Yesterday we spent some time with LGBTIQ refugees who had fled Kakuma Refugee Camp, facing harassment and violence. There were more people, however, who fled for the same reasons - but because they left outside of official channels, they weren't allowed into the new safe space the whole group was a part of. New to Nairobi without any belongings, food, money, or contacts, they were forced to camp outside. One of the first things our team did once we were in Nairobi was visit this small group of people. We learned that they were struggling to get the support they needed. Many of them had not eaten in days. So we acted quickly, ordering food and drinks for everyone, assisted with medications and jumpers. We also connected them with local LGBTIQ community based organizations that operate safe houses, so that they could finally have a place to stay. … [Read more...] about Acting Quickly
Campaigns
Finding Abundance
Late last year, close to 200 LGBTIQ refugees were relocated from Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya to a new space just outside Nairobi. They needed to move because they weren't safe - they were facing harassment and physical violence because of their identity. Their home in Kakuma had been ransacked, leaving them with next to nothing. In this new, highly secure center in Nairobi, which was once a gated school, people arrived with just the clothes on their back. While they were given blankets, the folks were in need of most basic things. But people weren’t allowed in and out of the Center, due to personal security issues. That's where we came in. These refugees weren't able to access the things they needed - and even if they did, they didn't have the money to buy them. Luckily, we were able to distribute cartfulls of basic toiletries – soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and sanitary pads, helping this community regain their dignity. “It’s amazing what you’re doing for these … [Read more...] about Finding Abundance
Time Together
While staff in our Nairobi office might order take out and eat with their office mates over lunch, it’s rare that the whole staff can come together for the midday meal. This team is so busy helping to run our Somalia program that time spent together isn't always the number one priority. So we did a quick survey — in the most discreet way possible — to figure out what food they would be most excited to eat. Unsurprisingly, the staff overwhelming voted in favor of Somali food, as a large part of our staff identify as Somali. So the choice was easy! We ordered an abundance of food: fish, goat, chicken, pasta, rice, chapati, bananas, and too many sauces to count. To drink, we also had fruit smoothies — avocado, mango, or passion fruit. People were delighted and surprised, and while some ate on individual plates, a group of women decided to eat in traditional Somali fashion, loading up a platter with food and eating together as a group. Everyone was soon busy chatting … [Read more...] about Time Together
A Fresh Start
Welcome to Kenya! We’ll be spending the next few days in and around Nairobi, the capital of Kenya and one of the largest cities in East Africa. First things first, we wanted to surprise our colleagues at the ARC Nairobi office. Like all our teams around the world, they work really hard. Their office space should work to refuel the energy spent ensuring our programs in Somalia run smoothly and save lives. One Friday afternoon, we decided to drum up a little surprise... When most of the staff had left for the weekend, we replaced the old coffee cups with fun, colorful ones, bought different types of coffee and tea, and got them a whole bunch of snacks. We wanted to make sure everyone's’ needs were met — for the staff with a sweet tooth, we got a variety of cookies, and for the salt lovers, different nuts and chips. Not only did this add a little color and some extra food to the office, but it transformed the coffee and tea station into a more inviting meeting spot, … [Read more...] about A Fresh Start
Neighbor to Neighbor
Today is our last day in Annayo, the farming community that's doing their best to rebuild after years of devastating drought. Despite the hardships they face, they're optimistic. They have so many ideas for how to make things better, day by day. To wrap things up, and thank the community for an amazing month together, we got gathered everyone for a meal - a time to relax, take a load off, and enjoy each other's company. Farmers sat beside security guards, who sat beside local council members, who sat beside reporters from the media, documenting the changes made. The meal was delicious - goat meat, rice, pasta, vegetables, and spices. A feeling of contentment settled in, as hearts and tummies were filled. "This is the first time an NGO has actually come and helped the community," said Issa from the local town council. "We are so humbled by the support and grateful for all that you have come and done in our community." The positive change that's happened over the … [Read more...] about Neighbor to Neighbor
