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BBCF village education supplements the existing primary school curriculum. The curriculum prepares the students in a formal setting to pass a series of government exams and hopefully gain salaried employment with the government or the private sector. Within the community of 20,000 plus that BBCF operates, a very small percentage of village children actually do get employed. Many drop out of school after the first eight years. Others end their formal education with a secondary school certificate without accompanying employable skills.
BBCF seeks to equip the students with crucial life skills in addition to what the schools offer that will better position them to succeed within the village and wherever else they go.
20 people (15 children and 5 adults) make up one BBCF team. Such a team is appropriately called "Helping Hands" and is best recognized by the bright red T-shirts.
We currently have 12 self-managing teams in districts across western province Kenya.
Some teams, like in Samia district, have specialized in children's Mass Choir (MC), while two teams in Khasoko have combined to birth Village of Performing Arts (VPA).
BBCF village education is a team effort bringing together village elders (who in most cases are guardians to the students), school teachers (who are also relatives and neighbors of the students), and a small team of adults who make time to go on trips with the students. These trips are crucial because they allow the students to teach other village students what they themselves are learning.
Several village elders have opened up their homes to serve as bases for BBCF empowerment programs.
BBCF village activities and the corresponding sponsoring homes are as follows:
- Children's Mass Choir (MC). Based in Ganjala village in the home of Florida Okuku
- Village of Performing Arts (VPA). Based in Khasoko village in the home of Dr. Namango.
- Village Soccer Team (VST). Based in Busidibu village (Nambale) at Abdalla Otaro's home.
- Village Speakers Corner (VSC). Based in Namahindi village at the home of Julius Wandera. This program organizes debates and discussions on a variety of village issues.
- Village Discipleship Training (VDT). Venue sponsor to be announced. This coordinates the spiritual needs in the villages.
- Village of Music (VoM). Based in Mundika village, home of Dr. Joseph Muleka.
- Mama Nangulu Catering (MNC). Based in Ganjala village at home of Pastor Bwire.
MNC does professional catering and evangelical work where invited.
The people who have volunteered to lead these village programs are Florida Okuku, Dr. Okumu Bigambo, and Abdalla Otaro, retired senior chief Kokonya, Dr. Muleka, and Pastor Francis Bwire. Mr. Balongo helps plan the travel, fun and work schedules.
The BBCF organization in Kenya is supervised by our regional coordinator, Ms Josephine Oyoo. Josephine is supported by several people who are part of the BBCF board of directors.
BBCF at work in the education comunity.
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| BBCF Presenting Optimus lamp to Esibembe Primary School. | |
Optimus lamp. | |
An Optimus lamp at work. |
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| School uniforms are required to attend local schools. | |
The Helping Hands youth organization allows local children to provide aid to the sick, widowed and elderly in their villages. |
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| BBCF also organizes youth choirs and sports teams to keep village youth healthy and engaged. | ||
BBCF is raising funds to build a health clinic that will service the 10 000 children and their families. There are few facilities within walking distance for the more than 50 000 people in this densely populated area. The closest clinic is a one hour bus ride away and there is no guarantee that it will be stocked with any medical supplies.
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| Village labour and local business are supported by this construction project. | ||
Once established, the clinic would be supported by government doctors and nurses and would also provide a location for outside international agencies to provide specific annual week long treatment care.
BBCF has partnered with villagers who own 10 acres of farmland. The whole village will be involved in the process of preparing the land, planting the crops, tending the crops and harvesting the crops.
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| Community farms are tended by everyone in the the village. Village orphans are also taught farming skills by other members of the community. | ||
Children who no longer have parents to teach them how to farm will learn these skills from other local farmers. They will become familiar with the type of crops that are successful in their area and how to see the process through from start to finish. Young widows will assist in the weeding and general tending to of the crops during the day. They have already made use of a small portion of the land for their poultry farm. The money they make from the sale of eggs and eventually hens, contributes to their ability to be self sufficient.
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| BBCF is spearheading efforts to establish poultry farms run by village widows to provide food and income. | ||
BBCF is raising funds to build an Education Centre and Library. There is currently no such facility available for the 25 schools involved with BBCF.
This building would provide a place for educational workshops, training seminars for teachers, retreats for staff and students as well as a fully equipped library available to the students in the community.