better future

July 19, 2023

Successful Parents’ Meeting in Iloshon – WeCare-Association in Focus

Visit to Iloshon in July 2023: Successful parent meeting and positive developments

In Iloshon, a small Masai community in the Kajiado District, a successful parents’ meeting recently took place. The newly arrived school principal Mr. James invited Agnes Gitonga, a member of the WeCare Association, to this important meeting for the first time. The meeting was held in English and covered various topics including the work of the WeCare Association, the issues of FGM and teenage pregnancy, and girls’ achievement. In addition, challenges such as increased food prices and the need for a printer for the school were discussed.

WeCare Association takes action against FGM and teenage pregnancies

Members of the parents’ meeting were extremely positive about the work of the WeCare Association. In particular, the issues of FGM (female genital mutilation) and teenage pregnancies were discussed in depth. The meeting agreed that these problems must be fought to give girls a better future.

New demands for the program and rising food prices.

Another topic discussed at the meeting was the girls’ ability to perform, which is required to be accepted into the school’s program. It was decided that new girls must have both a certain level of achievement and come from very poor backgrounds. In addition, due to the sharp increase in food prices, an increase in the cost of staying at the Nasaru dormitory was discussed. This issue will likely lead to further discussion in the future.

Food prices increase due to high inflation

Higher administrative costs require a printer

Due to the newly introduced curriculum of the Kenyan government, the school needs a printer to cope with the increased administrative workload. This was addressed by the school administration during the meeting and will be implemented in the near future.

Chief Petro as elected representative against FGM and teenage pregnancies

Chief Petro, the elected representative of the community, also spoke out against FGM and teenage pregnancies. His presence at the parent meeting underscores the importance of these issues to the community.

Repair of the entrance gate and completion of the fence

The entrance gate to the school was destroyed by elephants in search of water. The school is now planning to repair the gate with the help of the community. Another issue was the fence, which is still not completed. The needed material is already on site and the meeting decided to mobilize some men to finish the fence.

Appreciation of teachers and maintenance work

Parents expressed their displeasure that teachers receive useful gifts such as rice and ugali flour during visits to Iloshon. However, Agnes Gitonga was able to explain that this appreciation to teachers is done for the benefit of their children. In addition, positive developments were mentioned regarding the maintenance work on the drainage pipes of the toilets and the orderliness in the rooms of the dormitory.

Installation of a rain gutter planned

During the construction of the dormitory, the installation of a rain gutter was omitted, which leads to stagnation of water in the courtyard when it rains and does not collect the valuable water. To solve this problem, it is planned to meet the two companies that offer rain gutters during a next visit to Kenya at the end of October 2023. There, the possibilities and costs for the installation of a rain gutter will be discussed.

The water is stagnating in the patio of the Nasaru dormitory

In conclusion, the visit to Iloshon was extremely positive. The parent meeting was successful and important issues such as FGM, teenage pregnancies and girls’ performance were discussed. The WeCare Association is actively campaigning against these issues. In addition, challenges such as increased food prices and the need for a printer for the school were addressed. Repairing the entrance gate and finishing the fence are other projects being worked on. Teacher appreciation and positive developments in terms of maintenance work are also worth mentioning. In the future, the installation of a rain gutter is planned to solve the problem of water logging.
The visit to Iloshon shows that the community is engaged and driving positive change. The WeCare Association plays an important role in this and is committed to the education and well-being of the girls. With further support and collaboration, even more positive developments can be achieved in Iloshon.

Africa Empowerment FGM Kenya Nasaru Learning Center Water

July 10, 2023

Don’t miss these exciting news from Kenya^Featured

News from the first six months 2023

We are currently working in Kenya in three different schools that are facing different challenges and problems. The new semester started in all three schools on 03 July 2023.

