Ishiara

Ishiara is a hot, dusty place to the east of Mount Kenya and the people are extremely poor. When Rev. David Kimanthi, the Pamoja co-ordinator in this area, moved to Ishiara in 1990, he found that a small polytechnic and clinic had been built, but had to close down due to lack of support. He resurrected both projects, and Pamoja have helped him develop the facilities. The polytechnic now offers sewing and tailoring classes for girls, and carpentry & brick laying for the boys. Each morning starts with Bible readings and prayers. The clinic is manned by a nurse called John, who does diagnostic work and supplies medication. Most of the patients are too poor to pay for treatment, although some will pay in kind (i.e. with chickens or eggs). Pamoja also sponsors a number of children from the area to go to school.

The Future

Ishiara is a very dry region of Kenya and is often hard hit by water and food shortages. Pamoja is looking for ways of making the projects more robust. We would also like to see the polytechnic training lead to work for those attending. One way of achieving this would be a loan scheme for those wanting to start a business. David's vision is to see the polytechnic grow in numbers attending and the range of courses offered.

Project Pictures