2014 Summer Internship Foundation for Sustainable Development in Kenya and Kima Integrated Community Initiative Program Launching 4K Programs in Rural Primary Schools Yolanda Qin – Summer 2014

I helped develop a brochure for KICIP.

I helped launch 4K programs in two primary schools. This will serve as my SI promising opportunity.

Beginning Stage Observations I spent much of the first few weeks of my internship immersing myself in my host organization KICIP and nearby community. I spent much time in the field and office, interviewed many staff and community members, and conducted needs assessments and asset mappings. Key Challenges: limited education and skill; employment, income generation, and food production; food security, access to health care and education Significance of Agriculture: Community members from different occupational backgrounds agreed that agriculture was the backbone of Kenya. Almost every household invested in some degree of agriculture, with many owning quite large gardens. Many struggled with agricultural productivity and income generation due to environmental conditions or lack of capital or resources. A common lament was that agriculture was no longer a big part of education even though the country depended so much on it.

Lack of education and skills Lack of employment Inability to Generate Income Inability to pay school fees Food production issues Accessibility to health care Inability to pay school fees Inability to Generate Income Lack of employment Causes Effects Core Problem Ultimate Vicious Cycle of Cause and Effect Issues

Specific Problem, Opportunity, and Everything in Between Background: It is often difficult for families to pay their children’s school fees beyond primary school so children are not always able to receive sufficient education and skills. Core Problem: The lack of education and skills limit individuals from employment and income generation opportunities. Consequences: This causes a host of other issues in food production, food security, health and nutrition, accessibility to health care, and ability to pay for education which starts the vicious cycle over again. Core Opportunity: While children are in school, let’s teach them vocational/practical skills so if they cannot continue education or find employment in the future, at least they will have valuable skills and knowledge in agriculture and business in which they can be self-employed and generate income. Moreover, both agriculture and business play big roles in Kenya.

Finding the Best Solution Potential (but challenging) solutions: 1)KICIP can offer skills and knowledge training to community members e.g. through computer classes, organic agriculture methods, sewing/embroidery lessons, etc. 1)Challenges: Funding, Acquiring Trainers, Transportation for Community Members 2)Active KICIP community member volunteers can train community members without skills and knowledge. 1)Challenges: Acquiring Volunteers, Adequate Monitoring

Best Solution KICIP creates a skills/knowledge development program for primary school pupils. (Considers previous challenges and presents strengths. 1)Funding is more feasible for a specific, smaller-scale objective 2)Non-profit staff have the skills and expertise to lead the program i.e. do not need to invest in hiring trainers 3)Transportation for participants is not an issue 1)Only non-profit staff travel, one set location, staff go to the participants 4)Monitoring is built into the program 5)It is most effective to teach those who are already in school to learn. 6)Most feasible with my internship considering work plan, seed grant, time allowance, and language and cultural awareness

4K Agricultural Clubs Non-profit staff will help lead primary school club Teach significance of agriculture and practical and vocational skills Gain and share with others relevant skills and knowledge Increased Employment and Income Generation Opportunities Pupils, Families, Community Members KICIP Non-Profit Adequate staff and pupil members Effective leadership and active membership Pupils will use and share what they learn; adequate seed capital and resources If  Then Theory of Change

Assessment of Outcomes Regular monitoring and evaluation, by non-profit staff and seed grant funder/project partner Foundation for Sustainable Development Regular reporting by primary schools Prime factors for monitoring, evaluation, and reporting Attendance for membership Level and value of student participation Quality and Yield of Demonstration Garden Amount of Income Generated Feedback from Pupils, Families, and Community Members

How can you compellingly represent your innovation in text, images, or other artifacts? Photos and Blog Post in next slides. Separate documents attached on Sakai (either dropbox, or regular) Contracts: I helped in the contract development process of this project by meeting with stakeholders and helping to write the contracts. Seed Grant Budget: I also used my Foundation for Sustainable Development seed grant to help fund the starting materials (vegetable seeds and notebooks) for the two schools.

Blog Post: “One of the most fulfilling parts of my internship was helping to start 4K programs in two schools. 4K stands for 'Kuungana Kufanya Kusaidia Kenya' - Coming Together and Working to Help Develop Kenya. Because agriculture is the backbone of Kenya, 4K clubs strive to teach children to appreciate agriculture and to utilize and share their knowledge and skills with others. It was really exciting to participate in the development process and watch the project blossom from the contract development stages into a fully fledged club with registered members and sound regulations! At KICIP we received much guidance from FSD throughout the development process and we were also able to help provide the starting project materials for both schools through FSD’s intern seed grant. One of my favorite memories was participating in the first 4K club implementation activity at both schools – seed planting. I had a great time with the pupils, and I will never forget how inspired I was by their commitment to the project and their desire to learn and work hard. I sincerely hope that the project will continue to grow at both schools and even expand to other schools.”