ISINYA MAARIFA CENTER

ALIN scoops Access to Learning Award ( ATLA) 2011

2011-08-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

Arid lands information network is this year’s winner of the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation access to learning award (ATLA).
The award recognizes the innovative efforts of public libraries or similar organizations outside the United States to connect people to information through free access to computers and the Internet.
Over the years ALIN has established 12 Maarifa / Knowledge centers across East Africa a noble initiative which enables communities in arid lands to access to computers, free internet service, free library services etc tools which enable them to access the information they need on agriculture, climate change, health and other livelihood issues

ISINYA MAARIFA CENTER NOW RUNNING m-PESA

2011-05-19T01:08:00.000-07:00

Isinya community knowledge center has now introduced mobile money services to our list of other services. This is a pilot project aimed at self sustainability of the center and is still at an experimental stage. Although there are over 50 mobile money transfer services in the area, most of them are in Isinya town, which is quite a distance from many of the residents. Before we introduced this service the residents had to earthier walk all the way in the blazing sun or to board a matatu or boda boda which is expensive. m-PESA therefore couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time for the residence of Isinya thus enabling them to save time and money especially in these harsh economic times. This venture also benefits teachers from Isinya primary school and employees of organisations in the center.

In its own special way the m-PESA has boosted the number of Maarifa center users, as the people transact they make inquiries on what we do and the services we offer. While some stay and make use of our sevices, others return on a later date or recommend their friends and relatives to visit the center.

BOOKS FOR US

2011-05-01T05:55:00.000-07:00

They say that Reading a book is like opening a little world that’s almost like a second life. An alliance between Arid lands Information Network (ALIN) and Book Aid International has opened many little worlds for the residents of Isinya, giving second lives to our library users through a donation of books. The arrival of a consignment of 8 cartons of books is a dream come true, a dream to ensure that information continues to flow to those who need it the most, those that will transform today for a better tomorrow.
Book aid international is an NGO that aims at supporting literacy by increasing community access to books by distributing them to those who need them the most. ALIN on the other hand, connects communities with information by facilitating its free access through its maarifa centers. If this isn’t a match made in heaven then you tell me what is.
The books range from children’s book, novels, books on agriculture, human rights, gender, community development, climate change, health... you name it, have added more variety to our already existing free library service. The 8 boxes couldn’t have come at a better time, just when schools have closed… now , more anxious readers continuously stream into the center ,excited children asking for story books and workbooks, secondary school goers for novels and text books, teachers and university students for reference books, nurses flocking the health section cannot get enough of our collection. I must say for a community knowledge center like ours, there is nothing as amazing as seeing such a noble effort by ALIN and Book Aid go to good use as eager readers take short notes , small bits of knowledge that could be the beginning of their transformation, after all, Life transforming ideas are said to come through books.

BIOGAS: FREE COOKING ENERGY FOR ISINYA FARMERS

2011-02-24T22:19:00.000-08:00

The month of April 2011 has seen new developments in Isinya key among them being the installation of three tubular biogas units by three farmers. The three farmers were trained on biogas technology and energy conservation at a one week community exchange and training program that was held in Ngurumani, Entasopia, Magadi division during the period 16th – 20th March 2011. The workshop and exchange visit involved other participants from Nguruman, Marigat and Ngarua Maarifa centres. Supported by ALIN, this biogas technology initiative is the only one of its kind in Isinya and many farmers are amazed at how cow dung can produce gas for cooking food.

Biogas is a low cost source of alternative energy especially among the rural farmers. Not only is it easy to make but the materials are either readily available or affordable.
Seeing as Isinya is predominantly a pastoralist region, cow dung,the key ingredient in the digestion process is available in many of the homesteads and this venture brings with it an opportunity to put it to good use.
The process of tubular biogas installation is a simple one which requires the following materials: Silage polythene tube, old tyre rubber straps, 2 pieces of pvc pipes, pvc T-elbows, pvc glue, a burner, an old plastic bottle, a pipe and digging tools.