Make Tracks
Any farmer can tell you about the two busiest parts of the year — planting and harvesting. The upcoming rainy season is on everybody's mind in Annayo, as they get everything prepped and ready to plant. While the tools we provided are helpful, using them to prepare the land is highly labor intensive. Progress depends on how many people they have on hand to pitch in. What's the next best thing to having all hands on deck? The right machinery to do the job for you. We set up a tractor-share system so that they can rent out the tractor to prep their fields for planting. Sharing the machine is an efficient way for resources to go farther - and get to more farms. "We have many things to support on our teams, about 50 sheep and goats and 10 camels as well as fruit trees and crops," said Osman Adan Noor. "We will need to plant new crops like carrots, onions and tomatoes soon. Tractor hours would be so helpful in this process." This change made possible by Mankind is My … [Read more...] about Make Tracks
Bah-lieve in Change
It’s hard to overstate the value that people place on their animals, pet or livestock. The farmers in Annayo are no different - they depend on the work their animals do, whether it’s the guard dog, or the milk-producing camel. We wanted to honor this relationship and and add a few more to the community...starting with sheep! They're such a low-maintenance and resilient animal, part and parcel to the daily lives of Annayo's farmers. The community was so grateful for this effort, underlining how it helped them gain back some of that sense of security they lost in the most recent drought. "My husband is the head of our household but he is sick right now, so I am managing the farm," said Maryan Ahmed. "We previously had many livestock, but lost most of them during the drought. Restocking our lost livestock is such a help to our farm and our livelihood." Today's change made possible by Mankind is My Business. … [Read more...] about Bah-lieve in Change
Precious Cargo
Goats are precious cargo. They offer stability, food, a livelihood, and so much more. Farmers in Annayo rely on them, if not for meat and milk, then to sell their offspring to earn enough money to send their children to school. The farmers in Annayo continue to feel the effects of the devastating 2017 drought, when they lost many livestock, including goats. We weren’t able to get all of the farms enough goats the first time around, so today, we decided to get these hardworking farmers some more! "Many of our livestock have died because of drought cause by climate change," said Adnan Gahayr Farah, "and this isn't something that previously used to happen. I once had many more goats and now I only have five. Restocking our livestock will be such great help for my family." This change made possible by Mankind is My Business. … [Read more...] about Precious Cargo
Getting Where We Need To Go
Pipe extensions will help the farmers of Annayo transport water from one end of their farm to the other, but it won’t get the water to the nooks and crannies that it needs to. We heard farmers talk about the need for irrigation systems that go the distance, but that are pliable, too. So we decided to help them get both! Today, we’ve gotten them soft, bendable pipes. They can attach these to the 100 and 200-meter pipes and reach any and all of the places they need to water. "One of our biggest problems is having long enough pipes that can reach all of our trees," said Mohammed Mahdi, "and we risk losing some of them because we can’t get enough water to them." Having not only enough pipe length, but the flexibility to get the water where it needs to go, will ensure that farmers like Mohammed can save their trees - and help them bear fruit. This change made possible by Mankind is My Business. … [Read more...] about Getting Where We Need To Go
Saving the Soil
One of the hidden impacts of climate change is erosion, the farmers in Annayo told us. They're worried about how increased erosion on their farms might impact them in the future - especially farmers with orchards. For those farmers, erosion can mean wiping out 50 year old trees that are producing hundreds of fruit, providing shade, and supporting their livelihood. "Because of the floods, my whole farm is at risk and my trees especially are at risk of washing away," said Hinda Emli. "I would love if I could get support to stop erosion." To help tackle this problem, we provided vouchers that farmers would be able to use to rent tractors that can be used to combat problems of erosion! The tractors can manipulate the soil in ways that help mitigate the impact of the shifting soil. It won’t solve all of their problems, but it’s a small way to prevent what we can! This change made possible by Mankind is My Business. … [Read more...] about Saving the Soil