Cork Based Charity Africa Direct run the Cork Harbour Cycle » Projects

new project

admin — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 10:17:34 +0000

Schools & Training

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:19:13 +0000

“Nuu Northern Kenya Sisters of Mercy School.”

“Good Shepherd Sisters Nairobi.”

School Training

The Womens Training Centre

School8

Girls Cook Their Evening Meal

Women’s Training Centre and Emergency Shelter

Catering for girls from slums that have dropped out or cannot afford secondary school education.
Two year course with about 25 in each class.
Training in crafts, tailoring, jewellery, of good marketable quality.
Selling produce to support training and outreach to needy women and past pupils.
Emergency rescue centre for homeless young pregnant.

Kitale, Western Kenya
Funding was given by Africa Direct through the purchase of large numbers of bracelets for the Nairobi women’s centre above.
Plans to develop a training centre in Kitale became a rescue mission for a community living on a dump. Health and welfare issues needed to be addressed and women organised into groups.
The women are being trained and supported to generate income from making soap and crafts.

Women training & producing crafts for an income.

A message from Kitale
Our work with women and Children from Kitale has kept us very involved and busy. The activities have slowly taken shape. We have 85 children who gather in our small place every day, and three different groups of women. One group works with beads, the other is vending with clothes, while the other vends with dry food e.g. Maize.
This community is a very special one given that very few are educated. But they are very responsive to our call. They are ready to work under our guidance. It is our hope that our being with them will bring the transformation they long for.

May God keep you always blessed. For everything, we are grateful.

Lots of Love

Sr. Margaret

Housing

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:18:57 +0000

Africa Direct is involved in a number of housing projects.

We built houses for street families, families evicted from their own homes and we are in helping communities to build their own homes in association with Pamoja.

Emergency Re-housing of Evicted Slum Dwellers

In partnership with long-time Nairobi missionary Fr. Pat O’Toole, Africa Direct funded the building of houses for families evicted from their own homes in the Ruben slum in Nairobi.

Slum Dweller Mortgages

Africa Direct is also in negotiation with Pamoja, another NGO in Nairobi who have an excellent scheme for communities to form associations and build their own houses with community involvement.

The house design has the same 12 foot square footprint as a slum dwelling so every house in the dense slums can be replaced. It is 3 storey and can be built incrementally so building just the first floor is affordable to all at a cost of less than €1,000.

A community savings scheme helps families save their 10% deposit. The community contributes 10% through labour during construction, with every family providing one days work per week. An 80% loan is repaid over 7 years.

Slum Dweller Mortgages

Africa Direct is also in negotiation with Pamoja, another NGO in Nairobi who have an excellent scheme for communities to form associations and build their own houses with community involvement.

Kyole Street family Housing

Children play outside their new homes

Housing - Before

Fr. Pat with builder Benson

Housing - after

Job Creation

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:18:31 +0000

Africa Direct gives employment to young men and women.
This is done by selling handmade bead bracelets and hand painted Christmas Cards. Teenagers from the streets and slum areas are fed, trained and given the opportunity to earn a small income to support their families.

Bracelets are made at the Good Sheppherds training centre in Nairobi

Painting Christmas Cards at Makuru

Ginger helping selling on Direct Day

Card Creation

Brendan helping selling on Direct Day

Hand painted Christmas cards

A Message from Nairobi:
Please give our greeting’s, thanks and regards from the women/girls, staff and sisters. We don’t have words to express our appreciation and thanks. Jenta says, the amount she received for the bracelets she was able to clear her brother school fees. She was glad through piece work payment she was able to educate her brother to form 4, He got Grade c. Jenta and ten other girls are praying for more orders to continue educating their siblings. Many also have memorable last year good Christmas meal and clothing.

With gratitude,

Bibian