Development Story from Kambu area

To read about how the kwa mukonza self-help group built a sand dam and
a demonstration shamba follow the link

http://www.excellentdevelopment.com/news_detail.php?id=98

Emerging journalism

Journalism training is booming in the developing world. David Okwemba of Kenya's The Nation newspaper also helps train journalists. For community-generated podcasts (esp. in Kambu for the radio station) we have envisioned community members conducting interviews and making stories.

Economist story here.

Biofuel - Jatropha - Kambu?

Given local interest in Jatropha for biomass in Kambu the European Biofuel Summit might be of interest (Madrid, 17th & 18th April).

Partners at this conference include:
- The Jatropha Website which has numerous resources on how to grow, process, market Jatropha oil etc... It also links to conferences for experts and others, e.g. Expert Seminar on Jatropha curcas, agronomy and genetics 26-28 March, National Jatropha Conference, Arusha, Tanzania 3/4 april 2006 .
- ASK - Access to Sustainable Knowledge which provides access to 'knowledge' and 'experts' in a variety of areas including water. This is part of Sustainable Alternatives Network which 'offers easy access to experts, case studies, planning tools, and finance sources all around the world' and connects 'you to free information and expertise, and helps you profit from earth-friendly solutions that are right for your industry'.

"Excellent Development" in Mtito Andei

Excellent Development is a UK/Kenya NGO working with community based organisations in and around Mtito Andei district. They have a development process that looks at water supplies, food production, health & income. There are a number of short documentary films about this work that may or may not be of use educationally.

Mtito Andei Development Initiative

We met the Mtito Andei Development Initiative community based organisation on a visit to Kambu. They have a history of collaboration with development projects in Kambu and a mission to 'alleviate poverty' in this area. Members of the group participated recently in a workshop on Community-based adaptation - how and why it works, and ways to mainstream in Nairobi.

From notes for a presentation by Rachel Berger (Practical Action) on "Community based adaptation, an approach to scaling up".
"Building capacities works best by involving those you want to influence from the start as partners and stakeholders. This we have found much more effective than merely demonstrating successful practice. There is a good example in Kathekani – the local CBO, Mtito Andei Development Initiatives, involved the governments – district officials in KARI, (Kenya Agricultural Research Institute) and ALRMP (the government’s Arid Lands Resource Management Programme) – in the promotion of amaranth as a dryland crop with high nutritive value; now the govt. is promoting the crop widely in the district, sourcing some seed from MDI"

To find out more about MDI see their blog.

Kambu Information

Kambu on fallingrain Topography, Population, Maps, Weather
Kambu on Google Text, Images