REHOBOTH SCHOOL

Since the beginning of 2023 we have been supporting the Rehoboth School. This school is located in Kitengela Noonkopir, the largest slum in the Kajiado District, right next to a dumping site, the “workplace” of many of the students’ parents. The school was founded by Jane Gitonga, a mother of five, in 2014 with the aim of giving poor children from the area the opportunity to attend school. Rehoboth is a public school and unlike Europe, in Kenya public schools are for the poorest of the poor as they do not have to pay school fees. The stories of the students are similar and are mostly of sexual and domestic violence, HIV, and abject poverty. Before Covid, the school had about 170 students, most of whom were financed through sponsorships. One consequence of the pandemic is that the school lost many its sponsors. As a result, teachers’ salaries could no longer be guaranteed, and some left the school. A considerable rent arrears accumulated, and the landlord was already threatening to kick them out. The number of students had dropped to 90 as the school had to ask for support from parents who could not afford it.
In this emergency, the WeCare Association decided to take over the school’s fixed costs as of January 2023. The children now receive three meals a day, 7 days a week. In the last month alone, 20 new students joined the school, and the total number of students is now 170 again. The number of daily cases of illness has decreased due to the improved nutritional situation of the children. Since there is no caning in this school (a practice that is officially banned in Kenya but is nevertheless common in many schools), the children like to come to school because they not only get food there but also have a haven. As the pupils are also provided with school materials and uniforms due to our donation, the cooperation with the parents has improved massively. The motivation of the teachers has increased, as they no longer must fear waiting for months for their salaries. It was also possible to increase the number of teachers from seven to eleven, which has a direct impact on the quality of teaching and all school subjects can now be taught.

Iloshon

We visited Iloshon four times in the first semester of 2023, but in April 2023 the visit ended halfway due to a closed road. The “normal” road, on which we have also visited the school in Iloshon several times, had been closed by the landowner due to disputes with the local population. This had a dramatic effect on the primary school in Iloshon, which is attended by 430 pupils. The teachers did not come to school, the pupils also had problems in some cases and of course our aid delivery also had to be picked up halfway by the pupils, as the alternative route was not passable. We contacted the local authorities, but unfortunately the mills grind very slowly in Kenya. The government is working on finalising the new route. Just for understanding: It is not about road construction in our sense, but the roughest stones are being removed to create a “road”.
In addition, Iloshon has a new school headmaster named Mr. James. According to Agnes Gitonga, he is an older Masai, but very open. He has promised to motivate parents in terms of having their girls attend the Nasaru Learning Centre.
We also organized and carried out the long-needed renovation of the drainage pipes and connection of the washbasins in the “bathrooms” of Nasaru through the vice-director Purity. This was urgently needed as the drainage pipes in the outdoor toilets had holes in them, causing a massive health problem.
There is also good news from the sewing studio: the sewing teacher Lilian has managed to sell some bags. We are not sure if these sales were profitable. But it is a very good start. However, Lilian is currently pregnant again and will soon stop working. We will try to find an acceptable interim solution.

Mperrishi

We visited Mperrishi four times in the first half of 2023. According to the budget, only three visits were planned for this period, but we were able to win a sponsor for an additional 10 girls from Mperrishi. The donation now covers the higher frequency of visits that has become necessary as a result, which will of course also benefit the girls already supported.
There has also been a change in the school management in Mperrishi: Mr. Immanuel has been replaced by Mr. Reuben. In addition, the number of teachers has been increased to a total of 9, which will have a positive effect on the learning success of the students.
Another positive development is the arrival of a young Masai teacher named Charity, who can act as a role model for the girls.

You can download the entire Half Year Report 2023 here:

Rapport-WeCare-July-E-2023 Download

We see progress in many areas and are convinced that we are on the right track.

Thank you for supporting us on this journey!

For regular updates, please follow us on social media:Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/femmes_des_rizieres
https://www.instagram.com/wecareassociation
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/femmesdesrizieres
https://www.facebook.com/WeCareAssociation
And of course, on our websites:
www.wecare-association.ch
www.femmes-des-rizieres.com

Have a wonderful summer 2023!

Africa FGM Water

February 21, 2023

Mperrishi – a godforsaken village?

Mpirrishi Primary School is located in Kajiado County, Keekonyokie Central, Kisamis Zone, about 90 km southwest of Nairobi and about 20 km from Oltepesi Trading Centre.

