The impact of Ngarua media encounter is impressive; the reports on the Radio and television reached and sensitized many people about the services offered at the Maarifa center. On Wednesday 30th/09/ 2010, just a day after the television news went on air, we started receiving phone calls and special visitors who are keenly interested to know what goes on at the Maarifa center.
When Joseph Chege an officer working with the ministry of Co-operative development, saw the story on television, he could not hold back the urge to come and trace the Maarifa center in Sipili, the story brought a sigh of relief to him because he frequently travels to Nyahururu to access the internet and other basic information which are available at the Maarifa Center. Secondly he was already seeing an open door for him to learn many things about information sharing through the ICT.
He came to the center to inquire for the services offered and to possibly find answers to r the questions, which have been disturbing him for a long time. Of greet interest is the Sokopepe, which he said was the most interesting news to be heard in the areas.
As a resident of Kinamba, about ten kilometers from Sipili, the master’s student found and alternative at the maarifa center, instead of going to nyahururu where he pays up to 150/= by public means, just to access the Internet, he will just spend 50/= from Kinamba to Sipili where the Maarifa center is located. He is interested in information documentation, dissemination and formation of a group to spearhead community activities.
I explained to Joseph about our activities and services in detail, and when I saw his enthusiasm and innovative ideas, I pulled a baobab magazine featuring the media focus on Africa mobile reporting photo and I showed him, he was very happy to see that his idea of mobile reporting can really work.
Joseph is the divisional co-operative officer, and some of his roles are to: supervise the formation and management of co-operative societies by providing technical information i.e. on elections, regulations, evaluations of activities and registrations among other activities.
While talking with Joseph, I learned that the most disturbing challenge facing the farmers in the division is lack of proper market linkages. To register a co-operative society, a group needs: an application form, Economic appraisal, by laws, Ksh 3,500 for registration, and a banks account number and they will be given a number from the ministry of co-operatives.
For sometime Joseph and a friend of his who is a teacher at GG Secondary School have been exploring on how to document, package and disseminate information within their neighboring communities.
I was impressed by his story and I promised to visit on Saturday, last weekend. I found the screening films for the student, on a large screen and a projector. I met with a friend of his whom I latter knew him as Mr. Kamau, Kamau says that teaching in a dramatic and captivating environment enhances the student grasping power, and minimizes imagination.
They had already started recording videos and photos using a mobile phone, they have a computer and they needed skills on how to make films.
Mr. Kamau acquired the projector, and they were considering getting someone who will exposes them to filming so that they can fully implement their new innovative ideas of sharing information.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
The plight of small-scale Agro-traders.
Small-scale farmers in Ngarua are trying their best to make ends meet. The farmers struggle with unfavorable climatic conditions, but even when they have managed to produce crops, they are still faced with a bigger challenge of accessing better markets for their commodities.
For the last eleven years, Mr Kinyua have relied on small-scale agro-business. He operates a grocery at Sipili trading center and buys his wares from farmers within the area and even have to travel as far as Tanzania for other commodities that are not available locally, though some of the crops can grow in Sipili, most farmers lack the knowhow or even the seeds.
When we visited Mr. Kinyua, we established that the oranges he was selling had come all the way from Tanzania. He took one of the oranges and gave us to eat. The fruit was yellowish inside, had a thin outer coat and had seeds, it was sweeter than most of the local varieties. He also added that of the many commodities he is selling most of them are from outside Sipili and even outside Laikipia.
Some fruits like avocados are sought from as far as Meru, these are larger as compared to the ones grown in Sipili. However they are not as sweet as the local ones.
Mr Kinyua deals in fruits like; avocadoes, bananas, sweet melon, paw paws, oranges, pineapples and cereals: Amaranth, soya beans, maize, cowpeas, dolichos beans, millet and sorghum. Kinywa is also a vegetable vender where he sells; Onions, kales, Dania, pepper, beetroot, garlic and many among others.
For the last eleven years, Kinywa have relied on his business as a source of family income, school fees to educate his children and somehow sustain his family in every way.
In spite of the fact that the business is important to him, he is facing many challenges such as.
a) Poor transport – some goods get spoiled along the way while being transported from the farmers to the market.
b) Poor storage facilities- he would like to increase the stock but the space cannot allow and also lack special facilities to handle some perishable commodities like tomatoes and some fruits that cannot stay for along.
c) Poor market- Some commodities are produced at a very high cost but, in the market they are sold at very low prices because they are not popular. Traders are sometimes forced to travel a long distance to get some commodities so as to maintain his customers.
d) Lack of awareness – People lacks awareness of some commodities such that when they are brought to the market, people take a long time to familiarize with them and to know how they are used. He gave an example of the sweet melon; he was the first person to introduce the fruit in the market, and clients took along to know what they were, such that some got spoiled in the stores, ‘‘I was forced to sooth people to buy giving them to taste” said Kinyua.
Recommendations.
