Mutomo Maarifa Centre holds its second ICT graduation ceremony

Jubilation was written all over 85 ICT training beneficiaries who graduated in a ceremony held at Mutomo Missions Hospital’s compound on February 2013.The 85 are the second group of ICT training beneficiaries to be awarded certificates as part of an ongoing ICT training initiative which kicked off on January 2012.The ceremony  was presided over by Mutomo District Agricultural Officer Mr.Toma Ngovu.

During the event trainee after trainee praised the opportunity.Martina David, a primary school teacher narrated how her colleagues were dubious about free ICT training.”They were asking me who would offer such training free of charge,” she said adding that the training played a major role in her securing the post of a Presiding Officer with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in the just concluded general elections .

Of the same sentiments were Mutomo Location Chief, Mr.Robert Kusinga who  said that he was interested to enroll for the training after presiding over the first graduation ceremony which was held on July last year.

“I felt challenged that I was awarding certificates to ICT trainees, yet I had not benefitted from the training myself,” said Mr.Kusinga who enrolled for training sessions immediately after the graduation ceremony

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Mutomo Location Chief,Mr. Robert Kusinga(Right) is awarded an ICT certificate by Mr.Toma Ngovu, the District Agricultural Officer.Looking on is Mutomo Maarifa Centre Field Officer,Rhoda Musili

Mr.Kusinga says that immediately after completing training sessions, he was awarded with an office computer since he now has the skills to work with one.

“I plan to be utilizing the computer to store my locations’ information data,”Says Kusinga who praises the ICT trainer for his flexibility in the training and understanding the diverse needs and understanding levels of the trainees.

Mutomo Maarifa Centre Field Officer Ms.Rhoda Musili encouraged the trainees to exploit available resources at the Maarifa Centre listing e-government services as some of the emerging services in the ICT world that needed the community to be computer literate.She urged the beneficiaries to exploit the skills gained in engaging in meaningful opportunities like distance learning .

Mr. Ngovu  urged the beneficiaries to exploit the available Maarifa Centre resources to search for Agricultural information as well as business and social networking sites for information sharing and dissemination.He however cautioned them on internet fraud .

“I would like to thank ALIN for initiative of empowering our community,” concluded Mr.Ngovu.

The free community training is part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded to ALIN in August 2011 to implement various community activities. The main goal of the community IT training is to enable communities’ access opportunities and resources available globally and to catalyze youth entrepreneurship for livelihoods improvement

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Visit Practical Action website to read more of Practical Answers.

For technical enquiries, kindly fill the Practical Enquiry Form and send it back to us.


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Youth demonstrates that disability is not inability

Josephine Mwende Kamene has a noble dream in life; to study hard, earn money and start a children’s home!The 19 year old physically challenged youth who wants to pursue a career in accounting has enrolled for a free ICT  training training opportunity at Mutomo Maarifa Centre  to make this dream a reality.

But what sets this enthusiastic youth apart from the other trainees is her determination to acquire this knowledge despite odds.Josephine has a mental condition known as Spastic Cerebral Palsy,a condition which has affected her speech and hand movement.

Because of her condition,Josephine cannot exploit computer applications normally and therefore holds a pen with her mouth to navigate the keyboard.

“I enrolled for this opportunity because I wanted to acquire further knowledge,” says Josephine who is a living proof to the saying that’ disability is not inability’

Agribusiness is the key to economic stability…community told

Residents of Mutomo have been asked to practice agri business as a means of achieving food security and economic stability.

Speaking during a National Field Day celebrations at Mwala Sub-Location of Mutomo District, Engineer Nicodemus Kyalo Mwonga from the Ministry of Agriculture also stressed for the need for farmers to embrace water harvesting.

“On farm as well as roof catchment water harvesting techniques are the best water harvesting techniques that can do well in our local situation” said Engineer Mwonga

The guest of honor,Eng.Mwongo gives his speech

Mr. Mwonga also pointed out the need to for the community to form groups so they could write proposals and benefit from government grants like Njaa Marufuku Kenya.

Partners and stakeholders who participated in the Field Day included other government departments, ALIN, Catholic Diocese of Kitui, Swedish Mutomo Group (SMG) and KREP.

                                                                                                           
National Field Days are thematic learning fields which give farmers and the community an opportunity to learn different technologies .This year’s theme was ‘Enterprise diversification, early land preparation, on farm water harvesting for improved production’

Community told to embrace cooperatives as key to food security.

Residents of Mutomo District have been told to form co-operatives as a way of poverty eradication towards achieving Millennium Development Goals.