THE INSTALLATION PROCESS
A Select a safe site near the kitchen and dig a trench measuring 1 foot wide, 2 feet deep and 30 feet long.. The trench is dug in such a way that it slopes slightly to allow the sludge to slowly flow through the digester allowing complete digestion of the waste and to facilitate the eventual outflow of the slurry which is the mixture of water and cow dung. , Lay the silage polythene tube in the trench ensuring there are no sharp objects. It’s recommended you use sand or an old polythene prior to laying the silage tubing.The polythene tube is measured to find to find its radius where a pvc tube of about 10 cm in diameter is inserted At the center. The sides of the polythene are then folded carefully from end to center. The edges of the folded polythene tube are the wrapped around the pvc tube and tied tightly in place with a tyre rubber strap, this is done to both ends of the tube providing an inlet and an outlet for the slurry. This process makes the tube airtight providing an anaerobic environment. 1 inch from the inlet a small ,firm pvc pipe is inserted and firmly tied to the tube with a tyre strap.This pipe connects the digester to a longer pipe that feeds into a water bottle bleeds off excess pressure to avoid ruptures and explosions. A T-joint connects another tube which feeds into the burner. The effluent waste is excellent for manure as it has already been broken down. The slurry is filled three quarter way leaving the remaining quarter to act as a reservoir for the gas.

MEET THE BIO GAS USERS
Two weeks after their installation and all the digesters were working. Margaret Ng’otiek also known as Mama Perez was very excited about her digester. “…it has no soot and it does not smell and it is very fast. The chapatis my children are eating, I have cooked using biogas, I also cook tea, ugali and stew, I use it on a daily basis…”

When we visited her home, Rebecca Lemooke (Mama Liz) was away however her daughter Leah was happy to demonstrate how they have been using the biogas and highlight the benefits it has brought to their home. She quickly prepared tea for us …”We mostly boil tea milk, rice… we also cook ugali, vegetables. When I asked her what she likes most about biogas she giggled mischievously telling me how she likes the clean kitchen”…I have noticed that biogas burns clean and our house no longer fills with smoke and ash and this means less cleaning up for me.

Mrs. Ateti on the other hand could not hide her joy. “At first I only cooked soft foods or those that took short to cook….then I decided to give this biogas a bit of a challenge, so the other day I decided to boil beans ...at first I was abit skeptical I thought it would get finished before my beans got ready surprisingly it dint and I was not disappointed and now I cook with it every day, It has also reduced my workload, saving me a lot of time I would have otherwise used to look for firewood.
On seeing such benefits as those experienced by Mama Perez, Mama Leah and Mrs. Ateti, over 5 community members have already made orders to the focal group for installation of digesters in their homes. At the moment the three women are only aware of the short term benefits of biogas that they have experienced so far, without knowing it these woman are slowly by slowly saving the earth seeing as biogas has some major long term benefits like Protection of forests, soil, water and air. Unlike fossil fuel combustion, biogas production from biomass is considered CO2 neutral and therefore does not emit additional Greenhouse Gases (GHG) into the atmosphere; it also reduces the risk of bronchial problems caused by smoke. Just to name but a few.

This technology comes in handy for Isinya community which is in an arid area as the few trees will no longer be violated, women will no longer break their backs in the name of fetching firewood and the cow sheds will remain forever clean, farms will have ready to use high quality fertilizer which is easily assimilated by plants and everyone will be happy.

ILEIA(Netherlands )visits Isinya MC

2010-07-15T22:18:00.000-07:00

ILEIA which is the Centre for Learning on Sustainable Agriculture visited Isinya Maaarifa centre. ILEIA, promotes the exchange of information about small-scale farming all over the world. Through its flagship publication, "Farming Matters" which is available to the community through the isinya Maarifa Centre, and also through other media, it informs policy makers, researchers, practitioners, educators and farmers, about sustainable, small-scale farming. It offers discussions, background to the news, opinions, research findings and practical examples of how small-scale farming contributes to providing food security, social justice, a healthy environment and development.ILEIA’s director Edith van walsum and editor Jorge Chavez-tafur visited Isinya Maarifa Centre on the 2nd of July, 2010.They were very interested in gaining more insight on how a maarifa centre operates and how it contributes to the improvement of livelihoods in the area. They were quite impressed by the services that the centre provided particularly free access to information via the internet, IPods and other web 2.0 tools. The focal group members shared with them how the centre provided them crucial information regarding livestock keeping and also availed market information on the same. They said they were looking forward to the commodity resource platform (CRP) that was currently being piloted in Ng’arua.

