MIKONO PAMOJA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Mikono pamoja community development project is located in Rodi Homabay County. Mikono pamoja means holding hands and it is based on the notion of people working together to do more. The project was started to help improve the livelihoods of vulnerable people including the youth, kids, widows, and the old. The main economic activity in the project region is farming and fishing.Homabay County is among the counties in Kenya with high HIV prevalence, especially among the youth. This is somehow attributed to inadequate exposure to the outside world and a lack of employable skills. In addition, teenage pregnancies are on the rise among girls. The introduction of simple life skills could help reduce infection rates and teenage pregnancies. Life skills can also be extended to children when they are still younger to help them mature into responsible adults. Old people mostly stay alone in the village since children have moved out to urban areas to seek employment. In some families, the old are widowed and therefore life has become a bit difficult for them. They have to bring water from the river and do other chores by themselves. The shelters are also not in good condition. This project presents an opportunity for volunteers to work with the local people, and learn the Luo culture as the people also learn from them.