My most recent trip to Kenya took place between January 7th and 18th, 2002. I have also been to Kenya on two other occasions: April-May of 1999 and August of 2000. The purpose of this visit was to assess the status of programs funded (in part) by the Kenyan Agency for Rural Development. The programs I observed and participated in were all projects of the Foundation Agency for Rural Development (FARD) - KARD's sister organization in Kenya. KARD funds (approximately 90%) are allocated to support direct programs operated by FARD.

Contents Each section contains a description of what I saw/did during my recent visit, explains the nature of the program, reports challenges, and outlines future goals.

K/FARD is making quite an impact in the Makueni district. The programs, facilities, and volunteer force have grown at an astonishing rate. It is wonderful to see people coming together to insure successful community development. In this classroom without walls, everyone is learning how to better themselves and their future. The information and skills-based programs are designed so that knowledge is perpetually disseminated in the community. In these rural communities, this is the only hope for access to such resources.

With KARD's continued support, programs in this area of Kenya will expand and improve. In 2001 we raised almost $6000 through individual contributions. We are hoping to increase support in 2002. Please contribute!

See the KARD website for photos!

Bio-Intensive Agriculture (BIA)

The primary economic base in the Makueni district is agriculture. Almost everyone cultivates at least a small plot of land. The majority of households supply their own produce from such plots. The most common crops include tomatoes, beans, peas, maize (corn), tubers (potatoes, cassavas, etc.), millet, and kale. My observation has been that while we may use the same names to reference produce in the U.S., as a rule, such items from the States are soft and sweet but from Kenya are tough and bland. Fruit in Kenya is delicious and abundant, though not a primary cash crop for rural farmers.

I spent 2 days visiting farms, "shambas", operated according to Bio-Intensive Agriculture (BIA) methods. This method is particularly valuable to farmers in Makueni because of the arid/semi-arid land status. Specifically, a very dry climate and the rocky nature of the land create formidable challenges to the average grower in this district. Like the rest of Kenya, this region is primarily agricultural. Farmers here benefit immensely from BIA methods that maximize available water and make use of naturally available resources.

The first farm I visited was in the tiny village of Ukuno near Kissayani. I was shocked that it even constituted a village as it seemed to me a compound of about 10 mud huts housing various members of one extended family. Nonetheless, it was a community and I guess that constitutes a village in Kenya. Community members ranged in age from infancy to a grand old matriarch who sat retired in the shade of a central Baobob tree, surrounded by activity of the younger generations. While everyone was happy to see us and formed an entourage for our tour of the farm, our chief guides were Julius Makau, a musee (old, wise man), and his nephew, Elijah Maundu. These men were cultivating a substantial plot of land (sorry, I don't know the exact acreage but I estimate it was around 20 or more) that was their place of residence, their source of food, and provided their only means of income. With so much depending on this land, optimizing its potential is crucial to their livelihood and that of the village.

Julius had been trained in FARD's BIA program, a free community outreach initiative, in May 2001. Working with his nephew, the two had implemented multiple methods and they were already seeing the benefits. The first area they showed me had been arranged to form a trench compost. An elongated horseshoe of earth about 2 feet high faced up a slight incline. This captured any water that might be moving downhill and blocked eroding soil. I was informed (through a translator as the farmers' English was unpracticed) that the hollow of the "U" was a compost of discarded organic materials including plant refuse, stalks, husks, and ash. As the bottom of the heap became fertile, it was piled around the trench edges forming the semi-circular planting bed for beans and squash.

In addition to the trench compost, Julius and Elijah had created traditional compost heaps and basket composts. Basket composts spotted the aisles of crops, serving as recycle bins for organic materials discarded in weeding, pruning, thinning, and shucking activities. The containers of woven straw eventually yield fertile soil that is distributed in the field or garden. Based on BIA training, the farmers knew to keep all compost in as much shade as possible, preserving the soil nutrients from the fatal effects of the African sun. Many were located beneath Mango trees (which never shed their leaves) and others below the manually constructed shade of thatched eves.

Another technique for maximizing natural irrigation while preventing soil erosion was the Mandela Garden. This was a spiral-shaped plot on a hill that distributed any downward flowing water within about a 6 foot diameter of planting bed and collected any loose soil against the winding ridges of its shallow walls. This strategy was supplemented by another technique for radial irrigation. In shady spots, farmers dug 2-foot deep holes, inserted an unfired (porous) clay pot with a small outlet at its bottom, and filled it with water. The clay pot would seep water over 2-3 days and moisten a radius of about 1.5 feet. This method irrigated a thick cluster of plants while requiring minimal refill labor and water supply. Notice that all of these strategies are very cost effective - using naturally available resources.

