, we have achieved a number of activities and initiatives that we run as a group named before:
1. Behavior Change Process Workshops: On 27- 28 March 2010, we had a Behavior Change Process (BCP) Workshop, we had 15 participates, one Patron, 3 parents and 4 visitors including the Nambale Town- Ship Chief, Madam Marylyn Namenge.
Our second BCP Workshop was on April 22- 23, 2011 at Tangakona Shopping Centre. We had 29 members with a number of marriage people who gave many educative messages. Six people who attended the first workshop come to the second workshop and we were able to observe many changes among these six people. Some of them were able to confess that since they attended our workshop in 2010, a lot has changed in their life. They have been able to start viewing life as a positive journey towards prosperity. Looking at the youths who had sex out of wedlock or before marriage, the percentage has really reduced, we do believe that this has been due to the consistence empowerment that the group has been doing since its formation. If our statistics are to go by, 56% of people contribute in HIV/AIDS spread, thus out of 10,918 people in Nambale Location, 6,113 have either had sex before marriage or have had sex outside wedlock (mpango wa kando);
2. Condom Distribution: We do condom distribution in the community, this we give out more than 15,000 condoms a month. With this, we try to encourage them youths to abstain but those who cannot do that, we have a second option of giving them condoms.
3. Computer Technology Empowerment: Now, we are helping youths in the locality be computer literate, this has attracted a number of youths who come to understand the use of computers. The group started this project because the people were computer illiterate thus missing so many opportunities in the job market. We now have a number who appreciate our efforts and come to the group to teach others.
4. Malaria Prevention- Mbu Nje sis ndani campaign: We are carrying out Malaria Prevention Campaigns in Nambale District- Mbu Nje Sisi Ndani. We use Learning through Listening Approach to encourage community members to use LLITs nets in preventing malaria. This entails visiting 100 groups in a month and appreciating their contributions by giving branded t- shirts, scarves, key holders, bags, and lesos among other materials. This activity we extend to other Districts in the County thus covering the whole County of Busia.
In the last seven months, we have been able to achieve a lot as the community has taken the initiative very positively and a good number of households are sleeping in a treated net. The community normally buys them from the health facilities and even our group where we follow up and establish that majority are using the nets correctly, the free nets have boasted us a lot in our campaigns. On April 25, 2011, we had a Malaria Day Celebration at Okatekok Primary School where we managed to bring up more than one thousand people to participate in the event. Eight Youth Teams participated in the event where a number of Health personnel from surrounding dispensaries attended.
5. Radio Station: Spider is also trying to see the logistics behind running a radio station in Busia County. This is a bit technical, but we keep on struggling towards our dreams. With a radio station, we believe that we shall be able to reach to a more population in the locality
Spider Self Help Group
Be part of the change (c)
REAKENYA
6. Poultry Project: We have put up a Poultry Farm in Tangakona where we want to encourage the whole community to participate in development initiatives. This we tend to manage by our own after which we shall look for another project to invest on. This is managed by The Sustainability Committee, Be encouraged to come and visit. The Ministry of Agriculture has played a big role in given technical advice on the project.
7. Merry Go Round: As a way of helping members directly and knowing their homes, we are having a Merry- Go- Round in the group, we visit members’ homes and give them some cash to improve their lives, and this is managed by the Welfare Committee. The Merry Go Round has been able to bide members together as they feel relaxed from the office mood.
SPIDER DEVELOPMENT NETWORK PARTNERS
Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation
Malaria Prevention; Monitoring and supervision
Provision of condoms
Populations Services International (PSI) Kenya
In Malaria Prevention Campaign- Mbu Sisi Ndani
Provision of condoms
Constituency Aids Control Council (CACC)
Supervision of HIV/AIDS Activities and advice on better means to help the youths on HIV/AIDS
Provision of HIV/AIDS information outlets
NB:
a. With the above partners, we do not forget the Community that provides a lot of support including the security and moral support. Is the community that is above the law and that is the best partner in any project.
b. The Ministry of Social Services and office of Youths Affairs do not fill left out.
c. We do appreciate the Provincial Administration, political class and even the church for their support, minus any of this, our initiatives will be a waste of time. Our patrons, who are the best partner, do not fill left out.
d. The College and University Students who started this project, though most of you are not around, we do thank you people for the support you gave us in running this initiative. Your help and contributions have been a major boast in our works. The students of Migori TTC, particularly the class of 2005, you were the minds behind Spider Development Network, be also the mind towards making the group what you wanted.
Spider Self Help Group
Be part of the change (d)
REAKENYA
IF EDUCATION IS EXPENSIVE, TRY IGNORANCE; Have good moral and live as per the social norms and respect the rule of law. CHANGE BEGINS WITH YOU AND ME AND THAT YOU ARE THE CHANGE THAT YOU WANT TO SEE… The journey that we started is long but we are optimistic that one day we shall reach the end. We request that you be part of us. If you want the society to change, then be the change…. With Regards, BENJAMIN ONG’ARIA. THE CHAIRPERSON/ THE COORDINATOR
SPIDER DEVELOPMENT NETWORK