There are currently 217 students enrolled, 107 girls and 110 boys. Enclosed is the number of students per class:

Class	Girls	Boys	Total
Pre-Primary 1	20	15	35
Pre-Primary 2	33	21	54
Grade 1	15	20	35
Grade 2	10	11	21
Grade 3	14	7	21
Grade 4	6	7	13
Grade 5	1	11	12
Grade 6	4	6	10
Grade 7	5	6	11
Grade 8	2	3	5
Total	110	107	217

Number of students Mperrishi Primary School 2022

Several conclusions can be drawn from the student numbers. From the 4th grade on, the number of girls per class decreases dramatically. The reason for this is called FGM (Female Genital Mutilation), the girls are mutilated and thus considered women and marriageable. Also, from about 10 years on, the number of students also decreases, as they are then old enough to take care of them.

The absentee rate is high. There are several reasons for this:

1. illnesses especially with smaller children

2. necessity to look after the animals of the parents, especially in times of drought

3. distance from school

4. lack of food in the family

The water supply of the school depends on the rainfall. Due to the drought that has now lasted for more than four years, the parents have to pay for it. However, since the parents are already burdened by the death of their animals and the ongoing famine, it is almost an impossibility for them.

There is no aid program for the Mperrishi Primary School so that the children can get something to eat at school. Students arrive at school hungry after a long walk to school without breakfast. Hungry, thirsty and tired, they are then almost unable to attend classes.

Many students also do not come to school at all now because they are looking for a plant whose seeds are eaten by goats and the bitter tasting plant is chewed by people against thirst.

Since 2021, the WeCare-Association has been a regular visitor to Mperrishi. We have repaired one of the two existing water tanks there and purchased two more 5,000-liter tanks. Since the beginning of 2023, the school has been supplied with 20,000 liters of water per month. Since we have been regularly supplying water and food to the school, the number of students who regularly attend the school has increased.

These are members of the Maasai tribe, who are traditionally herders and live from cattle breeding. A large proportion of them are women and children, as the Maasai still live polygamously. Men marry up to 10 women and there is no form of birth control. There are about 500 bomas (mud huts) there.

There is no medical care in Mperrishi. The nearest health center is 20 km away.

The nearest shopping opportunity is also a three-hour walk (one way!) away.

We are currently the only organization that comes regularly to bring water and food and to do education about FGM.

During our visit in November 2022 we noticed the desolate condition of the school. The classrooms are made of corrugated iron that heats up under the sun. They are in terrible condition and snakes are often encountered in the classes and ants build their piles there during the vacations. Termites eat the textbooks.

The long arduous journey to school, hunger and thirst also have a negative impact on the performance of the students. Enclosed is the overview of the performance of the six oldest girls from grades 7 and 8 supported by us. The last three girls have been attending secondary school since the beginning of February 2023, where they also live. We are sure that this will have a positive impact on the girls’ school performance.

Name	Term 1/22	Term 2/22	Term 3/22	Development Term 3/Term 2 (in %)
L. Florence	289	285	267	-6
L. Emily	282	249	231	-7
Y. Victoria	247	237	229	-3
S. Rhodah	291	257	239	-7
N. Emily	283	283	256	-10
S. Abigail	302	268	221	-18

Old grading system, maximum points is 500

Unfortunately, the picture is similar for the girls in the lower classes. The grading here is done according to a new system, since in Kenya a change of the curriculum and thus also of the grading system is currently underway.

Name	Term 1/22	Term 2/22	Term 3/22
S. Lilian	23	18	18
S. Sylvia	31	27	28
T. Rose	31	26	not available
K. Joy	27	24	not available
L. Susan	24	22	23
S. Purity	7	7	7

New grading system, maximum points is 50

Rose and Joy attended 6th grade last school year and their results are not yet available due to the system change.

Purity’s poor performance is due to her almost complete blindness. We have also already discussed her case with several ophthalmologists in Switzerland. She would need a corneal transplant to be able to see again. Unfortunately, given Purity’s circumstances, this is not possible.

Purity eye of Purity Her vision is unfortunately very poor!

We are currently clarifying with Agnes Gitonga whether there is a perspective for Purity somewhere.

Of all three schools we had visited on our trip to Kenya, Mperrishi is really the worst off. It is imperative that we secure a water supply for 2023. This is not a final solution to the problem, but at least for now it is a viable solution. The presence of water in the school is also a strong motivating factor for parents to send their children to school.