Other natural and available resources were the organic pesticides used for the crops. Farmers grow noxious (to insects) plants, like marigolds, and mix and scatter recipes of leaves and barks known to dissuade hungry pests from prematurely harvesting crops. This BIA method deals with the real need for pest control within the limits (no access to pesticides) and best interests (organic produce) of the farmers.

The shambas I visited used a multitude of BIA strategies for a variety of agricultural initiatives. Dry-land farmers trained by FARD in BIA also employed double-digging methods (tilling soil up to 2 feet beneath the surface to preserve moisture and allow for deep root systems), nurseries for seedlings, barrel planting (a soil-filled container spotted with holes allows multiple plants to flourish) and terracing to counter soil erosion. A favored strategy was 5-9 planting in garden plots. Here, farmers would plant maize and 4 or more other plants (like beans or kale) in one spot. This allowed optimal use of fertile soil, water allotment, and labor distribution. Often the plants in 5-9 configurations yielded more fruit (e.g. 3 ears of corn rather than 1) than traditional row-planted crops.

The other farm I toured was near the village of Kinyambu. Here we spent much of our time in the garden (as opposed to the fields) where plants were burgeoning with edible treats. The tomatoes were plumper than any others I'd seen - and I got to take a few home for lunch. There were 5-9 planting configurations, composts, and double-digging sites galore. The woman cultivating the garden was clearly thrilled (and proud) with the effects of the BIA strategies.

One of the best features of the BIA program is that it is designed to create a ripple effect. While FARD makes an effort to train as many community members as possible, a special effort is made to recruit trainees who are members of farmer cooperatives. (Cooperatives in the Makueni function as a network of support and collaborative contribution. They do not, like in the U.S., provide marketing or sales opportunities - yet.) BIA trained farmers are taught and encouraged to pass the knowledge they gain on to other farmers. In this way, the benefits spread throughout the district and the knowledge becomes accessible to the whole community. Julius was the leader of a small farmer cooperative group. He had designated a portion of his farm as a demonstration site where on Tuesdays and Fridays, members of his group came to learn and practice BIA methods.

There is a great need for small farmers to gain access to appropriate crop storage facilities and to create direct-sale contracts with large-scale buyers. Currently, the majority of farmers must sell their produce as soon as it is harvested. The most obvious flaws with this approach are that: (1) prices are lowered due to the concurrent supply of a crop from other farms and (2) there are no food reserves to meet the family's future needs or to sell as an advantageous price. Often farmers sell to a "middle man" who can store or transport large quantities of agricultural produce. These brokers transport cheaply purchased crops from the Makueni to Nairobi or Mombasa and sell it at a higher price or, they sell from storage the same maize or grain back to the farmer at a higher price during times of famine. Future programs will target stabilizing farmers' food and income security through cooperative initiatives in storage and market opportunity.

HIV/AIDS

Prevention and Awareness Programs

Youth

My past visits to Kibwezi have involved mainly of HIV/AIDS prevention work. One of my favorite activities is going to the high schools in the district and teaching a HIV/AIDS awareness curriculum to teens. It typically involves information-based sessions, role-plays, Q & A periods, and community outreach projects (like making posters or performing skits). The premise has been to disseminate information about HIV/AIDS and to have kids practice skills necessary for preventing the spread of the epidemic. We ask them to act out hypothetical situations that they are likely to encounter in real life, such as what to do when a friend/family member reveals s/he is HIV positive or how to ask your boyfriend/husband to wear a condom. The kids love it as much of the time is spent in group discussion or activity - and they learn a great deal. Today's Kenyan youth are the first generation exposed to information on HIV/AIDS and they will determine the future of the epidemic in their country.

Adults

In a two-part effort to thwart the spread of AIDS and to improve the circumstances for people living with AIDS, FARD implemented a teachers training program. Teachers and education officials from throughout the district are trained in HIV/AIDS curricula to deliver to their students and administer to their students' families. These members of the community come in contact, on a regular basis, with a vast cross-section of the population. They are held in esteem by the community and have the opportunity to set an example with their own behavior as well as impart critical facts about HIV/AIDS.