Speaking during a World Food Day held at Kyamuthwa Primary School in Kyatune Location of Mutomo District, Professor Reuben Muasya urged the community to embrace farming as a business as a way of achieving food security.

“It is time farmers embraced farming as a business to for economic stability,” said the Professor of Agronomy and Seed Science who is a lecturer at South Eastern University College (SEUCO ).

Professor Reuben Muasya  (right) speaks during the event.Left,Mr.Toma Ngovu,Mutomo District  Agricultural Officer.

During the event, Mutomo District Agricultural Officer Mr.Toma Ngovu appealed to the community to take advantage of agricultural extension officers available for extension services.

“Extension is demand driven and the community should visit our office to request for the same,” said Mr.Ngovu urging the community to start early land preparation and plant drought resistant crops as well as planting certified seed which could do well in the area’s climate conditions.

Above,Mutomo Maarifa Centre stand.(Centre),the guest of Honor,Professor Reuben Muasya visits the Min.Of Agriculture stand.Right,Community members sample library resources displayed at Mutomo Maarifa Centre’s stand.

During the event different community groups, government departments and stakeholders displayed indigenous knowledge, services offered and diverse technologies to the farmers.

World Food Day (WFD) was established by FAO's Member Countries at the Organization's 20th General Conference in November 1945. It has since been observed every year in more than 150 countries, raising awareness of the issues behind poverty and hunger.Since 1981, World Food Day has adopted a different theme each year, in order to highlight areas needed for action and provide a common focus.This year’s World Food Day theme was ‘Agricultural Co-operatives-Key to Feeding the World’

Mutomo Maarifa Centre free ICT training Pictorial

Mutomo Maarifa Centre is a one of ALIN's community resource Centers located at Mutomo District of Kitui County in Eastern Kenya.The Maarifa Centre offers free access of information to the Community with an aim of improving their livelihoods.
As part of its community empowerment pillar the Maarifa Centre has introduced a free computer training program as from January 2012.

The training which is being offered at Mutomo Mission Hospital has attracted hundreds of community members ranging from farmers,civil servants,the youth and even the old.

Mutomo Maarifa Centre free ICT training Pictorial from Mutomo Maarifa Centre on Vimeo.

A learning session

These St.Patricks's students participating in the Adobe Youth Voices had a very successful photo shooting session where they shot photos in line with climate change,its contribution to poverty levels and how it affects their school life.These are some students' photos during the session.For more on the training kindly visit their blog: YOUTH VOICE

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Youth say….through photography

Thirty students from St.Patrick’s High School in Mutomo District of Kitui County,Eastern Kenya are benefiting from a photography course through Mutomo Maarifa Centre.

The training is supported by Adobe Foundation through the Adobe Youth Voices Program,a global philanthropic initiative inspiring youth to 'create with purpose'

The youth program,dubbed as 'The change we want" will see the youth addressing issues affecting them and their communities through use of multimedia tools.Youth will also gain skills on teamwork,photography and Adobe software editing skills.

Mutomo Maarifa Centre has set up a blog where we will be posting on the youth’s progress as they work on the program.Please visit this link to see their progress

Pupils have a taste of technology at Maarifa Centre.

Twenty pupils from Makosi Primary School of Mutha Division in Mutomo District today had an exciting opportunity to attend an Introduction to Computers learning session at Mutomo Maarifa Centre.

The standard eight candidates who were accompanied by two of their teachers were happy to learn and practice on the basic computer operations.

‘I have always been hearing about computers but I was yet to see and operate one. I am very happy for the chance to finally know how a computer works' said Shadrack Muliwa,a pupil . He added that he can now boot a computer, write, edit and save a document on his own’

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Mr.Jeff Muta,a teacher thanked the Field Officer for taking the pupils through the session.

During the three hour session,the pupils learnt on types of computers,computer elements,and had a practical section where each booted up a computer, typed,edited and saved their documents in Microsoft Word.

The pupils were on a learning trip in Mutomo District to learn on operations in Government Offices and other Organizations.

Embrace indigenous food crops…..community told

The Ministry of Agriculture and its stakeholders had a national field day on September 14th 2011 which was attended by residents of Mutomo and Ikanga divisions of Mutomo District

Stakeholders who participated in the Field day included Arid Lands Information Network( ALIN ),Ministry of Agriculture,Ministry of Livestock production,National Bank of Kenya among others.

