THE POOR REMAINS TO BE WOMEN

With Great empasis on the UNDP survey Mother and Child Mission Centre Kenya has foreseen that most of the Poorest and more marginalised within the society are women of this country Kenya:

In all matters parataining to education, health, wealth, among other lines women suffer more as compared to their men counterparts.

A new United Nations report has revealed shocking disparities between Kenya’s poorest and the richest regions.

The report also says that 50 per cent of Kenyans are living below the poverty line.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report states that four out of the eight provinces recorded an increase in poverty levels in 2005.

“Compared to the year 2004, human poverty has increased marginally in all the provinces, except Nyanza, Western and Coast,” says the Kenya National Human Development Report 2006.

At least one in every two Kenyans live below the poverty line, while the number of those living in abject poverty has deepened. These are the Kenyans without access to health care, including doctors, water and proper nutrition.

Richest households

Paradoxically, the report says that the 10 per cent richest households control more than 42 per cent of incomes, while the poorest 10 per cent command 0.76 per cent.

According to the report released yesterday, the biggest increase in poverty levels was recorded in North Eastern Province, whose human poverty index rose from 43 to 50.5 per cent.

In Nairobi, the figures rose from 26 per cent in Nairobi in 2004, to 29 per cent in 2005, Central 30 per cent to 36 per cent, and Eastern 39 to 41 per cent. Whereas the indices stabilised at 39 per cent at the Rift Valley and 43 per cent at the Coast, they declined in Western, from 40 per cent to 37, and in Nyanza, 41 to 38.

Although the economy has grown to nearly six per cent, the reduction in the number of Kenyans living below the poverty line has been slow.

In terms of regions, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kericho are the best places to live in.
This means that people in the three towns enjoy high standards of economic, health, personal and food security, among other measures on which the scores were given.

While Turkana, Wajir and Garissa are the worst districts to reside in due to myriad of hardships, including insecurity.

Human development

The report examines seven realms of the human security, which are considered central to the improvement of the welfare of human beings.

These are economic, health, food, community, political, personal and environmental and are measured using mathematical models that come up with a summary measure of human development.

The final figure is referred to a Human Development Index (HDI).
Discussing the poverty levels, the report says the poorer people have little or no hope of bringing up a child to the age where they can benefit from the free primary education introduced by the Narc Government in 2003, let alone send them to a secondary school.

In terms of life expectancy, the report notes that a person born in Nyanza Province can expect to live 16 less years than his counterpart in Central. Life expectancy in Meru is double that of Mombasa, 68.6 and 33.1 years respectively.

About 93 per cent of women in North Eastern Province have no education at all, compared to three per cent in Central Province.

Again, Central Province fares far better on health matters, compared to all the others. Thus, whereas it has one doctor for about 20,000 people, in North Eastern there is one doctor for 120,000 people.

Every child in Central Province attends primary school compared to about one out of three in North Eastern Province.

The report also says that the proportion of households with piped water in their homes in urban areas is five times than in rural areas — about 19.2 per cent and 3.8 per cent respectively.
It calls for fairer distribution of resources, equal opportunities, improved security and greater investment in technology.

“The country has to institutionalise income protective mechanisms, among them the minimum wage, wage indexation and progressive taxation,” it recommends.

Life expectancy is surprisingly highest in North Eastern Province at 62.2 years followed by Central at 60.4 years and lowest in Nyanza, at 41.7 years and Western Province, 49.8 years.
A person born in Rift Valley Province can expect to live to be 59.1 years, Eastern 57.6 years and Coast 52 years.

Turkana, which is at the tail end, has an index of 0.172, Wajir (0.256) and Garissa (0.267). Other 10 districts in the bottom 10 are Makueni, Tana River, Ijara, Mandera, West Pokot, Samburu and Kajiado.

Agricultural areas

The districts boasting high quality of life are generally urban centres, with industrial concentrations or high potential agricultural areas. Also in the top 10 are Maragua, Tharaka Nithi, Nyeri, Embu, Mt Elgon, Moyale and Koibatek.

The report recognises the economic growth, which started in 2003 and saw the Gross Domestic Product grow to 4.9 per cent in 2004 and 5.8 per cent in 2005.

Due to registered economic growth, the country’s general HDI has increased from 0.52 in 2004 to 0.532 in 2005. However, Kenya is still ranked behind Uganda but ahead of Tanzania in East Africa.

The report cites the hot spots of chronic poverty, where people live on less than a dollar a day, as being concentrated in North Eastern, Eastern, Coast, Nyanza and Western provinces.

HEALTH ISSUES

With the kind of hardship women and children undergo in our socities today, Most of the third world countries have neither wish nor life to live for leave alone the udge to go on living, Aids is the most killer disease in the mouths of many not forgeting malaria, hunger and other small diseases which are impacably discussed within 1st world and second world countries.

With major threat being hunger and disease, first world and second world countries tries to eradicate their assistance by polluting the minds of their fellow friends that Africa and especially Eastern and sub-saharan areas are sustainable and are ok as per their wealth status are concerned. Leave alone their health issues which has become the talk of globe while African cities and communities.

