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Robert V. Lange
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I've been in Tanzania through most of April's rainy season with so many highlights to share with you.
This week we had a very special visit from the former Tanzanian VP Dr. Mohammed Bilal, with details below.
Read about how the Monduli Women Pastoralists are raising their new herd, and their plans for the profits.
Our Project is involved in building authentic earning opportunities to alleviate poverty. Read below for the details.
Through your support, you continue to help others reach for a better life. Thank you.
With appreciation,
Twende!
Robert V. Lange
April 2016
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Installation celebration
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Boma at night-without the rain
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Tanzania's recently retired Vice President, Dr. Bilal, came to see
visited a boma on a rainy night to see just how much
difference lighting makes for the people.
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| VP Dr. Bilal observes micro-grid installation |
Two days later he visited a large boma in the Rift Valley. He watched a team of men and women installing a micro-grid serving twelve houses and several corrals. This required two batteries, two panel locations, and lots of equipment.
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| Warriors joined the women in the singing and dancing |
With 200 workers, residents, and guests also in attendance, the
installation finale was a big party with speeches, dancing and
singing. For the first time, warriors joined the women in the
singing and dancing.
The event was aired on the evening TV
news, with excerpts of Bilal's and Kisioki's speeches and an
interview with Maasai women installers.
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Optimizing project impact
The creation of authentic earning possibilities alleviates poverty. Kenya is rejuvenating vocational training centers. The government realizes that a skilled and inspired young work force is essential to build the future. They recognize the need for young people to look beyond the tourist industry for opportunities for earning
and creating social benefit.
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| Our Project factory staff--ready to share advice |
The Namelok Polytechnic Training Center is one of these centers, and it is growing and strengthening. It now has eight faculty and sixty students. Students study car maintenance, clothing design and production, beauty salon management, and electrical work.
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| An example of our solar training |
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The Namanga Kenya office of the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) is partnering with Namelok.
The AWF is sponsoring the construction of a factory to produce our stoves, and also produce the bricks needed to build the chimneys.
They are covering our costs to train the school staff and for getting the factory up and running.
They will continue to fund us as we provide oversight and ongoing consulting and quality control. We will continue to advise AWF as they set up and manage a sales, distribution, and installation operation.
Most important, as the students learn specific skills related to producing stove parts, they are also developing broader expertise. These skills include welding, metal work, brick making, and bricklaying.
Together with our partners, we are linking stove production with vocational training, empowering students for a productive future in the Kenyan economy.
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Bulls of the
Monduli Pastoralist Women's Organization (MPWO) are
ready for market. This week, the MPWO leaders viewed the herd
and were happy to discover the all the bulls are getting fat and
doing well. 16 of the 36 bulls are now ready for market at a good
price today.
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| The group will invest in another 16 young bulls |
Earlier, the MPWO had moved the herd to the excellent grazing
area to the northwest of
Losimingori Mountain. They wanted to be
sure the bulls stayed healthy and grew to market size in the care
of two warriors they hired to manage their herd.
After seeing the bulls, the leaders met to complete their plans for
using the sales proceeds. They are going to put aside enough to
invest in another 16 young bulls.
The remaining profits will become the basis of the group's new
loan fund. They will lend money to members who want to start a
business or invest in their existing businesses.
They are devising a repayment plan that is practical for the
borrowers and fast enough to establish a revolving loan fund.
The
MPWO aims to benefit the many women ready to try new ways to
generate income for themselves and their families.
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For a better life for the rural world, and a cleaner environment for all
Worldwide Headquarters
International Collaborative, Maasai Stoves & Solar Project
81 Kirkland Street, Unit 2, Cambridge, MA 02138
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