Visit by UNICEF Uganda

2010-07-14T07:18:00.000-07:00

The Isinya Maarifa centre hosted Ms. Terra Weikal from UNICEF Uganda accompanied by Anthony Mugo-Programmes Manager ALIN. The visit sought to find out how a maarifa centre operates and how the centre impacts the community. The focal group members and other users of the knowledge centre were at hand to provide the information she needed. The many users of the centre, mostly youth, shared with Ms. Teri how the centre has been of great benefit to the community since its inception. Some of the services that the centre provides include a shared ICT resource for internet connectivity E-government services, local content generation and dissemination on best agricultural practices, market information and environmental management, free computer training among others. The users concurred that easy access to information had made a huge impact in improving livelihoods in the area.

The members also demonstrated how information exchange was facilitated with the use of video clips through the I-Pods.she commended ALIN for the creativity and innovativeness which are some of ALINS core values.

The focal group also shared some of the challenges they were facing such as lack of adequate resources to cater for the whole community. Language barrier was also a problem since the illiteracy levels were high. Cultural traditions were also a hindrance in getting the women to come to the centre. However the focal group agreed that these challenges were surmountable.

Ms. Terra said her visit was very fruitful and she would take home everything she learnt with the hope of replicating the initiative in Uganda.

D.O and chiefs Visit to Isinya Maarifa Center

2010-06-29T01:44:00.000-07:00

Isinya Maarifa Center is the only ICT center in Kajiado District.The Center was set up by ALIN (Arid Lands Information Network) in collaboration with the Masai Rural Training Center.

The center connects the community with knowledge and also train them on the use of ICT equipments such as computer,ipod,web 2 tools and video production.

The new D.O visited the center on 29th June and he was very impressed with what the center is doing to the community.He promised to be a regular user of the center.

What really impressed him was the fact that we are offering free services to the community.

May God Bless ALIN.

2010-01-28T23:46:00.001-08:00

IICD supported programme: Rural Information System to support a Commodity Exchange - Uganda

Summary

The Rural Information System (RIS) project started in 2003. Together with the Uganda Commodity Exchange (UCE), RIS aim is to enable rural farmers to increase their income. The project is about enabling subsistence farmers to adapt a more commercial trading approach which seems deemed necessary in a country with a population growth of about 6% and an increase in agricultural production of about 3.5%.

Farmers in 3 pilot centres united in farmer groups in Masaka, Bushenyi and Kayunga are able to use the following services:

1. The services of a warehouse system (supported by the EU) which, once fully setup, will enable farmers to store their commodities, to transport their commodities to the market of their choice and to sell their commodities whenever they want.

2. The services of a crop marketing bureau: Farmers are able to send and receive timely, accurate and adequate market information on markets for their produce thus enabling them to market their products at good prices.

The profits of the centres go partly (to recover for investment costs) into a revolving fund to establish new centres. The project has been integrated in the operations of UCE.

Update and results

The RIS project has been successfully presented to other development partners and it was agreed to replicate it. Among those organisations are SNV, NAADS, MTTI-Department of Cooperatives.

Project context

The Uganda Commodity Exchange, supported by EU, aims at connecting willing sellers to willing buyers, as well as facilitating their transactions.

The project is about enabling subsistence farmers to adopt a more commercial trading approach which seems necessary in a country with a population growth of about 6% and an increase in agricultural production of about 3.5%.

Read more about IICD's Uganda Country Programme.

Objectives

The objective of the project is to provide the link to better markets and market information to farmers or producers / suppliers of agricultural produce, and in so doing increasing their revenue and subsequently contribute to the Government of Uganda broader strategy of Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP).

Impacts

Getting access to market information is vital in a country with a population growth of about 6% and an increase in agricultural production of about 3.5% This project enables the Uganda Commodity Exchange in the short term to develop the capacity and infrastructure to become a one-stop centre for market information for agricultural commodities produced by the Uganda farmers.

Read more about IICD's approach towards Livelihoods.

Lessons learned

Building trust amongst players is a lengthy process and requires more than technology.

Focusing on relevant content for farmers is key.