Kenya: Dandelion Africa
The vision of Dandelion Africa is to contribute to opportunities for rural marginalized women, girls and youth to improve their health, economy and education through creating safe spaces for them to receive information and service that will improve their lives and alleviate poverty. We love helping volunteers find their perfect placement. Fill out our Interest Form to get started!
The focus of Dandelion is on disseminating information and on reproductive health and helping women develop skills that will improve their health, economic livelihood, and overall life. The programs are based on four principles:
- Human Rights
Equality and equal opportunity in all aspects of life regardless of nationality, tribe, religion, gender, sexual preference, age, physical or mental disability. - Empowerment
Real development and progress will only be possible if women are empowered and gain true equality, opportunity, and influence on all levels of society. Gender equality means legal and practical equality of rights and opportunities in the family, in the community, and in the country. - Knowledge
Young people have the right to participate in issues regarding their education, sexuality, and future. They have the right to receive accurate and relevant information and services in order to protect themselves against HIV/AIDS and other STIs. - Transparency
Open and honest communication and accountability towards all stakeholders. Our programs would not be possible without community cooperation or sponsor partnerships
Health Care
A clinic was recently constructed in Sarambei, Kenya where the community accesses services like family planning, cervical cancer screening, immunization, Voluntary Counseling and Testing services of HIV and general treatment. This clinic is the first sexual reproductive health clinic in the area. Unmet need for sexual reproductive services in rural areas also provide mobile clinic days where the staff and volunteers travel to provide a pop-up clinic.
In 2018 we plan to start the construction of a maternity centre so we can help reduce the number of deaths as a result of inefficient home deliveries especially with the assistance of unskilled birth attendance.
Why Baringo County, Kenya?
Dandelion Africa works in Baringo County because its poverty level is 5% — 10% higher than the national average of 47%. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), in 2012 Baringo had a population density of 401 which is 30% higher than the national average of 282/km2, and the average household size is 7, 14% larger than the national average. Additionally, 0-14 year-olds constitute 49% of the population, and the population of children under 5 years is 16.5% which is higher than the national average of 15.4.
The Women’s Empowerment program was started in September 2009 in Rongai Sub County, Kenya, where the majority of women have not attended secondary school.
The Women’s Empowerment program offers training and workshops on the following subjects:
Medical Care and Public Health
- Clinic and Medical Center
- HIV/AIDS, positive living for those infected,
- Family planning,
- Public health and skills training – curriculum can be provided
- Mobile clinics
- Medical data collection
- Domestic violence,
- Female genital mutilation (FGM), and general health and sexuality
- Counseling – Talking to youth
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- Planning outreach activities
Sexual reproductive health (SRH) is needed in because of a poorly educated population that reduces access to 
health services and because of negative cultural health practices such as female genital circumcision (FGC). Workshops are done with the schools and parents on the impact of cultural practices on the performance of girls, the major issue being FGM, early and forced teen marriages, substance abuse and dependency on the parents among others
The lack of family planning perpetuates poverty through close spacing and large numbers of children. As well as early marriages, early pregnancies and low levels of girl child education lack of basic hygiene practices e.g. mosquito nets, access to clean water.
Micro Finance Entrepreneurship
- How to start and manage small businesses, consulting in small businesses, and table banking (the savings and microloan project) with currently 842 women from 42 different women groups
- Basic Bookkeeping
General
- Education – tutor English, science, math during the April and August school holidays. School breaks are: January to March, May to July, September to October Working with students at those times would be mainly in August. In December, Dandelion does not take volunteers.
- Sustainable agriculture techniques (organic farming, livestock, beekeeping, etc)
- Adult and child education
- Special Needs Education
- Building/Construction
- Knowledge of solar food dehydrators, solar ovens, drip
- Environmental education for youth (appropriate curriculum provided)
- Leadership/management training
Awareness Campaigns and Creative Arts
Awareness Campaigns are done in schools and villages on the effects of FGM and alcohol dependency as well as other cultural practices like early marriages. The pupils use the art approach to communicate this. The information can be displayed through projector shows to create more impact on the pupils and community at large.
Male Involvement
Being a patriarchal culture, the involvement of men and boys in the program has had a big impact on the reception of the message.
The number of men who have been involved in the program 2015 was 63 men who volunteered to champion against FGM and forced early marriages and the number has doubled in 2016. Similarly, 82 boys were introduced in the program to advocate for girls rights and 2016 the boys have increased to 120 boys who are not only advocating for girls’ rights but also boys rights.
Mentorship and Exposure
Mentoring and giving hope to young girls encouraging them to work hard in school and good conduct especially in making decisions. Exposing them to the life skills to help them in having ambitions and setting goals.
Girls for Leaders Clubs
Club formation is ongoing as we are receiving invitations in the neighboring schools and from secondary schools
ACCOMMODATIONS AT DANDELION AFRICA
Housing:
Volunteer housing is in the compound where the Director lives. Each room has two beds and mosquito nets. Clean water is supplied from taps.
Bathrooms:
Shower and toilets
Laundry:
Volunteers do their own laundry but Dandelion provides the resources.
Food:
Rice, lentils, vegetables or chapati, meat vegetables, ugali, kale, vegetarian and non-vegetarian options available.
Technology:
Power is available to the volunteers for charging batteries. The internet is available but because it’s not unlimited, a small fee will be charged per time.
Phones:
Available to volunteers who pay for the minutes used with a Sim Card.
Medical:
A medical facility is 5 kilometers from accommodations and there is a vehicle available. All staff members are trained in CPR and First Aid
Dandelion Africa was founded in 2009 by Wendo Aszed, who lives with her family in the Rift Valley of Kenya. Her vision involved starting an organization that worked directly with the most marginalized groups in the community: women and youth. The organization was born when two close friends of the family died of AIDS.
After giving it some thought, Wendo quit her job at the bank and started visiting nearby villages, talking to the women and identifying the specific problems each community faced. The biggest problem, she explains, is not there aren’t enough resources to work with, but a lack of information out there on how to face the issues.
Wendo has now, with her husband and volunteers, been working with women and youth in marginalized areas for over seven years.
Wendo wins a Segal Foundation Pitch Competition with Dandelion Africa.
DANDELION’S TEAM
Maria Mwongeli, Project Officer
Maria has been with Dandelion Africa since the launch in 2009. A trained community worker, she has also received further training within the organization on topical issues.
“Working for Dandelion Africa is very good. I learn new things every single day. I want to see the women we mobilize, who started out with nothing, to have something.”
—Maria Mwongeli
Shamim Wangari, Facilitator
Shamim was a member in one of our first women groups, Katorongot Young Mothers, and has been a big inspiration for women in her community on family planning. She started with Dandelion Africa late in 2014 and is in charge of facilitation for the organization.
“I get education, skills and get empowered by working with Dandelion Africa. Dandelion helps the community in terms of health and entrepreneurship and is an organization that reaches a woman in marginalized areas.”
—Shamim Wangari
Harun Karanja, Administration Officer
Harun is our newest staff member and started working with us in January 2015. Before joining Dandelion Africa, he did research and field work with Sasra (Sacco and society regulatory authority).
“I like to work with Dandelion Africa because the staff here are united and work as a team, it’s like a family. I like Girls For Leaders that I’ve been in charge of; meet with the girls and share experiences and inspire them. I also like the Free Clinics we are doing because we can offer health solutions for people who can’t afford it, and at the same time create awareness, for example about Family Planning.”
—Harun Karanja