ALFA Network

Hi everyone,
As you have probably noticed, there are several survey responses on here from members of the ALFA Network in Nairobi, Kenya. Through one of the many email lists I am a member of, I became friends with Erick Omari, who represents the ALFA Network. Over the course of our emailing back and forth, I mentioned my survey project, which he took interest in, and in turn he had several members of his local community (mostly members of ALFA Network) submit survey responses to me. I wanted to take a few minutes now to share some information about ALFA Network, for those of you who might be interested. The information below comes directly from Erick, in his own words, and if anyone would like to learn more about his work or perhaps support the work that he is doing, I am sure he would be happy to hear from you! Erick's email address is omari15ke@yahoo.com

ALFA stands for: - (A better Life For All) is a community based organization and a Network organization. It also educates and delivers services to the community.

It is registered with the Ministry of Gender Sports Culture and Social Services in the year 2006.

It was formed to address the need of the hardship in the slum by achieving the goals and objectives.

The organization is based at Kibera Slum (Lindi) in Nairobi Kenya. Its members are mainly people from Kibera slum and friends who are ready to co-ordinate and work together with Alfa in order to achieve the objectives. The aim of Alfa Network is to offer:-
•Holistic childcare and sponsorship
•Education, skills and vocational training
•HIV/AIDS care and support
•Relief and humanitarian services
•Foster care, children's home and orphanages
•Youth programs and leadership development
•Spiritual teachings, guidance and counseling
•Music, dance, and drama
•Healthcare and income generating activities/micro – enterprise.
•Theater for development
This can be effective through working together with individuals, churches, families, well –wishers, co-operations, companies among others to achieve the goals and objectives.

BRIEF HISTORY OF ALFA NETWORK
ALFA NETWORK is a Community Based, organization (CBO) whose purpose is to provide holistic care and support to HIV/AIDS orphans, vulnerable disadvantaged children and youth, windows and their communities in Kibera slum in Nairobi Kenya. Kibera being one of the largest slums in Kenya, most of its people are single parents, extreme levels of poverty is the characteristic of the slum with most households having inadequate access to basic amenities like shelter, health facilities, education water and sanitation, security and food. This on the other hand has led to cases like immorality in an attempt by these people to sustain themselves. We at ALFA NETWORK seek to provide education, shelter, feeding programs, clothing, healthcare, life skills and vocational training, HIV/AIDS care and support, spiritual nourishment and educational sponsorships to orphans, vulnerable disadvantaged children aged 3-17 years, and disadvantaged youth 18-24 years, both boys and girls. To realize this goal, ALFA NETWORK seeks to work in partnership with communities, churches, other NGOs/Community Based Organizations (CBOs), families and individuals to implement child-focused, community oriented programs and projects that benefit entire communities.

OUR OBJECTIVES
•To advocate for the welfare of orphans, vulnerable children, youth and widows.
•To develop education skills and vocational training centres for orphans, widows, widowers, destitute children and youth.
•To offer continuous childcare and support ministry to children
•Catering for the holistic development of orphans and vulnerable children.
•To administer relief and humanitarian services to vulnerable children and youth in need.
•To run foster homecare for orphans and to establish children homes and orphanages.
•To address the HIV/AIDS challenge, provide counseling care and support services to orphans, widows, youth and the general public.

OUR GOALS
Our goals at present are to seek financial sponsorship and support for orphans in foster homes/family care in Kibera Slum in Nairobi, Kenya. In the mean time we propose to build ALFA NETWORK Children's Centre, set up a vocational computer and ICT skills training, embroidery and Tailoring programs and continue assessing needs of orphaned children in the Kibera Slum area in Nairobi, Kenya.
At the same time we propose to continue providing HIV/AIDS awareness/counseling/care and support ministry, providing Christian solutions. ALFA NETWORK works in partnership with local churches to provide spiritual nourishment for children, youth and communities

OUR MISSION
We at ALFA NETWORK devotedly stand as advocates for destitute children, using God-given resources to release them from the bondage of poverty and misery, improving their physical well-being, enhancing their academic status, healthcare, granting those equal opportunities to discover, develop, exploit and realize their God-given full potential.

