KYOS supports the charity ‘Red een Kind (Help a child)’ with a project in Kitui, Kenia. We just got an update on this project and we would like to share this with you. Red een Kind is founded on the believe that by creating a better future for children, directly and indirectly they help the whole community.
In Kitui, Red een Kind has set up a programme to help parents enlarge their income, which allows children to go to school. In addition it promotes a more varied diet and more food in general. They also provide training for young adults aimed at agricultural subjects to raise their knowledge, especially around ‘climate smart farming’.
Kitui saw only one month of rain last year, much less than previous years. This lack of water poses a real threat to the community. It comes down to the women to search for water, but they have to walk for hours to reach a well. Searching for water means that there is less time left to work on the land. And the draught caused the corn crop to wither. To overcome this, the farmers have changed to a different type of nutrient, a pea variety which should be better resistant to dry periods.
Together with the community they lobbied at the government to solve the water problem. As the groundwater level is very low, digging wells proved to be too expensive. With the financial help of the government, the village could build a dam instead, to create a reservoir. The work on this has just finished, and they have good hopes it that it facilitates the growing season for the crops.
Red een Kind’s holistic approach not only benefits children directly but also uplifts the entire community. By investing in education, nutrition, and sustainable practices, they create a brighter future for Kitui. Read more on the commendable work they do: Home – Red een Kind (in Dutch).