Regions: Africa   Asia   Latin America


Name of Organization: Dupoto-e-Maa Olkejuado Pastoralists Development Organization

Country: Kenya

Project Title: "A Project To Sustain Prevention Of Child Labor Through Education Among At-Risk Pastoralists Children"

Project Timeframe: 6 months

Location of Project: Kajiado District

Budget Amount: $10,000

NGO contact and website:
P. O. Box 264-01100
Kajiado, Kenya
Phone: 254-045-21247
E-mail: dupoto-e-maa@africaonline.co.ke

Project's Primary Objective: Ensure the long-term sustainability of anti-child labor efforts.

Description of Organization: Dupoto-e-Maa (Olkejuado Pastoralists Development Organization) is an indigenous local NGO started in 1993 and registered under the laws of Kenya. It has a Board of Governors of 15 and membership of 88 men and women representing all sectors of the community.

Dupoto-e-Maa exists to facilitate and contribute towards the sustainability and growth of the Maa community in Kajiado. To achieve this, Dupoto runs programs on education, primary health care, protection and wise utilization of land/pastoral resource base for economic growth, and advocates for human basic rights. We believe that determination is the way to liberty, each one must have a share, and everyone has a role to play.

DUPOTO has initiated six new primary schools in remote rural areas to access excluded eligible children. It has assisted 21 other schools with training for capacity, provision of facilities both physical and learning and teaching and trained teachers and school committees. Two new girls’ dormitories were constructed while four others were renovated. Boarding facilities such as beds, mattresses, cookers and solar facilities for lighting have been provided to 11 boarding schools. This has improved access, retention, attainment and quality of education in the Pastoralists areas of Kajiado. Dupoto has trained and sensitized pastoralists on the importance of education for both girls and boys and on wise use and management of Pastoral Resource Base. It has mobilized human resources to create awareness on HIV/AIDS among pastoralists. Dupoto has carried out projects on water and restocking of small stock to improve income status of poor households. Dupoto has initiated formation of local institutions such as Sectional Action Groups and Association of Kajiado Public Primary Boarding Schools to assist in lobbying and in community mobilization. In the District Dupoto is a member of District Development Committee, District Education Board, District Steering Group for Arid-lands development project and District Poverty Reduction Strategy Committee.

Description of Project funded by CIRCLE: This Dupoto CIRCLE project is located in Kajiado District, Rift Valley Province of Kenya along the Tanzania border. The problem addressed is the prevalence of child labor among at-risk Pastoralist children. Many Pastoralist children are withdrawn from school at age of about 10 to engage in herding either on hire for pay or on family subsistence basis. Exclusion from education predisposes the children to future uncertainty in life for they will have limited opportunities both in employment and in self socio-economic development.

The project idea arose from the need to sustain current efforts to eliminate child labor and to retain enrolled pastoralist children in school. The fragile and semi-arid lands where the pastoralists live are prone to demand for child labor, mostly in the form of herding. To thwart the practice there is need for external intervention. The project will complement on-going awareness creation efforts to ensure children enrolled in school do not lapse to engage in child labor.

The main objective of the Project is to sustain efforts in preventing child labor among at-risk Pastoralists children from Kajiado District through promotion of education. The project will:
(1) Ensure that children enrolled in the target schools are retained and proceed to the successive education programs; and (2) Improve the participation of the local community in efforts to prevent child labor and ensure children continue with education.

The project will ensure participation of community members and relevant stakeholders through all the stages of the project. The activities include training, sensitization, workshops, provision of necessary school facilities and monitoring and evaluation, lobbying and advocacy, media messages and drama. Training, sensitization and empowerment of community members, pupils and teachers will be promoted in-order to enhance an all round campaign to sustain efforts to prevent child labor

Project Targets (Common Indicators):
Enrolment: 170 children
Persistence: 100%
Transition: No transition to other non-CIRCLE funded programs
Conclusion: 100%