ALFA NETWORK welcomes and receives financial and in-kind support in form of gifts, donations, endowments, grants and scholarships from individuals, families, groups, churches, organizations, corporations, companies, friends and well-wishers from all over the world. We seek to serve the less fortunate members of our society by entering into partnership with any individuals, families, groups, churches, organizations, corporations, or companies, willing to support us and our work with or without restrictions, in the following areas:
•Holistic childcare and sponsorship
•Education, skills and vocational training
•HIV/AIDS care and support
•Relief and humanitarian services
•Foster care, children's home and orphanages
•Youth programs and leadership development
•Spiritual teachings, guidance and counseling
•Music, dance, and drama
•Healthcare and income generating activities/micro – enterprise.
•Theater for development.

WHAT PROJECTS HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT BY ALFA NETWORK ORGANIZATION SINCE IT WAS FOUNDED?

1.ALFA Network has made tremendous difference through educating the community about the infection and spread of HIV/Aids, through clean ups, social games, poems, drama (Theater for development)

2.Child to Child activities are also among the initiative of ALFA Network introduced to the Slum. About 100 children have been reached. Among these children some of them have lost both parents and are living with their relatives. A large number hail from single headed families. In these families the children face many difficult situations and lack basic necessities. Child To Child participation promotes and preserves the health of the community and enabling children to play an active and responsible role in health and development of themselves, other children and their families.

3.Educating children on their rights, child labor, child abuse, we have done this successfully through assistance of teaching material from ANPPCAN (AFRICAN NETWORK FOR THE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION AGAINST CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLET. Most of the children have been sensitized on their rights and have known to defend them. We conducted a case study whereby the child was locked out with the parent claiming that the child had lost a needle of 2 Kenya shillings.

4.Theater for development, it is an educative activity which promotes self realization and exploits talents of young people in the community, it also helps as mobilize the community about health issues through acting, indeed it is an entertainment and educative process to the community and the children themselves.

5.Girl-Child education we advocate it through sports, drama. Songs and poems, making the community accept to educate the girls.

6.Vocational training, Embroidery for single parents, we have three embroidery machines which are not enough since the demand is to high, we empower single parent so that they may acquire skills for survival, and be self – reliant

7.Vocational training for youths and the children in computer literacy, we have one computer which we use for office work and equally training the youths and children, the demand is very high, we teach them more theoretical than practical due to lack of enough computers for training the children and youth


HOW DOES THE ORGANIZATION FUND ITS ACTIVITIES?
•The local community plays a great role, it as provides a place where ALFA conducts its activities; there is a small field where ALFA and its members can use for participation, for sports, drama.
•Educating for child right, child abuse and labor, the organization as been supported resource materials from ANPPCAN, KENYA, which are helpful in educating the children about their rights and empowering the community on knowledge of children right.
•Clothing for the children who are less privileged, we have been assisted once with charity missionary brothers, Kibera to help the needy children in Alfa.

TARGET GROUP
ALFA NETWORK targets all people in need and less fortunate in the community irrespective of their race, ethnicity, denomination and educational background these groups targeted are:
•Children under 18 years
•Youth both in schools and out of school.
•Single parents.
•Differently gifted people. (Special people)
•PLWAS and STI's infected and affected.
•Conflicts in the society, to edify peace and harmony


WHO ARE THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROJECT?
•They are the orphaned, infected and affected by HIV/AIDS pandemic.
•Others include vulnerable children and community living within Kibera Slum
•Pupils in Kibera informal schools.
•Youth in and out of school.
•The community of Lindi, Kibera.
•Single parents.

CHALLENGES
•Child right denied in the community is paramount.
•Unemployment for volunteers, Youths in the community tends to be paid in order to offer their services. Alfa has 10 youths who are volunteering.
•Gender. Men within the community are not ready for any voluntary initiatives.
•Cultural bias: - language, relationships,
•Justice denied: - in other cases the children rights are not taken serious with Administration, Chief’s, and village elders.
•Dependency Syndrome: - some expect full support from Alfa Network.
•Need for Human resources and financial support for more activities
•Need for emergency funds for unplanned activities

LEVEL OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT REQUIRED FROM DONERS AND WELL-WISHERS.
Besides monitoring project compliance with regard to implementation and funds, well-wishers are at liberty to provide support in identifying required training resources for the project. Well -wishers will work with the ALFA Network office to develop their capacity in sourcing funds directly for the organization and any other sources to ensure continuity of project activities.

A few photos of members of the ALFA Network which Erick sent to me: