VZW Kitanda

KILIFI COUNTY, Eastern Kenya, Goshi sub-location, Kavunzoni – Goshi – Mitsedzini

MEDICAL CENTER

The construction of a medical center

A medical center should be understood as a medical aid post with a pharmacy. The aim is to provide initial medical assistance for minor accidents such as snake bites, falls, etc. There is also a maternity ward. The medical center is a cooperation agreement with local politics. This aid post is staffed by carefully trained medical personnel. The project started in April 2025.

SECONDARY SCHOOL

The construction of a secondary school

Goshi sub-location has several primary schools. To attend a secondary school, children have to walk about 20 km one way. As you can imagine, most children stop their education at the primary level. A waste of talent. Therefore, at the request of the population, a secondary school was built. A collaboration with national politics ensures the furnishing and the appointment and payment of teachers.

WATER

Water from borehole

Everything that has been achieved so far in the Goshi sub-location started with the search for water! Our "working area" covers an area of approximately 30 km². After thorough geological research, the village of Kavunzoni was selected as the most relevant place to drill for water. Due to COVID, it took some time before the water could be pumped and evaluated, but today the water is available for thousands of people.

PROVISION OF DRINKABLE RAINWATER

1. Water dams and water pipes

Two large water reservoirs were deepened and reinforced with the support of the local government. From there, water pipes and water pumps were installed to schools located about 2 km away. The water is bacteriologically filtered at the end stations.

2. Water harvesting via gutters

And when it rains, we must ensure that as much water as possible can be collected. Gutters are an ideal "instrument" for this.

SANITATION

1. Hygienic toilets

The construction of more than 80 hygienic toilets in various homesteads has ensured that the ratio of children with cholera dropped from 55% to 1.09%, as evidenced by medical research!

2. W.A.S.H. programme

Not only are hygienic toilets important for health, but also their proper use and maintenance. Therefore, a W.A.S.H. (Water Sanitation and Hygiene) program was offered, which was followed with great interest.

FISHES – CHICKENS – BLACK SOLDIER FLY – FRUIT TREES – AGRICULTURE

1. Construction of fish ponds, fish farming and sales

The pumped water in Kavunzoni turned out to be too salty for daily human consumption. It is suitable as drinking water for cattle, as well as for washing oneself and clothes. After some research, it turned out to be extremely suitable for fish farming, which was also carried out under the expert guidance of the K.M.F.R.I., the Kenyan Marine and Fishery Research Institute from Mombasa, Kenya.

2. Chicken farming (laying- and meat chickens) and -sale

Did you know that chicken manure is also nutritious for fish? That's why chicken farming was started, as supplementary feed for the fish but also for the sale of eggs, chicks, and chickens.

3. Breeding and selling of Black Soldier Flies

Protein-rich feed for fish is expensive! So why not grow it yourself? And indeed, the larvae of the Black Soldier Fly are very high in protein and ideal as a protein-rich component of fish feed.

4. Planting of fruit trees

The planting of fruit trees was also encouraged. Partly to compensate for deforestation and of course also as a food source. A project supported by various schools and churches.

5. Training in Micro-Financing

There are fish and fruit, chickens, eggs, chicks, larvae, partly for personal use and partly for sale. But how do you keep everything in good financial balance? The necessary training in micro-financing was provided by Yasmina, a professional in this field. Steve translated it into the local dialect.

6. Widows programme "Posho Mill"

We already had some experience with "Posho-Mills" in our previous widows program in Ahero. There is also great interest in Goshi. In addition to providing these "grinding mills", the necessary electricity must also be provided.

7. Agriculture

Now that water is available, it is being utilized in an efficient and sustainable manner to support agricultural activities. The initial harvest—primarily consisting of vegetables—has already taken place, with part of the produce intended for personal consumption and the remainder sold at local markets. This development marks the emergence of a new source of income. Among the cultivated crops are tomatoes, pumpkins, and onions, grown from seeds brought from Belgium, as well as local varieties of kale. These ingredients are commonly used in the preparation of the traditional Kenyan dish, "Sukuma wiki".

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

MOMBASA, Kenya: Support for an orphanage

On one of our trips to Goshi, a stop was planned at an orphanage in Mombasa, run by a father, mother, and daughter. You can't leave without leaving something that benefits these children.

KISUMU COUNTY, Western Kenya

A. ORPHANAGE

Eldoret, Kenya: Shelter for Street Children

B. ORPHANAGE AND SCHOOL

1. Sending Container with Mattresses, Furniture, and Clothing The sending of mattresses because the orphans had to sleep on metal beds without mattresses. That's how it started for VZW Kitanda. And to fill the container, furniture and other relief goods were also sent in the container. For each child, a dignified bed = "kitanda" in Swahili.

MOMBASA, Kenya: Support for an orphanage

2. Water from a borehole

Water, we can't do without it. One of our basic needs. Therefore, water was drilled on the grounds of the orphanage and the adjacent school.

3. Sale of water from the borehole

To be able to maintain the well and pump, the water is also sold to the neighbors at a market price. A win-win situation. The neighbors have to travel less for water, and an income is created. This way, everyone helps to maintain the well. Another step towards self-sufficiency.

4. Sanitation (toilets and showers)

Bring a few hundred children together, and you create a need for showers and toilets. Personal hygiene is crucial in disease prevention.

5. Water pipes to various houses

Water can be bought by the neighbors at the water kiosk near the borehole. But to facilitate distribution, some water pipes were laid to neighboring houses from where the water could be further distributed. This avoids a bottleneck effect.

6. Fish farming

Children need food. Food costs money. By farming fish themselves, this need is partly met.

7. Emergency aid for floods

The Nyando River that flows through the area cannot always handle the water after prolonged heavy rains and sometimes overflows its banks. This is, of course, disastrous for the surrounding mud houses. We helped build some metal houses on a solid foundation.

8. Widows programme

In addition to orphans, widows are the most vulnerable in African society. To help them build an income, a "Posho-Mill" was provided where grains can be ground into flour. Other widows, skilled in sewing, were provided with sewing machines.

9. Water harvesting from gutters

Periods of rain alternate with months of drought. To bridge these, it is best to collect as much water as possible.

10. Planting trees

Did you know that trees attract rain and retain water longer on the earth's surface? Besides the fruits they produce, this is a double win.

11. Creating sports fields

What is better than sports as relaxation for children? And it helps with personal development: working together and getting the best out of yourself.

C. PRIMARY SCHOOL

1. Water from a borehole

A duplication of the previous story. A more distant primary school, children, need for water, so drilling for water is necessary!

2. Sale of water from the borehole And here too, the water is sold to the neighbors at a market price. The issue is to be able to finance the maintenance of the well and pump.

3. Building a new school

The existing school was falling apart. A new school was built in collaboration with various partners.

4. Water harvesting via gutters

And when it rains, you should ensure that you collect as much water as possible because the dry period is guaranteed to come.

5. Solar panels for the school and borehole

Here too, solar panels were provided by Ministry of Solar from Ruiselede, Belgium.

D. SHELTER- AND REHABILITATION HOME

1. Water from a borehole

The rehabilitation house has been the salvation for hundreds of street children in the area. To survive on the street, different norms are often applied. Here they learned that it could and had to be different. Water was also provided for them.

2. Water harvesting from gutters

And here too, water is harvested and collected.

3. Sanitation (toilets and showers)

The children could choose where they wanted the toilets and showers. And they dug the trenches themselves to lay the water pipes!

4. Fish farming

Here too, a duplication of the successful fish farming from the previous project.