Build 152 Resilient Villages in Horn of Africa

As HODI we train the community to start saving from as little as 10 Kenyan shillings. Most of them are vulnerable, unemployed and depended on relief and the shillings was 3 for education of their children; 2 shillings for health and 5 they save and borrow as loans to initiate small businesses.

The story of this young mother takes us to the village in Marsabit, a quite silent village no one knows what is happening beneath the sleeping giant. Here we meet with the chairlady and the secretary of the village saving scheme they introduce us to the young mother and share updates on the village. They have increased their contribution from 300 to 500 shillings with most as casual labourers.

Literally everyone has benefitted from the loan scheme even the most vulnerable who depended on relief. Gumato a mother of six kids a beneficiary of the three months monthly stipend from HODI supported by GlobalGiving.

None of her children ever made it a high school today she is a proud mother of a boy in form one at a national school. She found herself a day job as a cleaner and pays the loan of 100 usd on monthly basis. They were all trained on business skills and how to take loans repay them after investing in a business or education. This helped generate income and lift her and the family out of poverty. Until next time we pen off here.  

Links:

• The HODI Website

As the world celebrated International Day of Disabled Persons 2018 on 3rd December we would like to celebrate a little known s-hero who despite all challenges she has coped with what many will term impossible. Her name is Safo and she lives in a small village in the outskirts of the town but what makes her the s-hero is the fact that she is taking care of her 9 children and 10 grandchildren single handedly. When people talk about disability what comes to mind is physical only and mental illness is not highly rated as it is not physically visible. Hidden from the masses and lost in their own little minds is the fate of the children the mother bore and one after the other they all had the same disorder affecting them. None of them is married and the girls keep on being defiled and giving birth to children with unknown fathers.

One in four people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. Around 450 million people currently suffer from such conditions, placing mental disorders among the leading causes of ill-health and disability worldwide.Treatments are available, but nearly two-thirds of people with a known mental disorder never seek help from a health professional. In the case of Safo and her children seeking professional help is not even one of the options. Many call them the mad people and even go ahead to describe how the entire household is full of mad people. No one identified Safo's household as vulnerable and until one HODI staff visisted them. The stigma, discrimination and neglect prevent care and treatment from reaching people with mental disorders like Safo's family, says the World Health Organization (WHO).

In the case of Safo, 4 girls, 5 boys and now the 10 grandchildren there is total neglect and very little understanding of what ails them in the first place. Days turned to months, then years and now decades they have been feeding off leftovers from the trash bins. Many days are without anything to feed the family but Safo never gave up. Single handedly she scavenged for whatever was available until when one day she identified by a HODI staff leading to a visit for vulnerability assessment. It was heartbreaking what the team witnessed and all agreed that they are indeed vulnerable. Some good news coming Safo's way and she could not believe what she was hearing breaking down in tears. She confessed having not received any support for her family but was so scared almost talking in whispers for fear of anyone overhearing the conversation. In one room they all lived spreading down boxes the structure barely holding on due to the long exposure to rain and harsh weather. Not a single container to collect the rainwater instead the water literally collected in the house leaving them with no place to put their heads when night falls. But this was the least of their worries as the survival mode kicks then every month since September of 2017 the worry was no more.

As one of the 80 Households supported the family received cash transfer for 4 months combined to buy dry foodstuffs and just the basics needed in their household. With your donations were able to make this possible and also provide one water tank with gutters to collect rainwater. It was a scary moment as the 4 months come to an end and while we were figuring out how to convey the message we got one donor giving on monthly basis and there was a glimpse of hope for the family. It is the small little acts of kindness that make a difference. To Safo, her 9 children and 10 grandchildren there is need to keep the lights on, food on the table and achieve stability with resilience. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support and generous donatons and we look forward to sharing how Safo's family and children will get professional help. 

Links:

• HODI website