PIPAL TREE INDIA
“Contract 2” Aid in the Upliftment of tribal girls and boys from forest communities – Varghese. Total contract CA$14,161 (25 August 2022 – 24 August 2023). Essentially the same project as the successful Contract 1
PIPAL TREE INDIA
Aid in the UpLiftment of Tribal Girls and Boys from Forest Communities Through Building Their Foundation in School Education and Promotion of Life Skills (June 1, 2021 – May 31, 2022) Contract #1
Pipal Tree engages in projects of community empowerment for tribal peoples, dryland farmers, and Adivasi (tribal) children. The current project partnership between Sahakarini and Pipal Tree helps to promote through learning centres a sense of self-identity and dignity in school age tribal students; preventing school dropout; developing leadership skills. The one-year program is expected to benefit about 500 tribal children aged 6-18 from 22 tribal hamlets/settlements.
In order to empower tribal children to learn on their own terms, and to express their knowledge and creativity in meaningful ways leading to meaningful livelihoods for the next generation, Pipal Tree conceived a different intervention to provide a conducive participatory learning environment for tribal girls and boys, school goers as well as dropouts, by establishing and strengthening 22 learning centers/children’s clubs in the tribal settlements. The learning process is one of transformation and self-discovery that leads to developing a personality instilled with self-dignity and the ability to find appropriate livelihood.
My name is Krishnaveni. My father’s name is Swami and my mother’s name is Sarojini. I was in Children’s College and with their support and help I have passed 10th standard. I have benefited from the children’s college in that I gained a clear vision on the importance of education and career aspirations. My aspiration is to become a teacher and I would like to pursue higher studies to achieve that goal. My parents are daily wage laborers and cannot afford the fees or the college fees.
KYENI KYA MUKA SAND DAM CONSTRUCTION, KENYA (2021 – 2022)
Project Title: Sand Dam for Kyeni Kya Muka Self Help Group, Kenya
Sahakarini Project Partner: Utooni Development Organization (UDO), Machakos, Kenya. (February 2021 to February 2022)
UDO is a registered NGO based in Kenya and working with community Self Help Groups (SHGs) in the Semi- Arid lands of Machakos, Makueni and Kajiado Counties.
UDO supports self-help groups to; increase food production through planting of drought resistant crops, improve water security through construction of sand dams which provide clean water for domestic use and for irrigation, conserve the environment by digging terraces and planting of trees, increase income and improve health.
The Sand dam projects aims to: improve water supply and food production; increase sources of income for members; create self-employment opportunities to members; improve the environment thus reducing effects of climate change; and improve knowledge sharing among members.
The work on the site is progressing well. The construction work began on Monday, August 02 and it is anticipated that construction of the dam will end in mid-September for shallow well work to commence.
Nyuat Project SHINE Tanzania (May 2016 – December 2021) –
Completed 2023
Nyuat Project SHINE (Tanzania) is a health and sanitation-based project with Maasai pastoralists in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area of Tanzania. Access to safe water for drinking and washing is essential to health and prosperity; all aspects of sustainable development depend on it The project features two related activities: 1) provision of clean drinking water through installation of approximately 180 biosand filters to provide safe water in homes across 2 communities, and 2) soap making for local community use and to commercially supply local safari lodges under a for-profit enterprise. The 5 years of project funding will conclude in December 2021.
In summer 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic the Nyuat Group switched gears to provide free soap in the local area as a community service. The plan is to resume sales to lodges once tourism improves. In March 2021 the Nyuat team in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area conducted a monitoring and long-term evaluation of the biosand filters. Results were very positive, indicating decreased diarrhea in children and adults, most willingly shared water with families other than their own, and the majority would recommend others buy or receive filters.
Future Dreams: Project possibilities are to install more filters with increased ongoing maintenance or repair based on a pay for service model.
Local perspective from Godwin Ole Mshumba – Nyuat Project SHINE member, past project coordinator and local hospital outreach staff:
Let me say a little bit about soap uses in our community. The community benefits from the soaps from Nyuat Group. During women and child outreach clinics in remote areas, women with children under five years old receive teachings and small pieces of soaps for cleaning their babies’ face and hand washing at their houses. We also provide for pregnant women at 
maternity wards and for young people especially when there are special ceremonies. The use of soap reduces the eye infections and can be used for clothes and body washing. This can help people to stay healthy with no contamination from hands and unclean clothes.
Project motto: 
Tuko Pamoja/We Are Together
(Photo credits: Godwin Ole Mshumba used with subject’s permission)
Projects Committee Report January 2023 Sahakarini Board
1. DIVAC Mexico Wheelchair project – Don Rebus and Barb Frank- (~mid Jan, 2022 – Mar 01, 2023). Expected contract total CA$13,000 based on a CA$8,000 donor to Sahakarini (received) and possibly CA$5,000 to be donated by Camrose Rotary to Sahakarini. Proposal conditionally approved by Board on 29 November based on amount donated to fully fund. The amount donated if/by Rotary will be advised soon; Barb Frank and Don Rebus are project co-leads; and the donation will go specifically to wheelchairs, no training.
2. Kenya & Tanzania Portable Ultrasound Training, Dr. Duffy with Camrose Rotary (CPOCUS) –CA$20,000 contract with Camrose Rotary (~2023-2024). Dr. Duffy sent letter to Rotary club in Tanzania to enquire interest. Nairobi, Kenya Rotary club has committed.
3a. Mikuyu River, Kenya Sand Dam by Bethel Vota Self Help Group – Varghese. Total contract with Utooni for CA$17,636.87 (February 1, 2022 – February 1, 2023.) Final reports due March, 2023, followed by final payment of CA$2,645.
3b. Kimundi River, Kenya Sand Dam by Wendo wa Ngomeni Self Help Group – Varghese. Total Contract with Utooni for KSh 1,566,447/~CA$17,230 (2023-2024). Project approved by Board on 14 December 2022. Contract to be written. Good project for possible donors.
4. Tanzania Nyuat Project SHINE – Laurie. Total contract CA$25,000 (2016-2021) Laurie- awaiting response from Nyuat Group on using remaining funds for biosand filter maintenance.
5. Pipal Tree, India – Varghese. “Contract 2” Aid in the Upliftment of tribal girls and boys from forest communities – Varghese. Total contract CA$14,161 (25 August 2022 – 24 August 2023). Narrative report due, to be followed by CA$5,000 payment.
6. Friends of Shanta Bhawan (FSB Clinic), Kathmandu, Nepal – New proposal for Electrocardiogram machine for CA$5,543.50 being considered.