I. Mr Kinyua recommended that, better roads be built to improve access to better market.
II. He added that better storage facilities should be introduced and farmers shown how to grow various kinds of crops.
III. There is need to venture into online marketing to support farmer to access better markets.
IV. Establishment of a storage facility.
For the last eleven years, Mr Kinyua have relied on small-scale agro-business. He operates a grocery at Sipili trading center and buys his wares from farmers within the area and even have to travel as far as Tanzania for other commodities that are not available locally, though some of the crops can grow in Sipili, most farmers lack the knowhow or even the seeds.
When we visited Mr. Kinyua, we established that the oranges he was selling had come all the way from Tanzania. He took one of the oranges and gave us to eat. The fruit was yellowish inside, had a thin outer coat and had seeds, it was sweeter than most of the local varieties. He also added that of the many commodities he is selling most of them are from outside Sipili and even outside Laikipia.
Some fruits like avocados are sought from as far as Meru, these are larger as compared to the ones grown in Sipili. However they are not as sweet as the local ones.
Mr Kinyua deals in fruits like; avocadoes, bananas, sweet melon, paw paws, oranges, pineapples and cereals: Amaranth, soya beans, maize, cowpeas, dolichos beans, millet and sorghum. Kinywa is also a vegetable vender where he sells; Onions, kales, Dania, pepper, beetroot, garlic and many among others.
For the last eleven years, Kinywa have relied on his business as a source of family income, school fees to educate his children and somehow sustain his family in every way.
In spite of the fact that the business is important to him, he is facing many challenges such as.
a) Poor transport – some goods get spoiled along the way while being transported from the farmers to the market.
b) Poor storage facilities- he would like to increase the stock but the space cannot allow and also lack special facilities to handle some perishable commodities like tomatoes and some fruits that cannot stay for along.
c) Poor market- Some commodities are produced at a very high cost but, in the market they are sold at very low prices because they are not popular. Traders are sometimes forced to travel a long distance to get some commodities so as to maintain his customers.
d) Lack of awareness – People lacks awareness of some commodities such that when they are brought to the market, people take a long time to familiarize with them and to know how they are used. He gave an example of the sweet melon; he was the first person to introduce the fruit in the market, and clients took along to know what they were, such that some got spoiled in the stores, ‘‘I was forced to sooth people to buy giving them to taste” said Kinyua.
Recommendations.
I. Mr Kinyua recommended that, better roads be built to improve access to better market.
II. He added that better storage facilities should be introduced and farmers shown how to grow various kinds of crops.
III. There is need to venture into online marketing to support farmer to access better markets.
IV. Establishment of a storage facility.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Youths finds treasure at Maarifa center.
The youths learning ICT at Ngarua maarifa centre have taken the responsibility to ensure that the latter shines clean before classes commence every morning. As the saying goes, ''cleanliness is next to godliness'' they made a duty roster, as a guided for all the students carry out the noble duty. Heither Njuguna is a jubilant young woman, currently learning ICT, she appreciates the services offered at the center. The only way to take responsibility and ownership is by helping to clean the center, “She says”.
Apart from ICT training, Maarifa centre is a magnet for young people in many other ways: It is the only place they come and get in touch with friends and relatives from far and near. The social networks like facebook, twitter, netlog, blogs etc are increasingly pulling the world closer and engaging young people in networking.
Youths apply for jobs, Apply for KRA pin numbers and apply for international citizenship like the green card among others.
After discovering the high affinity, of young people to the social networks, I created a facebook account for the Ng’arua Maarifa Centre. The response was amazing, youths joined in large numbers. As time goes by I started discovering the raw talent exhibited by our young users, they are skilful and creative.
I started showing them films made at the center and to my amazement, they developed interest in film making which I asked them to write scripts for drama skits so that we can shoot and make short films for web sharing. This will not only place them in front of the curve in the circles of friends but also stir nascent inborn talents.
Am now planning to train community journalists to enable them shoot edit and upload their own films.
Bett
ALIN FO Ng’arua.
Apart from ICT training, Maarifa centre is a magnet for young people in many other ways: It is the only place they come and get in touch with friends and relatives from far and near. The social networks like facebook, twitter, netlog, blogs etc are increasingly pulling the world closer and engaging young people in networking.
Youths apply for jobs, Apply for KRA pin numbers and apply for international citizenship like the green card among others.
After discovering the high affinity, of young people to the social networks, I created a facebook account for the Ng’arua Maarifa Centre. The response was amazing, youths joined in large numbers. As time goes by I started discovering the raw talent exhibited by our young users, they are skilful and creative.
I started showing them films made at the center and to my amazement, they developed interest in film making which I asked them to write scripts for drama skits so that we can shoot and make short films for web sharing. This will not only place them in front of the curve in the circles of friends but also stir nascent inborn talents.
Am now planning to train community journalists to enable them shoot edit and upload their own films.
Bett
ALIN FO Ng’arua.
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