I: PROJECT STATUS

“Enhancing urban food security through sustainable agri-business and youth empowerment”

This intervention is aimed at changing the negative mindset among young people towards agriculture a. Further, it addresses the high levels of unemployment among the urban youth and improve health through high value nutrition of Nairobi Residents of Mathare informal settlement focusing on those with lifestyle diseases and infants under 5 years of age. This will involve capacity building of women and youth group leaders on dairy goat, poultry and horticulture farming in urban set-up and cascading the same to their group members and the general community. Further, more people will be reached through online learning and sharing of agri-business information in Kenya, regionally and internationally once the interactive website is established.

Since June 2020, through the support of Korea SHE Foundation, Huruma Town Youth Group (HTYG) is implementing a 5 months project entitled “Enhancing urban food security through sustainable agri-business and youth empowerment” in Mathare Sub-county, Nairobi County in Kenya. The project purpose is a ‘’Food secure urban poor and youth livelihoods in informal settlements ‘ with the objectives ; 1: To empower 30 youth group leaders in agri-business in Kenya, Nairobi County from June to October 2020 and 2:To provide an online information hub to youth in agri-business in Kenya, regional and international. To achieve these objectives, we have conducted the following activities; Activity 1.1: Half-day project launch meeting for 20 key stakeholders; Activity 1.2: Training 20 youth group leaders on agri-business for 3 days and Activity 2.1: Establishing an interactive website and Facebook page for online learning.

 

II: PROJECT PROGRESS

To execute the planned activities Huruma Town Youth Group (HTYG) implementation committee held 2 planning meetings. The purpose of the planning meetings was to allocate responsibilities, set date, and identify venue, participants, program and logistics.

On 26^th June, HTYG conduct the project launch held at Huruma Community Hall to popularize and give visibility to the project outline the objective, activities and expected outcomes. The meeting involved women and youth group leaders. Similarly, in attendance were Nairobi County Government Officials namely Livestock Officer, Agriculture officer and personal assistant to Huruma Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA) who represented the MCA.

On 22^nd, 23^rd and 24^th July 2020, HTYG conducted a three days capacity building to 30 women and youth leaders at Huruma Community Hall. The training involved Horticulture farming, Poultry Keeping, Dairy Goat and Pig Raring in an urban set-up. Further, the training involved practicals  / field demonstration on horticulture, poultry keeping and dairy goat raring.

HTYG has also established interactive online platforms such website (www.hurumatownyouthgroup.org) including other social media platforms such as tweeter, Instagram, facebook and Watsup. Further, to enhance our communication, HTYG has purchased a laptop, camera to support in documentation. For visibility purposes, HTYG produced a project roll-up banner and organizational roll-up banner as well.

 

III: Project Plan Forward

After the capacity building exercise for the women and youth leaders on urban Agri-business, the meeting came up with a call for action moving forward as follows;

1. Follow-ups- HTYG agreed with the participants that the group would conduct on-site extension services to the trained groups upon request.

HTYG has already initiated the on-site extension services to Mathare River   and Scalaton Youth Groups. The extension services involved poultry keeping and horticulture farm set-up. Further, HTYG donated start-up stock to the groups as beginners. Other groups such as Kibichoi and Huruma Town Green Peace has made their requests, which HTYG is considering for support.

1. Online training-HTYG will set-up and administrate an online platform to engage the Mathare Sub-County Farmers. This platform will be used to ask farming questions and answers provided by HTYG team.

HTYG has establish a watsup and facebook online platforms for interactive agri-business sessions. The platforms are as follows; facebook(H-townyouthgroup and H-towndairygoat) and Watsup (MATHARE URBAN FARMERS ASS). These platforms are for training farmers beyond Mathare and involves technical experts such as Veterinary Officers, Local NGOs in the urban farming ecosystem. The watsup plaform already has 60 active members while the facebook accounts have over 1000 members.

1. Trained youth leaders to train their group members and other youth and women. The trained youth leaders will be issued with training tools, which they will use to empower their group members and the general community.

As a result of this action point, already 4 youth groups (Mathare River, Scalaton, Kibichoi and Hu Town Green Peace has already trained their members. HTYG is making follow-ups with other groups.

1. Youth and women start-ups- it was agree that those groups interested in a start-up would seek for assistance from HTYG.

In realizing this action point, HTYG has already supported Mathare River and Scalaton Youth Groups to begin start-up. This has been through provision of chicken and seedlings for Horticulture set-up.

HTYG plans to continue pursuing these action points within the project timeline as well as after the the project closeout. 

 

IV: PHOTOS



Figure 1 Participants following proceedings during project launch on 26^th June,2020 at Huruma Community Hall in Mathare Sub-county. This is through the support of Korea Safety Environment Foundation




Figure2: The county Livestock officer Mr.Ezakiel Njuguna addressing participants during project launch on 26^th June, 2020 in Mathare Slums. This is through the support of Korea Safety Environment Foundation



Figure 3: The Chief Guest Ms. Janet Gateri who is also the Nairobi County Agriculture officer address the participants and declared the project officially launched. This is through the support of Korea Safety Environment Foundation 



Figure 4: Mr. Victor Emolit Ojoo.   who is personal assistant to area members of county assembly (MCA) and representing the MCA addressing the launch meeting on 26^th June, 2020 at Huruma Community Hall. This is through the support of Korea Safety Environment Foundation

TRAINING AND FIELD DEMOSTRATION PHOTOS



Figure 5: Huruma Town Youth Leaders training in session in Mathare slums at  Huruma Community Hall. The is through support of Korea Safety Health & Environment Foundation



Figure 6 Huruma Town Youth Group on farm Urban Vegetable Farming field demonstration Youth Leaders Training in Mathare slums by Kevin Uduny. This is through support by Korea Safety Health and Environment Foundation



Figure 7 Huruma Town Youth Leaders training in session in Mathare slums at  Huruma Community Hall. The is through support of Korea Safety Health & Environment Foundation



Figure 8 Huruma Town Youth Group on farm Urban Vegetable Farming field demonstration Youth Leaders Training in Mathare slums by Kevin Uduny. This is through support by Korea Safety Health and Environment Foundation



Figure 9:Huruma Town Youth Group on farm Urban Farming Dairy Goat field demonstration for Youth Leaders Training in Mathare slums by Sylvester Onyango. This is through support by Korea Safety Health and Environment Foundation



Figure 10: Huruma Town Youth Group on farm Urban Farming Chicken raring  field demonstration for Youth Leaders Training in Mathare slums by Sylvester Onyango explaining about chick brroding. This is through support by Korea Safety Health and Environment Foundation