Out of the 36 participants trained, small groups and individuals have put into practice the skills gained and have had the following results/outcomes:
1.Bomabacho Group
2. Bokiambori Group
3. Riotwori Group
4. Bonyaiguba Group
5. Embonga (Youth)
Faith is a youth and she never thought she could make her own cash. She is now growing green vegetables for income generation and her mother is very proud of her. She even assists her siblings with fees payment.
The skills she gained from MNEO have really helped her very much. Coordinator standing on her right side and an animator were happy to hear that she is helping her family.
Some Individual or Family Poverty Reduction Projects
1. Miriam Sarange and Timothy (wife and husband) from Bokiambori
Sarange is very happy that her husband has reformed after the training of MNEO. She told us that the husband used to wake up in the morning, take breakfast and go to sit with other men on the road side or at the market but when time for lunch reaches he comes home for food and goes back to be with other men just having fun. After phase one he went home and started growing Napier grass for their cow in order to get more humus for their crops. They are now growing green vegetables for income to pay for their children fees and have enough to save. She is so thankful to MNEO for training her husband and now he has become a responsive man and a very committed man to his family.
2. Mercy and Richard (wife and husband) from Bokiambori
They are couples who live together and both are participants at MNEO empowerment program. When they heard there is a training they both said they have to come and learn in order to get skills on how to improve their lives. They are growing vegetables while her husband has oxen for ploughing land for generating extra income. Mercy, on the other hand grows bananas sale and when she does not have enough for her customers then she buys from other farmers in order to satisfy her customers. They are now living well and have all they need. The skills they gained at MNEO have helped them and they are very proud of all the knowledge they gained. In fact, they are seeking more skills and knowledge in order for them to do better than now.
3. Josephine and Zachariah (wife and husband) from Bonyaiguba
Josephine in white blouse is very happy with the training she got from MNEO and her husband appreciated the teaching we offer her which made her realize she can do something and improve their living standard. After the first training she went back home and bought 4 chickens for eggs. She later bought 10 improved chickens which started laying eggs. Apart from lay eggs they are also giving local manure which they also sell to neighbors/ farmers and earn some cash to pay for the kids fees. Their children are happy too because they are not sent away from school because of lack of school fees.
4. Teresa Ombati and mother-in-law (the root cause of their problem) from Bonyaiguba
Teresa was a shy lady who never used to talk and participate in discussions but after training she has opened up and now she socialize a lot. Empowerment made her even realize that she can look for a root cause of a problem and solve it. She had issues with her mother in-law and the mother used to abuse her and her husband very much. This was so because of abusing alcohol. They could not even eat food and be at peace in the home. She almost broke up with her husband but after being empowered by MNEO she sat down with her husband and shared why all the drama and this lead to peaceful relationship between a daughter in-law and a mother in-law.
5. Gladys Nyakoe
She is so thankful for the empowerment she got from MNEO. She is happy with the training she gained new skills and knowledge that have changed her life. She is greatefull to the sponsor of the workshop and she wishes that more training are organized for those who are not present during our time. She has opened up her mind and thinks big. She is happy that she has become a new farmer and can generate her own income from vegetable production.
6. Jackson from Bomabacho
TESTIMONIES
1. I, Sarange, and my husband
I think of myself in a more positive way. I have a more self-confident approach. I now believe that gaining knowledge, education and skills gives one power. My husband has been a person who never liked working on the family farm. He got used to waking up early every day to waste time chasing beer and talking to people who do not like doing development work. He contributed to serious poverty in our family. But with my new gained skills I have now made him join me and our young children to work together. The skills enabled me to motivate my husband to abandon useless walks to join to do development. We now grow vegetables for sale and for food. I thank God who sent me to MNEO to be trained on empowerment skills and techniques. My husband is happy because we do not, at least, miss little money for books for our children. Furthermore, I feel I am more aware of my own dignity and the dignity of others. I am interested in people. I feel stronger about issues and have gained the confidence to express feelings on poverty and development issues.
(Translated from mother tongue)
2. I, Teresa, and my mother-in-law
I, Teresa, am very happy to give my testimony! Before the training, I lived a difficult life with my mother-n-law. It was hell. What a great empowerment workshop! The only one I have participated in, in my life. This workshop had something for me. The ability to grasp my relationship with my mother-in-law and think of the hatred. I was about to break up with my husband because my mother-in-law hated me very much. The workshop organized by MNEO took me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to gain greater confidence as a survivor of abuse. I was very impressed with MNEO training on the use of codes which helped me to identify the root cause of bad relationship between me and my mother-in-law. The 5 days (of Phase II) passed by and I was waiting for more when the workshop ended. I remembered the many conflicts by my mother-in-law. For now we have mended our relationship and are working together to fight poverty and bring about development in our home. I will forever thank the organizers of the empowerment training. Please, train others in our village to be like me. Thank you
(Translated from mother tongue)
A quote by the youth participants
“We feel that all the techniques and the methods were extremely good. At no point did we feel that the training was “long” or “dragging on”. Even after breaks and lunch, we felt that there was a lot of energy and enthusiasm. It is great to have MNEO staff with so much energy. We felt challenged and consistently drawn into the exercises and presentations had our full attention due to the way in which they were conducted. Thank you all and God bless”!