The Katine Project, AMREF’s groundbreaking joint venture with the Guardian and Observer newspapers and Barclays, is less than a year old, but the infrastructure that will enable its success is now in place: AMREF has built up strong relationships with members of the community and local government; skilled development staff have been recruited and an office set up in Katine; an initial needs assessment and a baseline survey, which have identified the community’s development needs, have been carried out.
This approach involves the people who live in Katine in the decisions that affect their lives and ensures that their views help to decide the priorities of the project. As a result, significant progress has already been made in the key areas of health, education, water and sanitation, livelihoods and community empowerment. Here are some of the highlights:
Health
- During April, hundreds of children in 13 Katine primary schools have been immunised against TB, polio, measles, hepatitis B, diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus; stopping children dying from these deadly but easily preventable diseases
- Nearly 1,000 insecticide-treated nets have been distributed to households with children under 5 years of age, preventing children dying needlessly from malaria
- Village Health Teams (VHT) from 41 villages in the Katine region have been trained and 130 bicycles have been supplied to VHTs, so they can reach remote and vulnerable families
Education
Work has begun on building 7 new classrooms, hygienic latrines and a school office at Amorikot community primary school; the first steps towards better primary education in Katine- 41 teachers from 4 schools have received training in the promotion of personal hygiene and sanitation, to prevent children falling ill through waterborne diseases
- AMREF have held workshops to encourage female teachers to become role models for girls in primary schools, which will help increase the number of girls finishing their primary school education
Water & Sanitation
- 5 boreholes have been rehabilitated and 8 boreholes have been successfully drilled, providing clean water to hundreds of Katine households
- 3 water pump mechanics have been trained and equipped to maintain Katine’s boreholes
- The five schools at most risk of water shortage have been fitted with large 10,000 litre rainwater harvesting tanks for clean drinking water and hand washing
Livelihoods
- Farming technology needs and priorities have been identified. Cassava and groundnuts (peanuts) have been identified as key crops which could produce a higher yield and sell for a better price in the markets, ensuring farmers can make a living and that their families have enough food to eat
- 18 livelihoods groups have been formed by local farmers, with democratically elected leadership, ensuring community participation
Community Empowerment
AMREF has held discussions with partners to develop key messages from the Village Health Teams to be broadcast in radio programmes, improving referral rates to clinics
AMREF has collated and prepared materials to share with local government on communication and education needs in Katine, this will encourage long-term government support and engagement with the project
You can read more about the progress of the project to date in our six month update, which was sent to the project's donors.