The field day, which was attended by among others the Provincial Director of Agriculture,Eastern Province Mr.Joseph Ngatho and the National Crops Officer Mr.Maina,attracted hundreds of community members who were eager to learn new agricultural ideas and technologies.

The theme of the field day was water harvesting,grow more food, land preparation and planting.

Different government departments,Non-Governmental Organizations,Community Based Organizations and Financial institutions had the the opportunity to showcase to the community members on the services and products they offer especially touching on the themes.

Speakers at the event stressed the importance of embracing indigenous food which can do well in the climatic conditions.Some of these crops named included sorghum,millet,green grams,cowpeas, sweet potatoes and cassava.

Residents were also encouraged to cultivate cotton as it not only does well in harsh climatic conditions but also can be a major income generating avenue now that the price of cotton has gone up.

Farmers were also encouraged to grow green grams and Gadam sorghum as they are drought escaping crops and have established market.

They were also implored to come up with production and marketing groups for ease of getting extension messages and to avoid exploitation by middlemen when marketing their products.

Farmers were also urged to prepare their farms early.

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ALIN wins the 2011 Access To Learning Award!

Arid Lands Information Network(ALIN ) is this year’s winner of ATLA award,a yearly award offered by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.The $1 million (U.S.) award is given each year by the foundation's Global Libraries initiative.

The Access to Learning Award (ATLA) recognizes the innovative efforts of public libraries or similar organizations outside the United States to connect people to information through free access to computers and the Internet.

The Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) has created 12 Maarifa—or Knowledge—Centers in the most hard-to-reach regions of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania so that these people have the tools they need to improve their health, increase their incomes, and better their lives.

Read more on the award here http://www.gatesfoundation.org/atla/Pages/2011-atla-winner-alin-eastern-africa.aspx.

Mutomo Maarifa Centre users praise the newly stocked library

Mutomo Maarifa Centre users have praised ALIN for the efforts to provide information to the community through its recently stocked library. The Maarifa Centre recently received reading material form Book Aid International.

James Mburu who is a nurse at the Mutomo Mission Hospital visited the centre during the unpacking of the books.He could not hide his joy at seeing the books “God Bless you for the initiative you have taken.I am very grateful for this Maarifa Centre.Its a very wonderful project for the community"he said.....Read more

Maarifa Centre an information hub community.

Mutomo District is an arid and semi arid area in Kitui County which is frequently faced by long spells of drought. Residents of the district rely mainly on small scale farming and keeping of drought resistant domestic animals. As such residents are oftenly faced with food shortages and mostly rely on food aids. Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) in partnership with the Communication of Kenya and the Mutomo Mission Hospital established Mutomo Maarifa Centre on October 2007 to provide the community with information on climate change adaptation, natural resources management, small-scale sustainable agriculture and other livelihood issues. Mutomo Maarifa Centre is hosted by the Mutomo Mission Hospital and all the services offered are FREE of cost

Services offered

• Internet access • e-Government services e.g. KRA pin registration, Examination Results etc • Publications • Multi-media content e.g. ipods,CD-ROMS etc • Online Market Information • Advisory services • ICT training......see full details

Mutomo Maarifa Centre milestones for 2007 to Feb 2011 outlined

Mutomo Maarifa centre was established in August 2007 to serve the local communities with various services including local content generation and dissemination, free Internet access, computer skills training, access to development publications and other outreach activities to ensure communities get appropriate information resources. During a focal group meeting held on 22nd February 2011, the members noted the following milestones: ...Read more

New Advisory Committee for Mutomo Maarifa Centre

The Mutomo focal group members organized for a meeting that was held on 22nd February 2011 at the Mutomo Mission Hospital. The meeting comprising 22 participants was convened to discuss among other issues; Internet access at the Maarifa centre, Maarifa centre governance structure and reconstitution of the advisory committee, Mutomo Maarifa centre milestones, Mozambique visitors technical study visit to Mutomo and Kyuso and MPESA operations at the Maarifa centre.

The meeting was facilitated by Mr. Noah Lusaka project Manager and Roseline Ngusa Finance and Administration Manager from ALIN Headquarters.

Innovative selection of the committee

During the discussions, the Maarifa centre governance structure was explained in details and the roles of stakeholders outlined. Given that there had been many changes from the original committee constituted in 2007, the members agreed to reconstitute a new Advisory Committee comprising 11 members. To ensure equal participation and democracy, a criterion was set for selecting the committee. In effect, the committee is diverse to ensure different information interest groups are represented. Among the common interest groups identified included: Government representation, Ngos, women, youth, physically challenged, Community based organizations, local leaders and educational institutions...Read more