The water deliveries and the support of the girls through the WeCare Association should encourage the other girls and the whole population to renounce FGM. During our visit, we had contact with the circumciser, who also acts as a midwife. We brought her disinfectant, disposable gloves and disposable blades for births and held out the prospect that we would take over the education of her youngest daughter in return for her no longer performing mutilations.

We are looking for sponsors for a well project for Mperrishi, in order to be able to secure the permanent water supply for the nearly 5,000 people living there.

We are asking for donations for our water project in Mperrishi and guarantee that every cent goes directly to the project, as all administrative expenses are covered by a private donation.

Cambodia Femmes des rizières

January 9, 2019

Volunteering in Cambodia for Femmes des Rizières – a very personal report by Gabrielle Friedmann

A history about fashion…
A history about humanitarian and humanity…
A history about loving and sharing
Briefly: A wonderful history

Today my five months volunteering as the first designer for the brand «Femmes des Rizières» (Woment from the paddy fields) come to an end. «Femmes des Rizières» is the brainchild of the Cambodian NGO avec in close collaboration with Swiss based WeCare-Association.

Early in July 2018 I left Paris to travel to Cambodia. Already before this adventure began I was full of ideas and thoughts, I dreamed about it and I tried to imagine how it would be ….as I am a naturally optimistic person, my head was full of idylic images which even to me did not seem very realistic. Never in my wildest dreams could I have envisioned how extraordinary and exciting this mission was going to be.

Upon arrival at the Safe House of the NGO avec in Cambodia I found myself in the middle of a small paradise which has become home to 34 children and 3 substitution mothers over the course of the last 10 years. A safe heaven for these children who had to live through dangerous situations, injustices and fear in their earlier lives.

Between myself and the children things clicked immediately and the five months were filled with lots of fun and laughter and many very spicy dishes were shared as well – which occasionally were a huge challenge for me.

The close contact to these kids taught me that there is something that cannot be taken away even from poor people and that is joy. Joyfulness cannot be bought and you cannot loose it either. It might get out of sight occasionally but is always lingering somewhere close, somewhere inside the person.

Moreover, I am convinced that one of the main reasons for the SAFE House of the NGO avec being such a magic place is that upon arrival you perceive above all this joyfulness.

Then. My adventure as woman from the paddy fields…

In the beginning there were the tailors, the name of the brand, the logo and more goodwill than I had every seen before.

The tailors, who above and foremost are women from the paddy fields, have an incredible power and inspiring force. They are young, beautiful and often have at least two young children and they are fighting like lionesses about their survival now and never loose their smile when thinking about tomorrow.

Together we have developed a collection of a total of 27 models with 2 or 3 color variations for each model. An incredible achievement ! Every time I think about this collection I am overwhelmed by joy.

I would like to tell my former colleagues: Women from the paddy fields, you are beautiful and like Apsaras, those goddesses of feminity with their incredible force and their glow. I would like to thank you four for these five intense months: We have been working a lot but we also had a lot of fun and I just loved it !

Of course I hope, that this project will be successful and able to achieve its goal to provide young Khmer women with a work that is fairly remunerated and they can rely on. Those women really deserve it !

In particular, I would like to mention Susi (WeCare-Association), Theavy and Patrik (NGO AVEC), the three guardian angels of the project who were closely accompanying the mission and all people involved – and there were a lot of people ! Without the three of you the mission would not have been as extraordinary! You are witty, openminded, patient and interesting – I have to stop here as Patrik has told me often that too many compliments are boring😉. I consider myself very lucky having met the three of you and above all that I have been given the opportunity to participate in the development of this project.

Last but not least I would like to thank all those wonderful people I met over the last five months. I am leaving very proud of all our joint efforts and achievements. It was a wonderful story and I am completely overwhelmed.