At the 3-day teacher training seminar that I attended, it was clear that these educators were witnessing the devastation AIDS is wreaking on their community. More than objective observers of this phenomenon, however, these teachers cited multiple instances where they took the responsibility of picking up the pieces.

In Kenya, all schools require tuition and exam fees per term (4 terms per year). Children who do not pay the fees are sent away. What's more, schools rarely provide food for students and therefore each child must provide for his/her own midday meal. For many families, it is impossible to pay school fees and children never go to school. It is not uncommon for students to sporadically miss terms or years of school due to economic hardship. For AIDS orphans, this is an all too common occurrence. Without parents and, if fortunate, with relatives who may or may not be able to accommodate the financial demands of additional children, AIDS orphans are the most likely to have to leave school.

Of the 25 teachers in the January teachers' training seminar, everyone of them had paid tuition or exam fees for a student who had lost a parent (or both) to AIDS. Many of them were providing lunch from their own resources to AIDS orphans who might otherwise, too hungry to focus on lessons, drop out of class. All of them had students with multiple siblings who had lost one or both parents to AIDS. None of them had any training in HIV/AIDS education.

The teachers training seminar first educates the teacher on facts about HIV/AIDS. The curriculum then shifts to training them in age-appropriate delivery of HIV/AIDS curriculum in their classrooms. Finally, awareness-raising activities encourage the teachers to recognize the extent to which their own behavior may serve as a model to others. It is hoped that teachers will model appropriate prevention behavior, as well as support and compassion to people living with AIDS.

Community

Stepping Stones is a new FARD initiative. It uses the same ripple-effect approach as BIA training in that it relies on trained individuals to train other people. FARD community outreach facilitators (volunteers) host weekly meetings in remote villages and train key community members in HIV/AIDS in HIV/AIDS related topics. Key community members include village elders, teachers, religious leaders, youth sports league coordinators and coaches, etc. These people as well as other community members represent a full range of ages and lifestyle choices. They are trained to "spread the word" about HIV/AIDS to their peers. In this way, people in rural areas gain access to the information they need to protect themselves and those they love.

I attended a Stepping Stones group meeting in the "interior" (way off the main road) beyond Kinyambu. A local farmer/village elder donates a portion of his property under a large Baobob tree for Thursday afternoon meetings. A few makeshift benches allow a small gathering to be seated in the shade. Fridah, the Kinyambu community facilitator presents new material at each meeting. My presence in the group produced an impromptu cross-cultural dialogue on the global impact of AIDS. I was curious about what obstacles community members were struggling with and whether or not individuals felt they benefited from the Stepping Stones program.

One of the outspoken participants was a young man who was president of the village soccer league. He rendered a comedic recount of how, prior to learning about AIDS, he had had sex with every willing woman he could find. Subsequent to training and seeing videos of people suffering from HIV/AIDS, he has remained monogamous with his wife. He did indicate that he was eagerly anticipating the training session on condom use, but was resolute in his commitment to avoid infection. Other men in the group agreed that their promiscuity had been stymied by the information they had gained about transmission and effects of HIV. In their village, it was common practice for multiple men to have sexual relations with the same woman. This practice had apparently become less typical since the Stepping Stones training began.

The group on that Thursday was all men except for Fridah (and me). It was the day that children were beginning the first day of the school term, and many mothers were taking their children to school. The usual meeting includes men and women of all ages and was often as large as 30 people. It was inspiring to be part of this group, sitting in the middle of a field, under a tree, determined to improve their lives and their community.

My experience was similar at a Tuesday Stepping Stones meeting. This diverse group met at the new FARD Resource Center in Kissayani. Members traveled as far as 20km to attend the sessions led by Leonard, a FARD community facilitator. Distance was sited as a major obstacle to overcome, as transportation is largely unavailable. Still, the members were eager to be involved and to spread the word about HIV/AIDS in their remote communities. They were hungry for facts and information to answer the unknowns and dispel the rumors plaguing their villages. The combination of ignorance and myth are the most vehement transmitters of this disease. Despite great distances to travel, time away from their own work and studies, and seemingly endless other challenges, the Stepping Stones group in Kissayani was unwaveringly committed to promoting HIV/AIDS awareness to their people.

