Kenya: Australia Helps Transform Lives
By Lilian Museka
An Australian-funded scheme is saving and transforming lives in the Rift Valley, Nyanza, Eastern Province and Coast region.The recently released Annual Report for the Australia Africa Community Engagement Scheme (AACES) shows how Australian Government support to NGOs has increased in recent years with a focus on helping improve peoples’ lives and delivering more opportunities to the most vulnerable and poor.
With funding from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), NGOs have improved food security for marginalised communities. This has included support for Farmer Field Schools, involving nearly 2,000 smallholder farmers in rural and remote communities and helping them access better agricultural technologies and extension services. The AACES program is being implemented in Kenya by ActionAid International Kenya, Mothers Union of the Anglican Church, World Vision Kenya and Marie Stopes Kenya.
The impact of the program is illustrated by the transformation it has brought to previously marginalised community members such as Susan Apua, a smallholder farmer from Kakili.The adoption of modern farming methods has enabled her to earn an income from farming and ensure her children eat more nutritious food.
“Since I joined the Field Farmer School, I am now selling spinach and cowpea leaves once every week at the vegetable market. I make an average of 600 Kenyan Shillings. From the proceeds I have managed to purchase three rabbits at 1,000 Kenyan Shillings. I now contribute to household income and my children no longer go hungry," she said.
Geoff Tooth, Australia’s High Commissioner to Kenya, was delighted to hear of the findings of the Report.
“I am particularly proud that Australia has been able to assist the most vulnerable groups in Kenya: women like Susan Apua; children; people with disability; and those facing disaster” he said. “By supporting strong community and government engagement we also hope to contribute to greater accountability in the delivery of services to poor and marginalised people.”
NGO activities also improved the health of more than 29 000 women and children who benefitted from modern family planning methods, child vaccinations and safe and clean baby delivery services. Some 1,200 women were screened for cervical cancer and an additional 8,000 women and men received voluntary counselling and testing for HIV.
AusAID provides most of its aid in Africa through partners that are trusted to deliver results. AACES NGOs are encouraged to network and collaborate to achieve greater impact through shared learning and synergies. Delivering funding in this way has helped to improve value for money and improve effectiveness.