Femmes des rizières Nasaru Learning Center

October 11, 2018

International Day of the Girl Child 2018

Since 2012 October 11th has been marked by the U.N. as the International Day of the Girl Child. This year’s theme is With Her: A Skilled GirlForce and aims to expand existing learning opportunities, chart new pathways and call on the global community to rethink how to prepare them for a successful transition into the world of work.
Internationally, there are 600 million adolescent girls that will enter the workforce in the next decade, more than 90% of those living in developing countries will work in the informal sector with very often low or no pay, abuse and exploitation.
Under the theme, With Her: A Skilled GirlForce, International Day of the Girl will mark the beginning of a year-long effort to bring together partners and stakeholders to advocate for, and draw attention and investments to, the most pressing needs and opportunities for girls to attain skills for employability.
We are trying to contribute to this global effort with two projects in particular. First of all the construction of the Nasaru Learning Center for Masai Girls in Iloshion, Kenya. Secondly, with the development of the social brand «Femmes des rizières » together with the Safe House in Battambang, Cambodia.
Nasaru should give young Masai girls the possibility to finish school and to qualify for higher eduation whilst being offered add-on training opportunities to improve their perspectives to provide for themselves and their families in the future.
The creation of « Femmes des rizières » will give young Cambodian women a potential source of income and job opportunity by producing handmade and sophisticated garments which are inspired by the beauty of the Cambodian temple dancers. « Femmes des rizières » not only is an opportunity for the women from the paddy fields but also for the women everywhere to dress themselves in an ethical and social way.

Stay tuned for more information about both projects….

Having fun during the fotoshoot for Femmes des rizières

Cambodia Education Empowerment Femmes des rizières

September 14, 2018

Femmes des rizières – A typical day in the life of Sophan

As we are about to launch the social label Femmes des rizières pretty soon, we would like to take the opportunity to get to know those Femmes des Rizières – the women of the rice fields, whom we had in mind when creating the brand name.
Sophan is a young Cambodian woman 25 years of age. She has been living in the Safe House since 2010 together with her two younger sisters. They share a room with 14 other girls and on a typical day she gets up between 05:00 and 05:30 o’clock as they have to do some homework with the younger children before they go to school. Sophan graduated from high school 4 years ago and right now she is already in her third year as a student at the university of Battambang with her major being management. She also benefits from the computer courses offered in the Safe House and is attending them in the morning and in the afternoon. Moreover, she teaches English at the Safe House to the younger children and she enjoys this a lot. During her lessons she tries to teach the children in a playful way and so they sing, dance and also play games – in English! On the weekends she has to continue her English studies at least for two hours. In her spare time she likes to ride the bike to the rice fields together with her friends from the Safe House or to just hang out with her friends. She is a very talented photographer and an avid reader. She also likes to play Volleyball. Her younger sister is 22 years old and is also already studying at the university with her major being English. She has also taken up teaching English at the Safe House. Her youngest sister, who is a little bit shy, is still in high school and she loves drawing and dancing. They have changed a lot since they arrived at the Safe House a couple of years ago and they have turned into very lovely, intelligent and well educated young women who are striving towards a bright future.

Cambodia Femmes des rizières

September 6, 2018

The making of “Femmes des rizières”

The concept for Femmes des rizières was developed in 2017. The idea about Femmes des rizières was to create a brand under which we can commercialize the work of the tailors’ atelier within the Safe House in Battambang, Cambodia. The tailors’atelier is now in its fourth year and there have been around 40 young women who have been trained to be a tailor so far.

The idea is to allow them to work independently and to earn their living in order to make them financially autonomous.

Once you have a concept it is extremely important to get some energy into the project, i.e. to involve people and to fill it with facts and activities. Among other challenges, the biggest challenges we were facing were two: we did not have a designer and we did not have the fabric.

We came up with a profile and a job description and placed a search online. We were overwhelmed by the number of extremely qualified applications we received. Consequently, we arranged one-to-one skype interviews with a number of candidates. In the end itw as clear, Patrik and myself had come to the same conclusion and we chose Gabrielle. For me it was like love at first sight. I was immediately intrigued by her natural and gay character. From the very beginning, Gabrielle showed a lot of enthousiasm for the project. The details were arranged rather quickly and after a short briefing and first encounter, Gabrielle was off to Cambodia on July 5th, 2018.

