PATHWAYS Leadership for Progress

Lily Chepkorir, a 2006 PATHWAYS scholar, comes from a very poor family. Despite her economic hardships, she scored a B+ on her school leaving exam. In her community of Bomet, Lily often helped with projects such as soil erosion control, planting trees, and raising HIV/AIDS awareness. She began her studies in Agriculture at the University of Nairobi (UoN) in October 2006. Her project focuses on a beekeeping enterprise in her community to improve the economy. “Instead of areas lying idle, I saw beekeeping and honey production could help the living standards of the people by generating income.”

2007 update

Lily enjoyed her first year at the University. She says “University life has been interesting, I am learning new things every time. I thought before I joined that University is a place where people relax and do what they want. This has been the exact opposite-lectures throughout, practicals, report writing, and every other thing. No idling at any time. A professor called Prof.Ackello Ogutu who took us a course in Philosophy and Practice of Extension has influenced me so much, .He has been one of my best lecturers. He not only taught us the concepts of the unit but also widened my world view in the job market in relation to the need for Agricultural activities. My fellow students have been an encouragement and have helped me mold my character. Meeting many from different backgrounds has been of great importance. I appreciate them so much.”

Lily’s project is based in Bambanik village in Bomet District. The main objective of her project is to develop the local economy by keeping bees to produce honey and planting trees to improve the environment and supply nectar for the bees. The project has been registered under the name Arise and Shine Youth group as a community based organization and is comprised of 15 youth members. Lily launched the project in Bomet on March 10, 2007 and invited guests, one of which was a project coordinator of a self-help group who has experience in bee keeping. The other one was her assistant chief. Lily has organized the construction of seven beehives and one tree nursery.

She says, “Working on the project has changed my world view. I used to think that one needed large capital to begin a project but I have realized that starting even with very little capital is a step to success and with time it would expand. What I have liked most about my project is the fact that it covers all the sectors, social, financial and physical development of the local people. The group formed and others to be formed encourages people to socialize. At the same time wax and honey are good for health. The project in itself conserves the environment.”

2008 Update

Lily was awarded the honor of “Most Improved PATHWAYS Scholar” for 2007.

With regard to her project, Lily reports, “I work with a group of 20 youth and the project is registered under the District Social Services as Arise and Shine Youth Group, with the main activities being: bee keeping (main activity), tree nurseries preparation, helping in soil conservation along the seasonal roads near the place we are working in and water conservation in our community dam (Kagawet dam).”

Lily has made much progress. Her youth group is now linked with:

• The local Administration
• District Livestock Production Office, department in the Ministry of Agriculture
• An association of beekeepers in Bomet, “Bomet Asali Producers Association.”
• The Ministry of Forestry, Bomet District.
• The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Bomet District.
• Baraka Agricultural College

Lily says, “The project is an income-generating project. The Arise and Shine Youth Group members agreed to plough back 20% of the total income every time the project generates money. The project’s assets like beehives, catcher box, water containers, bee suit and apiary have a long life span, up to 10 years. Therefore the project will be sustained after I graduate.”

The progress of the project will be measured each year by the following:

• The number of hives
• Kilograms of honey harvested
• Number of tree seedlings
• Amount of income earned and how the income has benefited the group members
• Group’s involvement in community work:-soil and water conservation
• How accepted the project is in the community

2009 Update

Through PATHWAYS funding, Lily has equipped her community group with 17 bee hives, a bee suit, an apiary that accommodates 10 hives, 2 catcher boxes used in collecting bees from different places, a smoker used during harvesting of honey, and a watering can. The bee keeping project, however, has faced challenges from climate and migration of bees due to attack by predators. Thus far, a total of 31kg of honey has been harvested. The money earned from the sale of honey has helped contribute to the local economy. In addition, the group sold 1100 seedlings worth Kshs.5500 from the tree nursery project. Currently the group has 800 seedlings in the nursery which were planted after the rains.

To help the local environment, the group participated twice last year in building of gabions (stone filled baskets) and making of terraces in a semi-permanent road next to their home area, as a way of preventing soil erosion. They have also been responsible for filling the spillway of Kagawet dam to prevent loss of water during the rainy season.

2010 Update

▪Further involved community in project.
▪Developed leadership skills among group members. [Community group and assistant chief pictured left]
▪Linked the group to other institutions i.e. BARAKA to help with honey production.
▪Built capacity in the women’s group in area of growing crops for food security and energy conservation.
▪Conservation efforts of community group in conservation of communal resources, i.e. community dam.
Plans for 2010-2011
▪Developing a savings and loan where members can save a little and get a loan from the savings.
▪Accessing extrernal market for crops and honey produced at village level.

[Pictured left: woman who has donated use of land for women's project of growing crops for food security.]

2011 Update

Lily graduated in December 2010 and thereafter began an internship with Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT). DOT is a Canadian based NGO that works in 12 countries including Kenya. DOT Kenya is currently implementing the program ReachUp!, StartUp! and the IBM Executive Leadership program that creates economic opportunities for the youth and disenfranchised communities. Lily’s honey and crop projects in her village are ongoing.