Media

To reinforce the information and skills taught to educators, students and community members, FARD has implemented a media campaign. At the main entrance to Kibwezi village from the Mombasa Road, as well as distributed throughout the town, appear billboards (smaller than the U.S. version) in Kiswahili (national language) alerting viewers to the presence of HIV/AIDS. The new year brought a distribution of 2002 wall calendars encouraging community cohesion in the battle against AIDS. FARD has also formed an alliance with the Kenya Broadcasting Company that has yielded multiple press release statements on the national radio and coverage in the national newspaper (The Nation).

In 2000 I had given my friend Eddie (director of FARD) a key chain/bottle opener with the Santa Fe Grille logo on it. Considering the rampant use of both keys and bottles (soda in bottle-capped glass runs a close second to chai (tea) as the national beverage), Eddie has asked me to investigate the option of getting some of these promotional gadgets with the FARD logo. I'm working on it�

Counseling and Support

Counseling

Prevention efforts are only part of the battle we are waging against HIV/AIDS. Programs that promote victim support are crucial. AIDS is having a devastating effect on Kenyan communities, but people are just starting to realize how pervasive and long-lasting these effects will be. A growing phenomenon is the visible presence of people living with AIDS (2,100,000 adults and children in 1999). With this comes the common occurrence of people dying of AIDS (180,000 in 1999). This aspect of the battle requires special attention. Caring for family, friends, and neighbors with HIV/AIDS, the social and economic impact of the loss of life, and the uncertainty facing the survivors of AIDS victims are matters small communities must confront.

Healthcare in Kenya is largely inaccessible and almost entirely unaffordable to the average person. Most villages have outpatient medical clinics staffed by nurses and attendants (no MDs) trained to treat common Kenyan ailments. These clinics are usually poorly equipped to handle the community healthcare needs - especially AIDS-related needs. People suffering from AIDS or AIDS-related heath problems are most often cared for at home, making sporadic, if any, visits to a clinic. I saw adults who had returned to their parents' home for hospice care after being abandoned by their spouse at the visible onset of AIDS. Family and friends caring for the ill may know their loved one has AIDS, may not know, may be in denial about it, and/or deny it to others. It makes things complicated.

FARD has trained social workers and nurses/clinic workers to counsel families of people living with AIDS. The counseling provides information and support to the caregivers and the patient. These volunteers instruct caregivers on the nutritional needs of the sufferer, review available and potentially affordable painkillers, and promote safe (transmission is a risk) and hygienic conditions for care.

When possible, the counselor encourages the patient to be tested for HIV. This is important because it sets an example for others, adds valuable information to the national statistics, allows those potentially exposed to assess their own status, and allows for the possibility that the person might "go public" with their status. The latter is important because many communities doubt the existence of the epidemic, or consider themselves immune from exposure. Being able to identify with someone who is a friend, colleague, peer, neighbor etc AND who is HIV-positive forces people to evaluate their own mortality and risk behavior. Testing, however, is rare due to the unavailability and inaccessibility of testing facilities as well as the considerable cost where it is an option.

The counseling visit that I joined was a new experience for me. Most of my volunteering has been in the prevention-side of things. This encounter added a new dimension to my understanding of the problem. Of course, I had heard the rhetoric�seen the video images of skeletal figures too weak to move, but being there in real life was entirely different. My participation in the visit was as an observer - I am not trained to do the counseling. I wanted to know what the program was like and how the volunteers and the families experienced the service.

It came up at the last minute and there wasn't time for me to solicit a full briefing on the circumstances. I went with Eddie, Fridah, and Steven to a shamba outside of Kinyambu. The home was typical of a family residence in the Makueni district. It was located in the midst of rural farmlands way off any main road and was accessible by narrow dirt paths (foot or bicycle/motorbike only). In a clearing, a few small huts of red mud with thatched roofs comprised various storage, sleeping, and cooking accommodations. The dirt floors are packed so hard you can sweep them "clean". There is no electricity and no running water (the latter is hauled from a communal source like a river, spring, or, less often, a well). Chickens, cats, goats, and dogs wander around the residential clearing and in and out of open hut doors.

When we arrived, an older woman with an infant was outside to greet us. She only spoke Kiswahili, so I was a true observer in the sense that I couldn't make out what was being said. She welcomed us into one of the huts and as we ducked, single file, under the doorframe, I was astounded at what I saw. In the dim light, a disintegrating thin foam mattress in one corner hosted what appeared to be skeletal remains under a dirty brown sheet (actually a dust ruffle, but I don't think they know the difference). It was covered with flies. For a second I thought we had come to see a dead person and figured I'd misunderstood the purpose of the visit. The woman, Mary, very matter-of-factly, however, pulled back the sheet and deftly flipped over the body of her 35 year old daughter, Joy, who was too weak to move herself other than to sort of open her eyes. It was disgusting. She had returned to her mother's home with her 5 children at the onset of illness; her husband had left them. The youngest child died before reaching 1 year of age (AIDS?). As she lay there, the flies settled onto her and she could not even twitch them off from her face.

