Previous Grants To Organisations
Signpost International
Sustainable livelihoods programme: A learning and exchange visit for women’s enterprise groups in Kenya.
Signpost International partnered with Centre for Indigenous Child Rights (CICR) since early 2022, during which time they implemented a livelihoods project for women, benefiting approximately 150 people in West Pokot County, Kenya. Registered in 2019 CICR, a Kenyan registered CBO, have supported more than 4,000 vulnerable girls & young women to realise their rights & improve their lives.
Their recently completed project supported the formation of women’s enterprise groups, provided full training and support along with access to funds from a group-held revolving loan, enabling the women to grow and develop their businesses. In addition to the financial improvements the short project has had a significant impact on the women’s confidence and has encouraged them to think and save towards the future, and not be stuck living a hand-to-mouth existence.
Women in Kenya account for only 2% of land ownership; restricted by paternalistic policies & entrenched traditional societal structures. In an unorthodox move the community elders, after seeing how the enterprise group members had come together & were impacting both their households & wider community, granted the women a two-acre plot of land to develop for their benefit.
The Claremont Trust grant fully supported the women to travel and spend three days learning from a Maasai group of women who have established an enterprise centre in another part of the country. The group returned invigorated and excited to develop their small piece of land into a hub for women’s enterprises in their county, West Pokot.
Signpost International subsequently worked with the women to develop their ideas and have recently been awarded some funding to install a deep borehole on their piece of land, significantly opening up opportunities for them and their entire community. They cite the exchange visit as instrumental in giving them the confidence and vision to pursue this dream.
The Trust received this as part of a report from Disability Africa we are grateful for the feedback and encouraged by the work they were able to undertake due to our modest grant.
The Claremont Trust has generously supported our work in 2022 and in 2018 – the 2022 grant supporting in particular the work we do in Sierra Leone. This report gives an overview and some examples of what you have contributed to.
WHAT IS THE ISSUE?
Disabled children in Africa are some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people on our planet due to negative beliefs.
Disabled children are often seen as cursed or less than human. They may not be known to the world outside of their homes, confined to single rooms, left behind. They suffer deprivation of a normal childhood, social interaction, exclusion from education, lack access to basic medical care and are even deprived of food. This situation means families are driven to seek traditional healers whose actions occur in secret and infanticide is widespread – local anecdotes, journalists and academics confirm this.
WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO WITH YOUR SUPPORT
• Your support in 2022 meant that we have been able to continue to deliver essential services to very vulnerable disabled children. So we are concerned to maintain this delivery (especially in the face of increasing costs) but we also learn and improve practice – for example improved data collection.
• The Sierra Leone Inclusion Project uses the playscheme to quickly develop community-based services with local people and organisations so that disabled children can play, access essential health and social care, and receive an education while in turn being protected from significant harm or even death. In 2022 the project delivered more than 7,000 visits to disabled children and their families.
• Locally employed staff teams work with communities to raise awareness, dismantle prejudices, attitudinal and physical barriers which prevent the inclusion of disabled children in homes, schools and the community.
• Support project partners with good practice who are eager to grow delivery and champion the model locally and work towards sustainability. • The approach is an affordable, locally owned, innovative and (we think) unique – we have replicated the approach in 4 African countries.
Reach survivors of abuse through word-of-mouth referrals, radio programmes and social media initiatives, many of who had nowhere else to turn. Break the silence and educate faith communities in Zambia on the problem of abuse within Zambian churches and how to prevent it and respond well through radio programme.
Build partnerships with radio and TV stations, giving a platform to reach more survivors and let them know help is available and continue to educate on abuse dynamics in Zambian churches. Recruit volunteers to the team and build key partnerships with like-minded organisations which will help progress RHZ’s community work, especially in rural areas in Zambia.
Project Outcome Summary
Thanks to the grant from the Claremont Trust, Restored Hope Zambia was able to:
Reach survivors of abuse through word-of-mouth referrals, radio programmes and social media initiatives, many of who had nowhere else to turn.
Break the silence and educate faith communities in Zambia on the problem of abuse within Zambian churches and how to prevent it and respond well through radio programme.
Build partnerships with radio and TV stations, giving a platform to reach more survivors and let them know help is available and continue to educate on abuse dynamics in Zambian churches.
Recruit volunteers to the team and build key partnerships with like-minded organisations which will help progress RHZ’s community work, especially in rural areas in Zambia.