Joska « The 410 Bridge

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Joska

Leadership Paul Omondi (Community Development Manager) Edgar Ayie Ma (410 Community Representative)

A team of dedicated leadership council members represents the community as they partner with the 410 Bridge. A detailed Community Development Plan is in place and plans are underway to initiate projects that will meet the needs of the community and bring total transformation.

Community Partner Trinity Vineyard Atlanta, GA

Religion

Joska has Christians and Protestants as the highest population, although a few Muslims are present in the area. The entire region has over 30 churches most of them with membership ranging from ten to a hundred people, and one Mosque.

Health Facilities

The area has 1 private clinic called Tumaini health clinic located at Joska market.

Electricity

Most of the area is not supplied with electricity and thus as an option use solar systems, generator, or lanterns.

Water The area has no piped water supply. People depend on wells or rain water which is normally collected when it rains and stored in huge tanks.

Transport

There is good transportation to and from the city center (Nairobi) through the privately owned buses and vans locally known as ‘matatu’. However, the people who travel as far as 20 km into the interior can board motorcycle which is locally known as boda boda.

Mission Much work has been focused on the Christ Compassion Rehabilitation Centre for children. In 2007, all of these former street children were sponsored by a 410 Bridge partner church in the States. In 2008, community focused projects began to impact the community as a whole. In 2009 the water project will continue and several income producing projects will begin at CCRC. Community outreach will also be a focus as the area becomes more familiar with the work of the 410 Bridge.

Hope At its root, the hope for Joska is not a hope for better schools or more income or any of those things; it is a hope for a changed mindset. The leaders of Joska see that it takes more than financial resources to help a village succeed in change. Transformation will ultimately be achieved by the people themselves. Thus, by changing the way they look at their community, they will begin the process of actually changing their community. By partnering with the village of Joska, we will be able to help provide the catalysts and support for these transformations.

Priorities

Among the top priorities of the community include; water and health facility and the list of common illnesses entail Malaria, Cholera and other water borne disease. The 410 Bridge is currently working on a water project that will impact about 60 per cent of the community upon the completion of the project. The 410 Bridge has also purchased a 40 acre piece of property that will be used for other community related projects.

Projects Building relationships and 410 Bridge awareness to encourage community participation Purchase of 40 acres of land for water project, construction of school, medical facility, and sale of 20 acres for community income –purchase completed 2008 Footbridge for access to schools in rainy season. Borehole drilled late 2008 Water distribution Phase 1 early 2009 Water distribution Phase 2 Evangelism and discipleship programs In 2007 a dormitory was built at CCRC, a poultry project was started for youth A cow project at CCRC beginning early 2009 A pig project at CCRC beginning early 2009

How You Can Help

Isabelle Wanijiru and Gerald Mwangi Donated: $100 | Desired: $650

Isabelle Wanjari and Gerald Mwangi are struggling to provide for their three children. Isabelle unexpectedly lost her job, and Gerald lost his job due to medical problems. Their children have also been ill and had to drop out of school. This family needs finances to start a business that will pay for debts of medical bills and school fees, and would help sustain their lives.

Joshua Kagume-Cancer Donated: FUNDED | Desired: $135

Joshua Kagume is a 13-year-old boy who was recently diagnosed with throat cancer. Joshua’s mother is unemployed, and needs finances to cover a hospital deposit for surgery to treat his cancer.

Margret Muli-Medical Donated: | Desired: $300

Margret Muli is a 30-year-old woman suffering from partial blindness and an infection that leaves her crippled. She is in need of finances to help cover an X-ray and an operation.

Progress… Joska $3,240 Samwel Nguli-Cancer Samwel Nguli is a 4-year old boy, who has been in and out of the hospital since January 2007, before being diagnosed with blood cancer. His mother is unemployed, and struggles for food and transportation to visit Samwel in the hospital. His family has accrued a large amount of medical bills, and are in need of financial assistance to cover the growing medical expenses of his treatment.

Joska $800 ($400/year) Sophie Anguka-Education Sophie Anguka has struggled since her dad passed away. Her mother is unemployed, and struggles to provide food for her and her six other siblings. Sophie needs money to pay for two years of school fees, so she can go to secondary school and one day get a job that will provide for her family.

Joska $6,000 Susan Wairimu and Patrick Kibuchi Susan Wairimu and Patrick Kibuchi and their four children have endured great tragedy and hardships over the past few years. In 2005, Patrick was beat over the head with a blunt metal object when he was robbed, and left for dead. This head injury left him in a coma and his skull dented and depressed. After several surgeries, he survived, but is in need finances to pay for a skull plate and daily medication that will prevent him from having convulsions. The couple are both unemployed, and also in need of money to start a kerosene business, and pay for school fees for their four children.

Joska is a rapidly growing marketplace community along the heavily traveled Kangundo Road. It is located in a hot, semi arid region of Kenya. Occasional heavy rains flood Joska making access difficult during the rainy season, which is April through December. Joska is the main market area for the 10 surrounding sub-villages, and home to approximately 40,000 people. These villages are spread out over a relatively large distance, which hinders a true sense of community. Due to the lack of water, agriculture is limited and most of what is sold in the market is purchased for resale in Nairobi. There is also a rock quarry in Joska, which is a crucial source of employment in an area that has very high unemployment. In late 2008, a bore hole was drilled and a water distribution project is now underway which will give the community access to clean water.