Eddie translated for me intermittently and I learned that Mary knew that her daughter was dying of AIDS. It seems that she had tested positive for HIV several years ago. Mary was frustrated with the clinic attendant's unwillingness to disclose or discuss this diagnosis. It seems that despite the daughter's consent, there was no communication between the clinic and the family regarding how to care for her. I could not get a clear answer as to why this was the case, but it was suggested that the clinic wanted to continue to charge the family for medicine despite its limited or absent effect.

Fridah and Steven spent some time comforting Joy. She reported that she was not in any pain, but had no appetite. Eddie instructed the mother on a broth to prepare should she be able to eat and advised her about how to protect herself from transmission of the virus when caring for her daughter. A locally available painkiller was recommended should Joy complain of discomfort.

The children were in school while we were there. It was easy to imagine, though, that they did homework, bickered, teased, and played within the same earth-caked walls that housed their mother's limp body. What does that do to a child? What does it do to a mother?

As I sat on a rough wooden stool next to the others, I was struck by the lack of reverence. The gravity of death and the appalling conditions sustaining the lingering life did not phase those accustomed to such events. It did no interrupt the rhythm of day-to-day life. People die in these communities for lots of reasons all the time. In the light of my more dainty life experience, Joy's situation seemed inhumane and egregious.

At one of the Stepping Stones meetings I attended someone asked me what it was like to have AIDS in the U.S. Kenyans are always curious to know whether American's have access to a drug or treatment that cures HIV/AIDS that we are keeping secret from them. My answer was that American's with AIDS have access to healthcare and nutritious food and medicine that might prolong life or ease pain. I told them that Americans most often die of AIDS in soft beds with clean sheets. But in the end, I said, an American AIDS victim is the same as a Kenyan AIDS victim: dead. After visiting Joy, though, I wonder about the accuracy of my answer. When you're dead, you're dead. The dying matters, though. The dying I saw would be inconceivable to most of us. Where was the dignity? the humanity? the mercy? I can only hope that they measure such things by a different stick than I use.

Orphan support

As the number of AIDS-related deaths soars, so do the number of orphans (546,965 under age 15 years in 1999). AIDS orphans are subject to utter insecurity in Kenya. There is no system that assures that their basic needs will be met (this is true for all children, not just orphans). Food and shelter are as unpredictable as schooling and healthcare.

There is no life insurance, no government run agencies, no cultural precedent for support of these children. In fact, it is common for a father (especially one unwed to the mother) to abandon his children - this is true whether or not HIV/AIDS taints the circumstances. When I use the word abandon, I don't mean the guy has necessarily disappeared or denies paternity. I mean he may feel no sense of accountability to the child and live, work, or idle right next door as he pleases. This arrangement is culturally accepted. I have actually been informed, when asking of an orphan's history, that "the father was not the father, he was just a friend of the mother". What century is this?# Orphans can be defined as such when their mother has died - even if there is a living and identified biological father. Needless to say, single-mothers are often overwhelmed with the responsibility of caring for an entire family without assistance and her death marks the absence of anyone's sense of accountability to the children.

[# Another unrelated but awe-inspiring Kenyan moment (1999) was this: Christina: "Rape is not the woman's fault." Kenyan woman: "Then whose fault is it?" ]

Some orphans are absorbed into the households of extended family. This does not, however, secure their welfare. In Kenya, where families are large - women average 3.5 births per lifetime - extended families can inherit multiple children at once. This destabilizes the family's resources. Religious congregations and school representatives cannot be counted on to help - everyone has their own struggles to manage. For these children, the terms of their existence are determined on a day-to-day basis. Will they have shoes? will they eat? will they live? All questions they face every morning when they wake up in a bed/on the ground/on the street.

The thing about the kids, though, is that they really are dependant on adults. In Kenya, there aren't enough jobs - even menial ones - for trained adults (the unemployment rate is 50%). No one will pay/trade with even a capable, self-motivated 12-year old who could tend goats, sweep, or haul water. Immediate needs aside, what of the long-term options for AIDS orphans. As I mentioned previously, in order to attend school, children must be able to pay the required fees each term. It comes down to their being an adult who can supply these funds.

