Increasing forest cover through play in Nairobi

Dear Green-Kenya Family.

It is yet another moment to update all of you with what has been happening on the ground for the last 2 months, It has been spectacular, from our life transforming program called Community Impact Program to the 3^rd edition of Kick and conserve tournament!!.

I would like to begin my remarks with a big Thank you!! For your generous donation during little by little matching campaign. I know there are a lot of other ways you could have spent this money, but you believe in our cause, so you chose to invest it in our project. Because of this investment, I want you to feel like part of our team. We're in this together. I want our success to be your success. I am convinced that you shared the information with your friends and families because you know them better than we do and they are now part of Global giver that are making a huge difference in the community miles away from their reach. On behalf of Green-Kenya, we really appreciate you gesture.

I am certain that the footprints of  more than 450 participants, both boys and girls are still visible at S.O.S Primary school soccer field  in Buruburu after competing in the 3^rd edition of Kick and conserve tournament. The schools were almost going for a recess and this was a good opportunity to wish our participants happy holiday, they have gone through our community impact program that included environmental games that had soccer themed messages in them for the last two months.

The 3^rd edition of Kick and conserve brought 8 primary schools from Humble back ground like Mukuru, Majengo and Shauri Moyo slums in one central place where participants learned about the importance of environmental conservation and what role they can play while still in school. This year’s theme was; “Taking action to save water and to keep water clean, as an individual, as a team and as a community”. The tournament has 3 stages, environmental games, environmental discussion and soccer which is always a pooling, each team was getting a point after taking part in each category. All the participants were keen through their captain who ensured that all registered players were present otherwise they would lose the point and there by failing to proceed.

This year we were able to partner with Kenya Forest service (KFS) through their agricultural extension officer in the sub County. The officer gave our team a bit of insights about the type of trees to plant, how to prepare the hole and how the pupils will take care of the trees as they grow. “It is very important to plant a tree while you are still you, so that you can grow together with your tree. You will need these trees when you are old”. Said the Representative of Kenya Forest Service, (KFS).All the participating Schools got one tree to plant in their school as a remembrance of their participation in the Kick and conserve tournament and also their contribution to conserve the environment.

This year we had the overall award specifically for the environment. This award would go to any school which had a unique presentation, be it poem, song, art or any other presentation that would send a message to the community about environmental stewardship and the importance of taking action as soon as possible. And sure enough Church Army Academy emerged the winners, the school had no girls’ team to participate in the 3 stages but they had a wonderful presentation about the importance of Water and what we need to do as an individual, as a team and as a community to keep it clean.  

To me, you are the strength beneath Green-Kenya and the participants wings that we are reaching in different schools and communities, my message to you are these words from Albert Camus who said, “Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend”. Just knowing that you care and you would like to hear from us through these reports means a lot to us.

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Mindful living as a community

Dear Global Givers, I hope you ushered in the New Year in style just like I did. It is yet another month come new year that is promising we have to put our minds together and be the change that we would like to see.

First and foremost, I would start by acknowledging that we received feedback from Global giving, that apparently had come from you, saying that you are likely to recommend our project to a friend. This is so encouraging and I would like to express my sincerest gratitude. Secondly, I will take you through the last two months of 2016, that is, November and December and personally thank you on behalf of Green-Kenya team for your great support in giving towards our Community Impact Program especially during thanks giving day, matching fund and recurring donations in December. Because of your giving and sharing our story with your family and friends, Green-Kenya is now at Superstar position in terms of ranking, the highest position for non-profits on the global giving site.

During the two months, we followed our participants at the community centers since the schools were closed for 8 weeks, Children were not allowed to go for holiday tuition so many of them were in the fields and at home for that matter. We organized a Sports for social impact clinic in one of the centers in Eastleigh where the Somali community came to seek refuge due to atrocities in their country. On the first day at center, the field was packed with 110 young people aged between 8 – 14 years, eagerly waiting for us. This was way past our target, but we could not send some of them away because the  number of our Community Impact Coaches was less compared to the participants. I was also surprised to see girls coming to take part in the sessions. Normally Somali community has strict rules for girls and women participating in sports.

During the one week, we spent at the center the number of participants grew steadily to 200 in one community center, 21 of them being girls. We had to divide them into manageable groups and work with them in bits because they could not fit in the 7-aside field. The owner of the field was so impressed and even told me that he would allow us to use the field for free to carry out our Community Impact Program in the afternoon from 2:00 PM during the weekends even after schools re-open. Normally the field is used for income generation activities but he loved the Community Impact Program. He added that, and I quote, “This program will give Children an opportunity to think about their lives and the importance of participating in sport and prevent them from being recruited into illegal gangs and eventually take part in the violent extremism that has claimed the lives of many young people in Eastleigh”.

This is just but one of the many stories that we have gathered from the field. Whenever I pass near the centers, I always hear some of the participants shouting my name and asking me when are we going to play again. This is so encouraging and fulfilling bearing in mind that the success has not come from one person but from different people who have given out their little resources to make the world a better place than they found it even though the transformation might take place thousands of miles away from them. What can I say more than this quote from Nhat Hanh, “It is possible that the next Buddha will not take the form of an individual, the next Buddha may take a form of a community, a community practicing understanding and loving kindness, a community practicing mindful living. This may be the most important thing we can do for our survival on the earth”.