She was greeted at Siam Reap airport by Sophan Phoeun, who lives and works in the Safe House and who was chosen as Gabrielle’s interpreter and guide during her stay in Cambodia.

Gabrielle adapted rather quickly to her new home away from home and immersed herself immediately into the huge task at hand.

After a week she presented already her first inspiration boards for products as well as for dying techniques. One of her first big trials was the ecoprint project, ie dying with natural ingredients such as vinegar and plants and leaves. She then spend a couple of days to dye different fabrics and the results were very promising. The production of the first prototypes followed without delay.

: First trials

: Details

: First prototype

: First designs

In order to really fully immerse herself into Cambodia, its culture, landscape and people, she went to the capital Phnom Penh guided by Sophan where they also were on a scouting mission for fabrics.

Gabrielle was inspired by the paddy fields, the colorful markets, the beauty of the women on the rice fields who reminded her of the beautiful Cambodian Apsaras – half goddesses half dancers. Some of the adjectives she is using to describe the style of « Femmes des rizières » are white/aired, casual/elegant, handmade, fresh and natural.

The handmade of course is right at the core of this brand as we really want to provide the young tailors with a better future and above all with a perspective to become autonomous women who will be able to finance themselves and their families and thus will be able to take their own decisions.

: Fabric embroidered by hand

Gabrielle then came up with the following brand introduction and definition of the future brand’s target group:

To all the Apsaras in this world

Similar to nymphs, fairies or even angels, the Aparas represent the pure and fragile side of feminity.

As goddesses they used to spend their time dancing, laughing and singing and in doing so they provided the world with the opportunity to contemplate their beauty. But times have changed and the Apsaras adapted. Study, work, travel… in their own interest they learned to hide occasionally.

But they never ceased to exist… and you know that because you are them – all women of this world.

You represent this new and discrete beauty, this delicateness one cannot get enough of, the sweetness of this planet, the Apsaras of the 21st century.

Femmes des rizières…

This brand is for you as well as for us. Friends, mothers, daughters, sisters or partners… this brand is about women and about the secret Apsara in every woman.

Here we are surrounded by paddy fields. No matter where, on the beach, in the mountains or in the desert …. There are extraordinary women everywhere.

Our creations come from the paddy fields but are for all the women in this world.

Eventually, the beauty oft he Krama stroke Gabrielle and she decided to make this wonderful garment into an integral part of the collection.

The Krama is a traditional Cambodian garment with multiple uses : it is worn as scarf, to cover the face as a protection from sun or dust, for decorative purposes, as children’s hammock… Traditionally, the kramas contain a gingham pattern of some sort. The Krama ist he Cambodian national symbol.

At this point, Gabrielle has decided to extend her stay in Cambodia and wants to spend an additional two months at the Safe House to really advance the project. We are very happy about her decision and will keep you posted….

Farm in Africa Masai Mama Africa Center (MMAC) Uncategorized

September 1, 2018

Susi and Manu go to Africa – Part 2

Also this year we – Susi and Manu – decided to travel to Kenya in order to personally check on the situation there. Not only did we want to see the development of the projects with our own eyes, we were very curious about the longterm effects of our projects on the development of the villages.

We did not really know what to expect and thus were very excited. The atmosphere in Olpirikata was very cheerful. As we arrived on a Sunday, the local population had decided to reduce the usually very long mass ceremonies, however, we could not avoid having to sit through a number of relatively long sermons given by lay priests. It was a very warm welcome.

After the opening ceremony, we headed straight off for our visit to the farm or Acacia Camp as the locals call it. The local Masai population has provided 18 ha of land for the farm project, which now includes a stable for 20 dairy cows, three greenhouses, a couple of vegetable fields, fenced grazing land for the cows, a hens’ coop with 250 chicken and 500 Aloe Vera plants. The greenhouses were necessary to protect the young and fragile vegetable plants from the strong and frequent winds in the savannah.

Upon arriving at the farm on time for the vespertine milking at 5pm, we were surprised to find a queue of people lined up with their own plastic containers to buy fresh milk. The plastic containers faintly reminded us of laundry detergent containers. The people had formed a proper line and were waiting patiently until it was their turn.