KARD is funding a FARD program that chips away at this dense and monumental problem. The program, like the others, tackles the challenge from multiple angles. We sponsor (try not to picture Sally Struthers) AIDS orphans in vocational training placements. The participating children are not isolated to a special school or boarding facility, rather, they are integrated into the mainstream as competent and contributing members of society. Vocational skills insure that individuals will have the ability to engage in productive income-generating activities. Those without skills training have few options (crime and prostitution being examples) for supporting themselves. The children in the vocational training program are all older than 13 years. They walk up to 2 hours in each direction to and from their site. The skills they gain give them access to sustainable livelihood - more than sporadic meals or temporary shelter would provide them.

The program is designed to create sustainable effects. In addition to the support we provide the orphans, we are also making an impact on community members. Each vocational placement is in the shop or business of a local community member practicing a trade. These people serve as mentors to each apprentice. The program offers students placements with dressmakers, tailors, leather craftsman, and welders. This model promotes greater awareness and accountability of community members. The vocational mentors set an example for their customers and for other tradesman by being part of the solution. These are small communities where everyone knows each other. Community cohesion in the face of complications related to the AIDS epidemic can start with one person.

Initial contracts between the mentor and apprentice are for 6 months of training. FARD identifies eligible orphans, appropriate vocational mentors, and supervises the placement. Our support provides a monthly stipend of U.S. $6.50 to the mentor for the resources they apply to training each apprentice. After 6 months, it is determined whether the student should continue training, become an assistant, or establish his/her own business. The hope is for graduates, at their own place of business, to mentor new apprentices.

I met a number of AIDS orphans participating in the vocational training program. They reported seeing the benefits of learning a vocation and were optimistic about their futures. I asked if they felt they were being taken advantage of - ending up as slave labor (a graduate student term) - and they all said no. Asked if there was stigma attached to being an apprentice in the program, there were scattered yeses. It seems that some of the rural religious congregations are very skeptical about programs funded by unfamiliar money. Specifically, members of such congregations express concern that it is "devil's money"*. Those who had experienced such disapproval felt that the benefits of the program far outweighed any cost exacted of them (they also did not subscribe to the "devil's money" theory). They suggested having the program include a provision for a midday meal, as many were unable to bring/buy lunch. Students in dressmaking shops also requested a provision to buy material (as sufficient fabric is not always available for them to practice their sewing techniques).

[* In rural parts of Kenya, abject poverty is the norm. Neither individual nor local organizations have funds to spare. These areas are typically very conservative in their values and beliefs and there is almost no exposure to modern culture. In this environment, suspicion surrounds anything unfamiliar. It is commonly suggested, in these villages, that a person/organization with a seeming surplus of funds (e.g. enough to use some for charitable causes) must be corrupt and/or evil. This is a subjective assessment and in no other way reflects on KARD as a financial supporter of FARD.]

Presently, we have sponsored 18 AIDS orphans in 4 placement sites. The immediate goals of the program are to enroll more young people and to involve more vocational mentors. I submitted a request to the planning committee at FARD that would address the need for midday meals and practice material. Our vision for the future is to expand the AIDS Orphan Support program to younger children as well. This project would be resource-intensive and requires careful planning for effective implementation. In the meantime, we will continue to improve the vocational training program.

KARD continues to work towards its mission to help people help themselves. The Makueni district of Kenya is flourishing into a self-sustaining community. Information has been the primary resource in making this possible. Increasing access to skills-training and knowledge is our primary focus. We support programs that offer education and support to individuals seeking to improve their lives and the lives of those around them.

In the context of abject poverty - every little bit counts. Please contribute what you can. KARD depends on the support of donors and volunteers. We make every effort to accept all contributed resources. To date this has included services such as logo and web design, materials such as laptop computers, books, and clothes, as well as dollars supporting programs on the ground.

Think about what you can do to help. It doesn't have to be hard - it's not supposed to be. KARD is about filtering all the little stuff�all the easy stuff�to a place where it makes a big difference.

In the greater Kibwezi community, money is a scarce resource. The funds that you donate support the programs described above. In addition to financial contributions, KARD is also in need of support here in the U.S. Can you help with:

KARD is willing to work with you to accommodate a contribution that you can make. Let us know what you're thinking, or contact us for other ideas.

Thanks for your continued support!

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