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| Ms. Florence Mueni Ndeti |
When you walk alone, you walk faster but when you walk with others you walk far, so goes the saying. This is the testimony of the Catholic Diocese of Kitui that has managed to achieve a lot in terms of Community development through partnership with donor agencies and partners, among them the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD).
Speaking to AMECEA Online News during the annual regional partners meeting of CAFOD in Machakos Kenya, Ms. Florence Mueni Ndeti, Coordinator of Justice and Peace Program in Kitui Diocese said that through partnership with CAFOD, the diocese is currently running a number of projects for community development.
“We have just concluded the Green Community Based Green Energy Project on 30th October 2015, which was about School lighting Systems, water heating system in dispensaries, water pumping system for community Groups and ICT Center for youth. That project was a successful venture that has greatly benefitted the communities by enabling people to get the concept of agriculture as an income generation activity apart from domestic food production. It has also brought in the element of food security through improved farming methods,” Ms. Ndeti explained adding that credit goes to their partnership with CAFOD that has ensured the success of the project.
Apart from the Green Community Based energy project, the Diocese of Kitui also partnered with CAFOD on projects of water supply to the communities, Kitui being a water-scarce region. The successful project which was concluded in March 2015 saw the constructions of a mega dam and a series of other small dams as well as water catchment protection system, which has really changed the environment. “Communities around the diocese are now able to access water easily throughout the year and this has to an extent boosted the irrigation system which is an initiative towards enhancing food security.”
At the moment, CAFOD is supporting the Diocese to implement an integrated food security by doing component in agriculture, water and advocacy around policies. The project which is now in its second year is doing very well according to Ndeti. She said that the advocacy was incorporated to address policies so as to help the communities understand the laws of the country in relations to their human rights.
“Two Months ago, we entered into another agreement with CAFOD and other partners to work on a one year project, which we are calling Much Fun Tree On Climate Agriculture Resilience. Through this project we want to integrate issues of agriculture, climate change and advocacy so that we enhance our communities.” The biggest challenge that the diocese is facing is the inability to work in the entire county. “We have been working in pockets depending on the needs and the nature of the programs that we get.”
According to Ndeti, working together with partners such as CAFOD has enhanced the Church institutional growth in terms of capacity building and trainings for staff as well as providing employment opportunity to many within the diocese. “Ability to serve the community in a better way by providing structures and facilitate development projects has been the major benefit of various partnerships,” Ndeti said.
By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online News