Change Story- Magdalene Nduku John
Basic Information |
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Have you informed the person (interviewee) that the information and photos collected may be used for publicity purposes and gained their informed consent? Yes. |
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Interview Questions |
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Tell me about your family (Basic Family Information)?
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My name is Magdalene Nduku John, 32 years old, married to John Musyimi, who is 34 years. We are blessed with three children; the first born is Victor Kilonzi 10 years, Caleb Mwendwa 6 years and last born Gloria Mutheu 4 years all in Primary school.
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How are you and your family involved with the project? |
I am a member of Malioni Kyeni Youth group a vegetable growing group comprised of 22(male- 15, female- 7) members. Our group is one of the groups that form Mutwangombe Community Based Organization in Mwingi Central. Since when we formed the CBO, our group has received a series of capacity building trainings from ADSE on Good agricultural practices. ADSE trained us on how to approach the vegetable enterprise as a business. We have started Village saving and loaning activities after ADSE trained us.
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What was your life like before being involved with the project? |
Before ADSE engaged us, our family lived in total misery since we relied on meagre income from Bodaboda business, charcoal burning and brick making. We lived in a flat roofed single house which we had constructed at our ancestral land (extended family) exposing us to recurring family conflicts. Due to the high poverty levels we, oftenly skipped meals. Our children were always being send home due to the inability to settle school dues on time. Nearly in all the shops in the shopping center we had been nicknamed due to the habit of borrowing and failing to settle debts on time. As a family we were used to wearing tattered clothes. Our lifestyle was pathetic, living from hand to mouth! Though we had family land along Kamunyu River, the water level was low and we could not establish crops under irrigation. Access to generator for irrigating the land was also a nightmare. |
How has your life changed since being involved with the project?
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During review of action plans and development of participatory activity and monitoring matrix, our priority as a group was construction of a sand dam. As community we offered casual labour and all required raw materials and within few months the sand dam was complete. During the OND rains, the sand dam harvested enough sand raising the water table. Water was well recharged in the sand to support irrigation. ADSE in collaboration with the county ministry of Agriculture has trained us on good agricultural practices severally both through demonstrations and filed days. They also trained us on micro finance literacy more on formation of village saving and loaning groups. As a group we formed a VSL groups and started saving regularly with the vision of building up enough savings to enable us access credit to buy a generator and establish high value crops in the piece of land along the river since the water level had risen after construction of the sand dam. Our vision as a family actualised when we borrowed a loan from the VSL group and bought a generator. ADSE linked us to certified agro dealers for ease of access to farm inputs. We established kales, tomatoes, sugarcane, spinach and cabbages in the piece of land. So far the kales and spinach have earned us kes 60,000 and 20,000 respectively within the last 5 months and we are still selling. Cabbage and tomatoes will be ready for selling in September and we expect them to fetch kes 15,000 and 50,000 respectively. Sugarcane which will earn kes 10,000. From the sale of the vegetables we have bought 30 chicken and 8 goats to provide manure for the farm, provide eggs and milk for improved nutritional status and a source of income. We have also managed to buy our own farm. As a family we have stable income, affording 3 nutritious meals in a day, dressing decently and living in a modern house. My children are healthy since the chicken and goats are providing enough eggs and milk for them respectively which they consume as per the trainings we have received from the home economics officers that ADSE linked us to. |
What else would you like to see changed in your community? Or, what do you want for your future?
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Our concern now is improved road infrastructure from our farm to the main road for easy offtake of our produce. As a family we are planning to buy a pickup to transport our produce to different market centres. |
How do these changes and the project make you feel? |
I feel indebted to ADSE for the support they have offered to us. My family is happy and our life has changed positively. |
Other comments from the interviewee? |
May ADSE live forever to continue supporting other vulnerable people as they did to me |
Comments by the Interviewer |
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Interviewers name and title: |
Mr Evans Mwanzia, Project Officer. |
Observations of interviewee and their family situation
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The family is very happy, they have transited from poverty to middle class. The children are healthy and happy about their new family status and are ready to work hard in school.
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Why was this person chosen to be interviewed? |
Magdalene is one of the group members who have taken up the project seriously with the aim of changing her life dreams. The family has a successful enterprise with noticeable impact in their life. We have walked with the family from planning on what to establish to marketing. |
Describe the project area |
The target area is a rural area where most families are both crop farmers and livestock keepers. The group is located at Malioni village in Kathoka sub location in Mutwangombe location in Waita ward of Mwingi Central Sub County in Kitui county. |
State the project activities being implemented in the project area |
Water and sanitation activities, agricultural and livestock trainings, village savings and loanings,school child clubs, physically challenges people, drug adherence for the support groups,OVC support, |
List photos taken: |
1. Mary working in her farm. 2. Mary scouting for pest and diseases in the farm 3. Mary working in the farm with family members 4. Sand dam along Kamunyu River 5. Consent |