Ufadhili Trust invites nominations for the 5th East African Community Service Awards. The Awards seek to celebrate the spirit of community. It seeks to identify individuals, companies and organizations that have contributed to the improvement of society through charity, volunteerism, good leadership and public service, acts of courage and kindness. Download the nomination criteria , Information for nominating individuals , Information or nominating companies or organizations.
Sponsorship Opportunities: The East African Community Service Awards offer a unique sponsorship opportunity for companies who want to position themselves as being caring... Read more

The CSR Health and Wellness Workplace Report

Coffee farmers from Rachuonyo District, Nyanza Province have called on the Coffee Research Foundation (CRF) to reduce the cost of seedlings to encourage more farmers to grow coffee. The farmers said due to high cost, many cannot afford the seedlings thus harboring the promotion of coffee farming in the area.  The farmers were speaking during the 88th International Cooperative Day celebrations held at Dudi View Hotel, in Oyugis town on 3rd July 2010.  During the Celebrations, the Chairperson of Cooperative Alliance of Kenya, Mr. Stanley Muchiri in a speech read on his behalf by Jane Wekesa, District Agricultural Officer, urged cooperative societies to champion for the creation of enabling environment for women accessibility to decent work opportunities, credit facilities and social services.  Ms. Wekesa emphasized to the cooperators the importance of coffee farming, and urged more farmers to join cooperatives since it gives them more bargaining power. She recognized the Orinde Coffee Cooperative Society for timely payment to its members. She said, “I appreciate Orinde because it is the only society that pays its members on time.”  The District Cooperative Offer, Mrs. Pamela Masi called on the coffee cooperative societies to invest in quality and quantity coffee.  Present during the ceremony were representatives from Ufadhili Trust, Ogera Oride, Ayoro, Kabondo, Karachuonyo coffee cooperative societies among other stakeholders.

Teachers have called on the government to implement community service programmes as part of co-curricula activity in schools. Community service is important in promoting responsible citizenship by inculcating leadership virtues to the youth. They called on the government to implement this initiative thorough the Ministry of Education at the provincial, district and divisional levels.
The teachers noted that community service in schools encouraged informal interaction between teachers, non-teaching staff and students for the smooth running of the institutions. Addressing the teachers at  the meeting, Mr. Matthew Kithyaka, Director of Starehe Boys Centre, called upon head teachers to appreciate their unique role in society and encourage the youth to give to their communities and be part of developing harmony in their communities. He added that young people must be educated to appreciate needs of their communities and see how they can support them in addition being recognized, supported and guided to understand why and how they do their service.  The teachers spoke during a community service meeting organized by Ufadhili Trust for heads of secondary schools from Nairobi Province held at a Nairobi hotel on 30th June, 2010.  

Kenyan coffee farmers visit their Tanzanian counterparts

Over 20 Kenyan coffee farmers drawn from different cooperative societies visited Moshi and Arusha in Tanzania to learn more on organic coffee farming and coffee tourism from their Tanzanian counterparts.  During the one week exchange visit, from 21st -25th June 2010 the farmers learned how to do intercropping as well as the use organic chemicals in disease prevention. For instance, the farmers learned how make insecticide from a mixture of urine, cow dug and wood ash to prevent leaf rust.  
Further, the farmers visited the Kilimanjaro Native Co-operative Union Tourism Project, to lean more about coffee tourism.  The farmers were taken on a guided coffee tour by the local farmers to experience the whole process of coffee production from bean to cup.  The tourism project, known locally as Kahawa Shamba (Swahili for Coffee farm) aims at providing additional income to coffee farmers.   

Rift Valley coffee farmers trained on good governance

Coffee farmers from the Rift Valley province have benefited from a training organized by Ufadhili Trust. The training that focused on good governance in cooperative societies was held on 3rd June, 2010 in Nakuru town. The farmers were urged to set up committees (such as supervisory, education and audit committees) within their societies in order to improve on the performance and ensure maximum returns to farmers. The farmers were also trained on good coffee manufacturing processes. They were taken through the process of coffee sorting, pulping, fermentation, drying, storage, records keeping, environmental conservation and certification schemes.  Further, the farmers welcomed the formation of the Kenya Coffee Producers Association (KCPA) saying that the new organization will advocate for their welfare. Many of the farmers expressed their willingness to register as members of KCPA.  Over 30 participants drawn from coffee cooperative societies and estate farms in Rift Valley participated in the training.

Ufadhili Trust trains coffee farmers from Western Kenya

Coffee farmers from Western Kenya benefited from a two day training organized by Ufadhili Trust. The training that focused on good governance and good coffee manufacturing practices was held in Kitale and Bungoma on 25th and 27th May 2010 respectively.   A total of 70 coffee farmers benefited from this training.

Lawyers trained on volunteerism

Ufadhili Trust and the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Kenya) held a one day workshop for lawyers on pro bono scheme. The training which was held on 21st May, 2010 at Garden Hotel in Machakos emphasized on the need for lawyers to volunteer by offering their services to the community in which majority have no access to legal services. It was agreed that there was the need to mobilize more resources to support FIDA’s pro bono scheme programme.
For more information visit FIDA website

In the commemorating two years anniversary since the signing of the National Peace Accord, Ufadhili Trust held a peace soccer tournament on, 28th February 2010, at Woodley Grounds, Kibera in Nairobi. The aim of the tournament was to preach the message of peace, reconciliation and cohesion. Woodley Grounds was chosen since it is at the heart of Kibera, the biggest informal settlement in Kenya, which experienced the worst violence and massive human rights violations in the post 2007 election violence. Ufadhili Trust partnered with local youth organizations; Foot Soldiers and Lang’ata Community Sports Fund.

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