Over the last few months, Rock and Stones have been supporting the Kuruwitu Conservation & Welfare Association (KWCA). So far, we have raised approximately 133,000 KES for this incredible conservation project, the money will be going towards purchasing a new sewing machine and helping to expand their existing tailoring business.

There is a lot happening at KWCA at the moment and we wanted to explore just some of the activities they do in an effort to protect our Northern Kenya coast. So here is an update from KWCA on some of their programs currently being run.

 Resource Centre

The inclusive education programme works with local schools in their community. It aims to increase access to inclusive quality education and lifelong learning.

The programme aims at some long-term outcomes:

• Understand the nature and the importance of the marine environments. This is a constructive approach that has been applied to gauge the kids’ understanding of pollution, marine science and natural resource issues related to the need for environmental protection and ecological concepts related to ecosystems.
• Enhanced conducive, safe, friendly formal and non-formal learning environment for the delivery of inclusive education. This includes reading stories to kids, teaching them English, music and joining them in sports classes and physical education classes. With these, they can slowly adapt into a cross-cultural community in time.
• A Population Health and Environment program for the entire community and visitors to the project

KWCA visit’s local schools and teach kids about the importance of marine and terrestrial conservation, welfare topics and the harmful effects of littering and how we can combat the issue. KWCA also teach reading, English, music and join in with sports classes when possible.

Farm

We are organically growing salads, vegetables and herbs which are sold to local businesses. The farm is managed by the Oceans Alive (OA) team and members of the local community with volunteers on our expedition programme assisting with the work when they are here. They have just made signs for our crop patches using scrap wood and plastic bottle tops and lighters collected during beach clean-ups.

Art Project

TEWA Training Centre partnered with KCWA to work on an eco-friendly art project. University students from Spain and Kenya joined KCWA for several beach clean-ups over a two week period. The collected waste was sorted, cleaned and then used to make art in Kuruwitu village. The products made are to be sold and will raise money for the community but, more importantly it showed the community a myriad of ways waste can be upcycled and used to decorate houses or to generate income.

Empowering youth/women

With unemployment rate being high, KCWA/OA has a welfare program which focuses on creating resilient livelihoods for the marginalized and disadvantaged youth and women through increasing employability and entrepreneurship. Activities of the programme includes:

• Working with young people and women who are underemployed or unemployed by working on the Oceans Alive farm.
• Our community pop-up shop sells various products including hand made soaps, natural tea bags, t-shirts and Rock and Stone shorts. It is also the outlet for a tailoring business managed by the women where they make school uniforms for the local schools and other products.

Are you looking for an experience of the lifetime on the Kenyan Coast? KWCA and Oceans Alive are looking for volunteers to volunteering for conservation, development and fun

Oceans Alive (OA) is an organisation that runs expeditions to promote community development and the conservation of the marine environment through various activities. Our vision is to join hands with people from all walks of life and reach out practically to care and protect the marine world while reaching out to the local community.
Oceans Alive works in partnership with Kuruwitu Conservation and Welfare Association (KCWA) and operates with the help our expedition members who contribute their skills and time.
During this expedition, our volunteers get the chance to: -

• Have experience in tropical marine environments.
• Experience analyzing scientific data and data collection.
• Use spreadsheet programs for data entry and analysis

We are seeking volunteers who are willing to get immersed in all tasks and work in a cross-cultural situation, recognizing that marine habitats have intrinsic value, and that helping to restore the ocean helps those who depend upon it in a very direct way.