December 2009: Launch of 2010 Organizational Profile

Now in its second decade, Africa Exchange launches a profile for 2010 which brings partners and supporters up to date with our current efforts and accomplishments. This colorful 28 page profile gives the reader a snapshot of the "mosaic" that is Africa Exchange.

November 2009: Launch of Organic Honey Label

CRWRC (Christian Reformed World Relief Committee) has been instrumental in assisting us with hives and means to facilitate training among community members.  Our Integrated Child Development Centers serve as the hub for training as well as housing the extraction facilities. 

September 2009: Garissa

Thanks to generous gifts from Loyola University led by Melissa Browning and the Kenya Health Partnership of Knollwood Baptist Church in Winston Salem, we were delighted to pass on a "Lab in a Suitcase" and other medical equipment to Sisters Maternity Health Outreach (SIMAHO) in Garissa as well as a parabolic solar cooker to our Integrated Child Develpment Center for North Eastern province in partnership with the IKIP project.

As part of our "Development Initiatives" program, we are seeking to build the capacity of local partner organizations to enable them to function effectively on their own, better able to meet their needs and those of their respective constituency.  For a long time, SIMAHO has requested lab equipment which will enable them to perform outreach activities among marginalized Somali groups in North Eastern Province.  This unit, purchased from International Aid, operates from solar power and contains all the necessary implements and supplies for detecting diseases such as malaria, typhoid, and a host of other diseases common to this region.  It also enables full blood analysis necessary for monitoring patients.

The parabolic solar cooker installed at the Bulla Iftin ICDC unit will lessen the dependance on wood fuel, thus conserving the envionment, and making it cheaper for the unit to provide the daily meal to the 100 children enrolled.

SIMAHO Group and Africa Exchange Nathaniel and Rukia watch the pot boil	Sam demonstrates to Lab Tech

August 2009: Kenya Experiences Severe Drought

The relative failure of the long rain season over most parts of Kenya has plunged the country into it's worst drought in 40 years, particularly in the central part of the country. Reports of severe losses among the Samburu and the drying up of reservoirs associated with the Mt. Kenya/Aberdares system are leaving the country in a critical condition. Nairobi is experiencing serious water shortage and electricity rationing is now beginning.

July 2009: Nathaniel Robinson Joins Africa Exchange!

Following many months of preparation and anticipation, Nathaniel (Than) Robinson has finally joined us at Africa Exchange as Coordinator for Development Initiatives. Than holds a Masters degree in Environmental Studies as well as a wealth of East African experience that we hope to utilize as we do our part to save the planet. Than's immediate mandate is to work with our partner communities in implementing income generating projects towards sustainability for each of the Integrated Child Development Centers.

Than will also lead our organization in efforts related to creation stewardship and environmental conservation and education with partner communities. Kenya faces an environmental crisis, partly of its own making and partly out of it's control as the effects of climate change push portions of the population towards the edge of survival. We look forward to Than's good work with us.

June 2009:  Mercer on Mission in Sisit

What a great experience to have students and professors from Mercer University in Kenya for our second Kutana/Mercer on Mission program! Spending the better part of our time with the Sisit community near Sigor in North Western Kenya, we accomplished lots of things that the community had identified as priority.  Among these were a survey of possibilities of providing water to the community from a nearby river, installation of gutters and water storage at the school building, installation of a swingset, development of a drip irrigation system and a bee keeping seminar that educated the community on honey production as a means of income generation.  Many thanks to Randy and Laura who led the group from Mercer.

March 2009:  Kenya Still Struggling

January through March has seen much progress in project work including continuted installation of swingsets at ICDC sites, introduction of bee keeping as a micro-enterprise development project at two sites, and development of the kitchen garden concept at another site.  All of these activities take place against the backdrop of a country and government still struggling to cope with the aftermath of post election violence witnessed in 2008.  Corruption in governement and all of its departments is at an all time high - all this as food shortages begin to bite and the effects of the current global economic circumstances begin to be apparent at the local level.  The following articles gives some indication of our current circumstances (Still scarred from last years election violence), (What Kenyan's Require . . .)