Alberto de la Portilla

Updates from the Comboni Lay Missionary Community in Kitelakapel, West Pokot

Some background information on our area of mission:

Kitelakapel is under Kacheliba parish. It has 17 villages and 17 elders with a chief who works closely to see on the wellbeing of the people of the community.

West Pokot County is one of the 14 Counties in the Rift Valley region. It is situated in the North Rift along Kenya’s Western boundary with Uganda border. It borders Turkana County to the North and North East, Trans Nzoia County to the South, Elgeyo Marakwet County and Baringo County to the South East and East respectively. The County lies within Longitudes 34° 47’ and 35° 49’ East and Latitude 1° and 2° North and covers an area of approximately 9,169.4 km2. West Pokot County, whose Headquarters is Kapenguria, is mainly inhabited by Pokot community and minority community of Sengwer. They are religious people, and most of them are Christians, but there are also Muslims. The culture is rich, and we embrace it. The County is known for its rich cultural heritage, agriculture and livestock. Agriculture and livestock sector is the backbone of the county’s economy with more than 80% of the population engaging in farming and related activities. The county is characterized by a variety of topographic features. On the northern and north eastern parts are the dry plains, with an altitude of less than 900 m above sea level. On the southeastern part are Cherangani Hills with an altitude of 3,370 m above sea level. Landscapes associated with this range of altitude include spectacular escarpments of more than 700 m. The high-altitude areas have high agricultural potential while medium altitude areas lie between 1,500 m and 2,100 m above sea level and receive low rainfall in addition to being predominantly pastoral land. The low altitude areas include Alale, Kacheliba, Kongelai, Kitelakapel.

The Pokot have always been solidly rooted in their own traditions and lifestyle, so only recently have they started to value school education, and the general level of scholarization remains low. Families are mainly polygamous, girls are often married at a very early age, which means, for those going to school, dropping out, as in the case of underage pregnancies, which are also quite common.

The families are quite fragmented, with cases of divorces and separations, causing inevitable consequences on the children’s behavior, feelings and wellbeing. Among young and adults, there is a widespread problem of alcohol and drug addiction, as well as HIV and other sexually related illnesses. Kitelakapel community has 90% of very poor and 10% of middle class consisting mainly of teachers and local government officials and a few commercial farmers.

The agricultural sector is growing and improving given favorable consistent rain and fertility of the soil by application of cow dung. Mostly they plant maize and vegetables in wide fenced area to avoid animals on free range system to destroy them, high breed animals have been introduced to a few to increase milk and meat production.

With improvement in the soil and constant rains the members are fully engaged in growing maize at a large scale which is used for domestic and commercial consumption. Since Majority have a lot of land, the need of equipment’s like a tractor, fertile soil and good seeds will support the community have enough food that can be stored and used in the dry and drought seasons. Maize being a food and cash crop, some households use it to look after chicken and animals which has increased income and food like meat , eggs etc. Reclaiming the dry and idol land trough irrigation that needs availability of pumped water from the underground, onions green paper, tomatoes and greens are coming up from the abandoned land.

A new project: the KITELAKAPEL INTEGRATED COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT COMMUNITY BASED ORGANISATION (KICE-CBO):

This is a CBO which we have recently formed in Kitelakapel, as an instrument to empower our community and family households. 175 members have officially applied and joined the CBO and we are still receiving more applicants willing to join the group. We are now fully registered and certified by the government, and we are at the stage of starting a set of income generating activities, for example bee-keeping, handicrafts, catering, poultry keeping, etc. It is also a SACCO, so the revenues will be given to the members as loans, as well as interests for their savings. We are hoping that this will enable men and women, especially those who don’t have any other source of income, to get involved in economic activities which will allow them to be independent and stay away from addictions and violence. The people love unity and self-support groups through which they are able to get opportunities, save money, trade and participate in socio-economic activities.

Members of KICE –CBO during AGM “It was an honorable atmosphere of joy, great unity, smile for the photo and a good feeling of belonging together to a certified Community Based organization in a village of the poorest and most abandoned”

Comboni lay missionary Pius Oyoma Showing the certificate of registration and constitution to THE KITELAKAPEL INTEGRATED COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT -CBO members.

As the coordinator Comboni Lay Missionary of the international community of Kitelakapel, member of parish development committee and treasurer of CLMK with my profession as a business administrator and accountant and project management skills, sharing my skills to unite and empower people gives me satisfaction through impactful positive influence to the local people that are in need of my work. This helped the group to be certified and recognized by the government and the community. The catholic universal church encourages unity and development through JPIC, CARITAS, parish council, development committee and other NGOs.

The Board members and Leaders of the KICE CBO from the left is the treasurer Christable Cheyech, v/chair Musa Napa, v/secretary Ann Barasa, secretary Samson Changorok, chairlady Paulina Titika

The AGM meeting of the KICE-CBO

Other positive effects of the creation of the KICE-CBO:

In my encounter for the 1st year the majority of men never wanted to go to church, you could only find two but after the campaign SEND MEN TO CHURCH through CMA and KICE –CBO today we celebrate more than 30 men attending church and excited to integrate with women to work for a common goal.

The CWA and CMA visit each other and to support those in serious need with money contributions and prayers.

Integrating and empowering the CMA, CWA, YOUTH and the non-Catholic to build a solid community is a game changer for Kitelakapel, as previously people where not united but staying far apart from each other

Pius Oyoma, CLM Kitelakapel (Kenya)