What should the world do to ensure that all races, beings are equal in the face of the earth not withstanding the racism which occurs in each community and society but in the name of health issues and global friendship.

CHILDREN OF THE FUTURE

CHILD HEALTH

CHILD HEALTH

The Facts

§ Access to safe water and sanitation is the foundation of a healthy childhood, and is central to the survival and development of children.
§ Appropriate environmental management through improved sanitation is critical in the prevention and control of major child-killer diseases in Kenya such as malaria.
§ Young children are at the highest risk of dying from water- and sanitation-related illnesses, including diarrhea, resulting from unhygienic disposal of faecal matter, which leads to pollution of water sources.
§ In slum areas of Kenyan cities, morbidity and mortality stemming from environmental conditions are significantly higher than in non-slum areas of cities due to poor sanitation and lack of safe water.
§ Unsanitary conditions and practices at the household level such as the absence of sanitary facilities, unsafe waste disposal practices and unhygienic food preparation, expose children to an unsafe environment with consequent health risks.
§ Water scarcity makes it difficult to maintain domestic and personal hygiene, which can result in an outbreak of water-washed diseases such as scabies and trachoma. Both have debilitating effects especially in children.
§ Indiscriminate disposal of wastes and use of ‘flying toilets’ for human wastes disposal is both a health risk and is unsightly.

POVERTY

THE FACTS

§ In Kenya about 70% of the land is classified as arid and semi-arid. The poor communities living in these areas are most vulnerable to the effects of environmental degradation including frequent droughts.
§ The poor bear the brunt of water scarcity, pollution, droughts and flooding resulting from inappropriate environmental management practices.
§ In Kenya there is a need to improve water security, sanitation and hygiene especially for poor peri-urban and rural dwellers who often live in harsh environmental conditions.
§ Pollution control can enhance environmental sustainability leading to better health among the poor who are most vulnerable.
Why water, sanitation and hygiene?
§ Increased access to water and its management especially in small scale farming using appropriate technologies such as drip irrigation is essential in boosting economic growth and the reduction of poverty among the rural poor in Kenya.
§ The provision of safe water and adequate sanitation contributes to better human health thus enabling the populace to fully engage in income generating activities.
§ Increased access to safe water and sanitation especially among the poor saves household income, which can be used to purchase other household needs.
§ Improved water, sanitation and hygiene are essential in mitigating the effects of natural resource degradation and contribute to the enhancement of people’s livelihoods and health. This is critical in promoting sustainable economic growth.

GENDER

THE FACTS

§ Women bear the brunt of the burden of fetching water and are most affected by low water security.
§ Gender mainstreaming in interventions aimed at promoting environmental sustainability is key as women play a major role in the provision of water, food and firewood for domestic use.
§ Environmental degradation impacts on the most socio-economically disadvantaged members, who are more often women. Specifically more women than men are sole parents and work part-time.
§ Women grow a substantial proportion of the world’s food, and there is considerable evidence that their labour- intensive food production practices tend to be environmentally sound, and contribute substantially to food production while at the same time protecting the resource base.
§ Women are mainly responsible for ensuring the environment children live and play in around the home is safe.

WHY WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE?

§ Improved water and sanitation facilities within reasonable distances enhance women’s dignity, status and opportunities in Kenya.
§ Access to a safe water supply reduces the time women spend collecting water and therefore enables them to engage in other productive activities.
§ Where there are working and well maintained sanitation facilities for girls, school enrolment and performance increases.
§ Improved water and sanitation facilities will reduce the burden of domestic tasks releasing women to engage in, for example, environmental conservation activities especially in arid regions.
§ Improved access to water, sanitation and hygiene contributes to appropriate environmental management to promote people’s health and contributes to greater hope and better opportunities for the future generations in Kenya

WHY KENYA SHOULD FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

THE FACTS

§ Without appropriate environmental management, sustainable health and development cannot be achieved in Kenya.
§ With improved access to water, communities could for example, be supported to initiate tree nurseries for eventual a forestation of depleted vegetation cover.
§ A significant burden of the diseases affecting Kenyan population emanate from poor environments.

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

As a kenyan and a citizen of the country Kenya.... I wonder why the world is so cruel in fighting the communities within their setups.

It has been a week since Kenyan Members of parliament and assistant minister died in a plane crash just to pursuade ordinary figheters to stop the killings of their friends come enemies in the name of land, pasture, animals to name a few.

This week neighbouring Ethiopians more than 1,000 raiders targeting their loved border kenyan friends masacred atleast 5 people and stole unknown number just to give a small number goats being 3000.

Is this world so poor that we have to kill to gain? Or too rich to kill for anything they need whether they should have it or not.

Children and women are the most vulnerable among all this and no one leave alone the president and the ministers dare take action againt the wore mongering people within such societies, what our member of parliaments urge for is the power and salary they gain after being posted in parliament as stamps to their constituents.

Should this things happening in Kenya happen round the world????

Pliz give peace a chance and give our children and women the urge to love what they call their country if we cannot then we should be burried by our pride and go direct to hell.

CHILD RIGHTS

Since being a child I have admired being my mothers boy. I have shared differences with people as a child and I have learnt the hard way to life. Most of African children have the courage to live life with or without their families.

Due to Aids scurge in Kenya and other nations of Africa, Children have been the hard hit in this whole sufferings encountered within the societies leave alone the communties. With over 3 million children in Kenya alone being orphans due to the HIV/AIDS Diseases, I came to learn that the world is dying slow death with the compromise neither pitty of the ones being left behind.

A community with no elders, only youth and most of the youth are between 6 - 15 years olds. With no means and ways of getting livelihood, I wonder if other countries within the global village life same as african counter pants like Europe and Asia. Most of the children in Africa have no rights, neither do they know what a right is to their life. Leave alone the parents neither the communities know that a child/children have their rights.

I head an NGO in Kenya and the organization deals with Women and children protection. This organization (MOTHER AND CHILD MISSION CENTRE KENYA) Came into inception in the year 2004 and with the main purpose of ascertaining the rights of women and children, within any societal setup and an exampler to other communities which adhere to their ethnic background as we call it the cultural and elderly believes within the societies.

With diversified fields we have been in we have programmed areas dealing direct to the children and knowing them better for their lives and likes. Example the cases of Rape/defilement among children in Kenya is something which is wanting and compromising to the communities in Kenya , hence most of our people are always men prone behaviour kind of. Hence what should the world do unto such situations where men take themselves to be superior in everything they touch, whilst other women tend to change things within the society, few support men to be their head not understanding that they have their rights and their childrens rights too to be adhred too, by these same men.

What can the society do unto men who defile children? I have this in mind but as a human right activist said, there is no need to custrate these men, since they are just as demons droped from hell to earth, not even dogs do rape their young ones, what has happened to the fathers, and uncles who rape the children the youngest being 3 years even 2 year old. Do we call that being insane or being a devil himself. a 57 year old raping a 4 year old girl, or a 60 year old raping a 10 year old boy, what can we call these kind of people in the society.

To make the matters worse the administration take long in prosecution of these culprits and even if justice is foreseen then too late or not even made. Once a man went scot free after being found guilty and admitting to the judge. In his plea he said he was willing to marry the girl, at the age of 10 when she was raped and the case being heard when she was 14 after four years.

To foresee justice for our children has been a hard nut to cruck since most of these cases are solved in within the community setups and the children are the ones being traumatised due to the scare in their life long time to come. Only to realise that the family had done so in their expense. By accepting bribes not to take the matters to the court of law. Even others goes to the extent of not mentioning it to the administrations.

MCMCK have been in the forefront to foresee that childrens rights especially the rape cases are dealt with as per the requirements, only that the legislation of this country (Kenya) have no harsh sentence to such cases. One is jailed for two to three years and being back to the community as the child is still traumatised to see the same person within. There should be amore harsher penalty to such offenderes who have the habit of rape to both women and children.

With other programmed areas such as Orphaned education I have tried to see that most of Aids orphaned children are atleast acomplishing their dream fo higher education, though this is an uphill task with other wellwishers it can be acomplished and be successful

Most of these children are brighter students unlike the children who have everything within their families. Since they have to take care of their young siblings, they have to work harder and foresee that their young ones are satisfied to the later.

MCMCK wishes to ask any one with a heart to help to assist in donations, of used clothing, food stuffs, shoes, bags, blankets, sheets, and cash donations. To foresee these children and young women don't practise prostitution, which the centre is trying to reduce HIV/AIDS cases among young women.

MCMCK Shall appreciate your contribution for you and I we are the world and the world need to save the remaining from dying, what can we do to accomplish these? Its only by foreseeing that the children of tomorow are adhered to and they receive their rights, as children whether they have parents or not, whether they are from Africa, Asia, Europe, etc or not. All children are equal and should be treated equally around the world. MCMCK has taken the mandate to that and we shall be encouraging all friends, friends of friends who can assist in any means:

Remember to save a child you have saved the future. For the future is theirs. We are at the present and we need to protect the future for once we were the future of today.

Thank you.

ZACHARIAH OCHIENG
CENTRE DIRECTOR
MOTHER AND CHILD MISSION CENTRE (KENYA)
P.O. BOX 44432 - 00100
NAIROBI - KENYA

Our Programmes

MCMCK have been in operational on these programmed areas since inception:

Health & HIV/AIDS – Nutrition, Malaria, malnutrition and Reproductive Health

Land management and irrigation – crop and food policies, boreholes and dam (water storage), Land tenure

Legal Rights – Rape among children and women, legal aid

Economic Empowerment – small grants & loans (capital) to small business accessing market outlook, linkage building with research and other business practioners in improving economic development

Community Policing – Insecurity, Draught compartment, Mother and child violence, child abuse and labor

Orphaned children education – higher education programmes

http://mcmck.cfsites.org/programmes

word from centre director

The organization is a women & children target with key target beneficiaries being women and youth, especially young girls and boys.

Women are the key decision-makers and are involved in all stages of programme; from conceptualization to planning, implementation and management.

Men are occasionally included in the committees, consultative forums and group memberships


Centre Director