: Ms. Starbuck’s Olpirikata

Masai milk cans

John Sawa Tuwei is responsible for the farm and is also in charge of the other 6 men and 3 women who are employeed at the farm. The men take care of the cows, ie. they feed, nurture and milk them, and also manage the sale of the milk. They also take care of the fields and the greenhouse and are greatly supported by Antonio, a collaborator of La Nostra Africa who lives in Olpirikata permanently. The three women take care of the hens’ coop and sell the eggs.

: John and his team

Generally speaking, the atmosphere in Olpirikata is very good – thanks to our well project, the village has been spared from last year’s drought and they have enough water for the population as well as for the cattle. The fact that fresh milk can now be easily bought at any time is perceived as a miracle. You can see children waving happily with their milk containers and the local shop owner was able to increase business by selling Chai (sugared tea with hot milk), which has turned her shop into the local Starbuck’s of Olpirikata.

On this trip, we stayed overnight in Olpirikata for the first time, that is to say, we slept in one of the rooms of the Massai Mama Africa Center. We were fed well and enjoyed tomatoes, eggs and milk from the farm. Since Giorgio also wants to teach the Massai how to make cheese, he brought a lab-ferment from Italy for the first trial with local milk. After adding the lab-ferment to the milk, he let it rest for 24 hours and then made the cheese. We got to be the guinea pigs for this first cheese production and we survived!

: In the kitchen of the MMAC

: Handover of patterns

: Pizza in the savannah

The following day we travelled to Iloshion to participate in the celebrations of the first stone laying for the Nasaru Learning Center for Massai Girls. Iloshion suffered a terrible drought last year and people there are worse off than those in Olpirikata. Nevertheless, they provided us with a very friendly and warm welcome with children forming a guard of honor for us. It was very emotional!

We then had the opportunity to observe the children at break time at the local elementary school:
All children bring a little bit of milk in a plastic container to school. This milk is then poured into a huge pot where the women prepare the porridge as a snack for the break. At break time, the kids make a line in front of the pot and everybody gets a portion.

: Empty milk cans

Then we visited the new administration building of Iloshion and interviewed and photographed numerous children and adults.

: Teacher team of Iloshion

: Teachers’ room

After a typical Massai ceremony with lots of speeches and gifts, the whole assembly was directed towards the future construction site for the Nasaru Learning Center.

It was a very big group walking through the savannah as a rather big number of parents had arrived especially for the celebration. The teachers told the children to form a line along the floor space of the future building. This was very impressive as this way one could imagine the dimensions of the future building complex. Symbolically we laid the first stone and then distributed some sweets to the children. A touching moment we had been looking forward to for a very long time!

Our next stop was the Boma complex of a family in Olpirikata. We were invited to discuss a potential future project. The family would be willing to provide land for this project which is still in the planning stage. Although we, as two women, were treated with a little bit of suspicion, we were once again given a very warm welcome.

Our dinner consisted of pizza prepared by Antonio with homemade cheese and tomatoes from the farm! As we were a little scared of potential bacteria, we washed it down with a little bit of gin – strictly as a safety measurement! The nocturnal way to the bathrooms proved to be an adventure which definitely will have a positive impact on Susi’s and Manu’s friendship. Experiences like this are bonding and will never be forgotten. Generally speaking on trips like this one, bodily functions turn into very repetitive and interesting topics!
Next on our list was a visit to Singiraine. This is a village with a population of about 2,000 and does not have any water even though there is a river bed right next to it. Singiraine unfortunately is proof of the German saying, “the opposite of “well done” is very often “well meant”. Actually, another NGO intended to build a dam but unfortunately the project was abandoned before termination and thus the population is still without water. The people, ie the women of Singiraine, have to walk 10 km and more to fetch water! Giorgio from La Nostra Africa is working on the evaluation of a project – in close cooperation with an Italian university – to finish the dam.

: Women fetching water

After a long and very tiring journey back to Nairobi, we went to see furniture to find inspiration for our next project. Information about this project will follow soon…. And then our short but very intensive visit had come to an end. We left Kenya full of new impressions and ideas and know one thing for sure: We will be back!

Cambodia Femmes des rizières

June 4, 2018

Great News – Femmes des rizières!

