Bishops’ Appeal funded this CMS Ireland project in Kajiado in Kenya addressing several fundamental needs for the further development of Masai Rural Training Centres in Kajiado Diocese, Kenya.

 

The Maasai Rural training Centre (MRTC) was set up in the early 60’s to assist the local Maasai people in a restocking project after suffering the consequences of years of severe drought that was followed by torrential downpours. Each MRTC started with the following activities:

• Establishing of a Church
• Starting a Primary School
• Providing a health centre
• Establishing a breeding farm to improve local livestock.
• Provision of safe and clean water supply

The Various Centres were set up in the remotest parts of Kajiado Diocese so that all Maasai communities could have access to a safe, secure and appropriate development and educational facility to help improve the quality of the lives of the local people. When the Diocese of Kajiado came into being in 2006 MRTC became the main point of delivery for community development across the whole of the Kajiado area.

Since those early days both the Diocese of Kajiado and MRTC have undergone considerable changes and what was relevant to the communities then is significantly different to today. The church should be in a position to give leadership to the community – both spiritually and physically – and so the Diocese is seeking to make all the MRTC centres relevant to today’s needs with a holistic approach.

While this is a long term programme of development for the Diocese this proposal will target the MRTC in Oltiasika and join with the new training facility at Imberikani, both in the South Eastern part of Kajiado. This development will continue over a number of years and target the following areas:

Training Facility. Based at Imberikani and to offer the following courses:

• Adult Literacy
• IT computer training
• Vocational training – for eg. carpentry, masonry, motor mechanics
• Home Economics
• Clergy/Lay training

Guest House/Retreat Centre. Based at Oltiasika to take advantage of the outstanding natural beauty at this unique location.

• Targeting Christian business and Church Bodies for retreat and respite purposes

• Eco Friendly approach for visitors in a culturally sensitive manner

Agricultural Demonstration. Based at Oltiasika and interpreted into the local cultural context and to include the following:

• Offering a diversity of agricultural options
• Livestock breeding programme – targeting goats to improve quality of local breed that will lead to a self-sustaining project.
• Clean water storage for domestic use

Formation of a Women’s Group. Based at Oltiasika and aimed at local groups to include the following:

• Domestic health education at village level
• Income generating activity – making beaded gift articles
• Fellowship and mutual support

This application will select a few priorities from each objective as part of the first phase of development.

What problem does this proposal seek to address?

Lack of meaningful education and development facilities amongst rural communities is hindering people from being able to participate in the modern 21^st century world in which we live. The church is seeking to equip these communities, in a culturally sensitive way, to be able to play their part in developing themselves in order to improve the quality of their lives – and ultimately the quality of life for the whole family unit. The main vehicle used to deliver this aim is the Maasai Rural Training Centre (MRTC). MRTC is an institution of the ACK Diocese of Kajiado and its vision mission statements are:

 

Vision

To make known the love of God in Christ so that through the word of God and the work of the Centre, community will live life in its fullness.

 

Mission

To empower communities to protect, manage and utilize sustainably available resources to their advantage

The ACK Diocese of Kajiado covers the wider area known as Kajiado County and is inhabited mostly by the Maasai people. The Maasai Rural Training Centre is the main development arm of the Diocese with six sub-centres strategically placed across the whole Kajiado area. MRTC Isinya – 20 kms North of Kajiado Township – is the Headquarters. Oltiasika Centre is about 220kms South East of the Headquarters.

MRTC was started in the early 60’s in response to a severe drought and famine that devastated the whole of Kenya. It was initially set up as a food relief centre that went on to become a development centre to support the Maasai people in improving the quality of their livestock through various training courses and practical support at Village level. Each Centre started with a Primary School, Health Centre, Ranch, water provision and a Church.

MRTC has grown significantly over the years and has endeavoured to respond to the ever-changing world that it finds itself in. MRTC is an institution of the ACK Diocese of Kajiado and reports directly to the Diocesan Board of Social Services, which in turn, reports to the Diocesan Synod. In recent years modern education provision has enlightened many people to their own developmental needs and MRTC has come to a point where it needs to re-evaluate itself so that it can continue to provide leadership in terms of development to the local community which it serves.

MRTC serves mainly as a demonstration project to local farmers on how to maximize the use of their land within the constraints of modern farming methods. It also provides training in Ranch Management and promotes best practice in the use of locally available resources and environmental protection.

This project proposal therefore, is targeted at helping MRTC at Oltiasika and along with the existing Training Centre at Imberikani will target the educational and developmental needs of the people living there.

 

What involvement did the local community have in identifying this problem?

The ideas that are being acted on came from community meetings. This proposal will be validated by the community before submission.

The Project Proposal

Please state the overall objectives of the proposal. The objectives should be stated in specific terms, be measurable, time bound and relevant to the problem to be addressed.

Objectives to be achieved:

1. 1. To equip the existing training facility at Imberikani with sufficient furniture resources to allow courses to commence.
2. Facilitate a women’s training course in Home Economics and Adult Literacy at Imberikani
3. To rehabilitate the existing guest house and retreat centre at Oltiasika
4. Purchase a suitable breeding goat and herd to begin a livestock breeding programme at Oltiasika
5. Facilitate a training workshop for women on domestic health issues and improving the quality of craft making skills at Oltiasika

 

1. February 2014: Community mobilization and creating awareness within the community. Setting up committees.
2. February-March 2014: Training of Committees and assigning responsibilities
3. March 2014: Advertising/ tendering and procurement process.
4. April 2014: Implementation of the assigned activities including Purchasing of Goats and Refurbishment of Guest House.
5. May 2015: Setting topics for the training and identification of facilitators/trainers. For both Oltiasika and Imberikani.
6. Mid May 2014: Carrying out all the training programmes.
7. May –Sept 2014. Monitoring & reporting of progress.
8. October 2014. Evaluating the programme and sending reports – both narrative and financial.

Monitoring & Evaluation

The general monitoring of the planned intervention will be carried out by the Development Department of the Diocese of Kajiado – with the guidance of the local Management Committee. They will collect information on progress, supply it to CMS Ireland, and from there it will be provided to Bishops’ Appeal and to the support Churches who have contributed to this programme within the Church of Ireland.

Day to day monitoring will be carried out by the Archdeacon of the Oloitokitok area and his reports brought back to the Diocesan office. Evaluation will be carried out by the Development Committee of the Diocese and they will report back to the Board of Social Services, which in turn reports back to the Diocesan General Synod. All of the above will be carried out with the support of CMS Ireland.

Financial Information:

Church Mission Society Ireland			Project Budget
A. Incoming Resources		Budget £
Bishops’ Appeal		25,000
B. Other Funding
Diocesan Sources		2,500
Other Sources                                           Churches in Ireland		3,500
Total Incoming Resources (A + B)		31,000
1. Direct Project Costs		Bishops’ Appeal		Other
Objective 1:   Furniture Requirements		2,400
Objective 2:   HE & Adult Literacy Course		1,850		500
Objective 3:     Refurbishment of Guest House		10,975
Objective 4:   Livestock Breeding programme		8,500		500
Objective 5:   Domestic Health and Craft making skills course		1,275		500
Subtotal		25,000		1,500
2. Indirect Project Costs
Planning Meetings with Local Leaders & Committee training				1,200
Audit				700
Monitoring & Evaluation				750
Administration Costs 6% of total incoming resources (rounded)				1,850
Subtotal				4,500
Grand Totals		25,000		6,000