'Harambee' is a Kenyan tradition of community self-help events such as development activities or fundraising. The literal meaning of the term translates to "all pull together" in Swahili. Similarly the 'Meitheal', an old Irish expression, describes the co-operative labour system some time ago in rural Ireland where scores of neighbours would join together as a community to help each other in turn with heavy seasonal tasks.

Inspired by this universal cooperation to social need, Delia Queenan and her son Shane Queenan are travelling to Kenya on the 15th of June 2019 to volunteer their time and skills with rural communities in Londiani, a town 220km northwest of Nairobi. Due to its location and climate, Londiani performs well below the national average on all key indicators. Studies have shown only 11% of the population have access to electricity, 44% do not have access to improved water and up to 60% of the population are living below the poverty line.

Delia, a nurse and Shane, a mechanical engineer are volunteering their time and skills for the June Harambee with the Irish charity Brighter Communities Worldwide. Brighter Communities Worldwide work in partnership with communities to deliver programmes that enrich the lives of communities such as Londiani and help create better futures for them and their families. Programmes focus on health, access to clean water, better education and increasing household income.

While in Kenya, Delia and Shane will be involved in:

· Providing remote emergency care courses

· Installing retrofit smokeless stoves

· Facilitating Life Skills courses

· Enabling economic empowerment through business education

· Improving the local water supply system

Creating a clean and safe environment where children are at school is vital. To help Brighter Communities achieve this aim, training programmes are implemented to raise awareness among teachers and students on the environmental health issues through classroom studies. If people who partake in the training know the risks, they can then impart their knowledge to the wider community therefore creating a safer school environment. Delia will be involved with such health promotion across schools and clinics along with providing remote emergency care where needed.

Providing an alternative to cooking over open fires, smokeless stoves have a chimney to remove smoke from cooking areas and reduce the amount of wood used by two-thirds which creates a healthier, safer and a more economical home. It can be installed in less than a day for as little as €12 per household. Shane will work with locals installing these stoves with the overall aim to improve the quality of air in homes thus enhancing the quality of living for the Londiani community.

Brighter Communities Worldwide is a registered charity CHY16505 who is also registered with the Charities Regulatory Authority - CRA 20059583.

Delia and Shane's Kenya Volunteering Page

Created by Shane Queenan

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