We are so excited, we just can’t hide it!
Today we have great news for the further development of our «Femmes des rizières » project, which will provide young women in Cambodia with a perspective for an autonomous future. You can find details of the project here. We are very proud that we can now present the designer for the project. Her name is Gabrielle Friedmann and she is very talented and for three months starting on July 5, 2018, she will be working on the basis for the very first collection of «Femmes des rizières». Gabrielle is 22 years old and graduated from the famous fashion school L’Atelier Chardon-Savard with a bachelor degree in fashion design. She gained her first practical design experience during an intership at the Parisian avant-garde label «Minime» and working for the French ski and sportswear label «Black Crow» in Chamonix. Apart from her passion for design, she loves travelling, hiking, skiing, writing and music. Moreover Gabrielle is interested in philosophy and psychology and has recently developed a strong interest in stone healing (lithotherapy).

We have asked Gabrielle a couple of questions in writing to give her the chance to introduce herself and she will report regularly from Cambodia to update us on the project development.

We wish Gabrielle all the best and are looking forward to her first design proposals.

Now, it is up to the Gabrielle:

Q : Can you shortly introduce yourself ?
A : Hello, I am Gabrielle, I am from Paris and am 22 years old. I recently graduated from the Atelier Chardon Savard as a fashion designer and this formation gave me the chance to group many different activities around my great passion for fashion design.
Q: Why did you apply for the internship in Cambodia?
This intership was approximately (or totally) the intership of my dreams as it comprises a lot of things I like : creation, travelling and the chance to get to know Cambodia, discover a new culture and work on a beautiful project for a good cause.
Q: What are your objectives for Cambodia ?
A: For Cambodia, my objectives are to find the ideas and to create the products with the identity of «Femmes des Rizières ». They have to be as creative as qualitative and also representative of the beautiful soul of this brand.
Q: Is there anything you are afraid of ?
A: I am rather excited than afraid. I can’t wait to be there on July 5th. Of course, maybe once I will be on the plane I will be a little nervous because this adventure is totally new for me but anyway, it’s fantastic !
Q: What is your biggest challenge ?
A: My biggest challenge will be the time as I will stay only for three months. Therefore, the biggest challenge will be to be inspired and effective at the same time.
Q: How do you like to spend your spare time ?
A: It depends on the mood , I like reading, drawing (of course !), making jewellery, sports, travelling…

Thank you very much, Gabrielle!

Enclosed you find a couple of Gabrielle’s designs:

Cambodia Education Empowerment Safe House

January 29, 2018

Tailors’ Workshops

On November 16th, 2017, the graduation ceremony for the tailors took place already for the third time. A total of 15 graduates proudly accepted their diplomas which were handed over by their teachers together with Theavy Bun.

The girls proudly accepted their diplomas – some of them very timidly.

Following the ceremony they presented themselves in their graduation works, i.e. their beautiful yellow and orange dresses.

Thanks to Theavy who has undertaken a major effort, 10 out of the total 15 graduates have found a job. One girl will open up her own tailor’s shop and two will continue their education. Two young women have to take care of their respective families. Bravo Theavy!!! The project was completely financed by Fondation Le Solstice – an impressive project!

Successful Parents’ Meeting in Iloshon – WeCare-Association in Focus

Visit to Iloshon in July 2023: Successful parent meeting and positive developments

WeCare Association takes action against FGM and teenage pregnancies

New demands for the program and rising food prices.

Higher administrative costs require a printer

Chief Petro as elected representative against FGM and teenage pregnancies

Repair of the entrance gate and completion of the fence

Appreciation of teachers and maintenance work

Installation of a rain gutter planned

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Tailors’ Workshops

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Visit to Iloshon in July 2023: Successful parent meeting and positive developments

WeCare Association takes action against FGM and teenage pregnancies

New demands for the program and rising food prices.

Higher administrative costs require a printer

Chief Petro as elected representative against FGM and teenage pregnancies

Repair of the entrance gate and completion of the fence

Appreciation of teachers and maintenance work

Installation of a rain gutter planned

News from the first six months 2023

Iloshon

Mperrishi

Having fun during the fotoshoot for Femmes des rizières

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