Community Development Unit
Working in the grassroots, Jumuisha enhances community development by creating a resilient youth and women in Makueni County. This is achieved through advocacy, networking and building capacities of community members in various social thematic areas. Community development unit seeks to achieve social responsibility.
We believe that the communities are the core structures that house social and economic development. We empower communities to understand their role in governance, building capacities and promote social change.
The unit houses youth programs, community participation in governance and equality, and capacity building for socio-economic resilience.
Jumuisha Academy
This unit is our knowledge hub. It houses learning and life skills for a better future for youth and women. Our courses are tailored to benefit local and informal entities, school going youth, and children;
- Leadership skills – Student leaders in high school
- Social change for Learners in elementary levels
- Digital learning – All interested
Environmental Protection Unit
Environmental protection unit drives climate action initiatives at rural Makueni. Its initiatives are focused on enhancing the forest cover in Makueni, and also promoting profitable reuse of glass and plastic waste. This unit aims at contribution to the global campaigns on climate action under the UN Sustainable development goals (SDG 13). There is so much that locals can do to drive climate action at the local level, and this unit boosts local climate action by all.
Over the years, the organization has planted over 14000 tree seedlings with very high survival rates, in primary and secondary schools as children are known to be enthusiastic about climate restoration and tree growing. We noticed that learners in primary schools were proud of trees planted and hence scaled up tree planting in secondary schools and eventually in the community.
After Covid 19, the organization scaled the environmental protection to community level, to increase particularly forest cover due to the high human activity and deforestation. In partnership with 7 community-based youth groups engaged in tree nurseries, Jumuisha Initiative ventured into community education on climate action while undertaking community forest restoration initiatives that included tree planting while educating communities on the importance of tree growing and environmental protection while promoting food security thru agroforestry.
Milestones include;
- Tree planting at Makongo primary school, April 2023
- Rehabilitation/ tree planting of 78ha community forest in Emali December 2022
- Rehabilitation/ tree planting of 104ha community forest in Mbui Nzau, October 2021
- Tree planting 200 indigenous seedlings in Ilatu secondary school, May 2020
- Tree planting 200 indigenous seedlings in Ngomano secondary school, May 2019
- Tree planting 300 indigenous seedlings in Kaunguni Secondary school, April 2019
- Agroforestry – 12 farmers in Mbooni, 2021
- Tree planting 30 indigenous seedlings in Ukia Girls high school, 2018
Greatest challenges related to growth of tree seedlings to maturity include drought and lack of water in most arid areas, at school level and community forests; and human activities such as grazing and charcoal burning. These have been resolved by planting seedlings close to rainy seasons hence higher survival and also fencing off planted areas to reduce interference by human activities.
In the next 5 years, we envision growing already planted seedlings while increasing by 30 percent youth participation in climate action and environmental protection. This will be done through in organized initiatives that include local, regional and global partnerships, and grants for environmental protection.
