Tuesday 30 November 2010
Chapter 5 - Agro-forestry agro-forestry, a new fashion of old tradition?¹
Chapter 5 - Agro-forestry agro-forestry, a new fashion of old tradition?¹: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Thursday 18 November 2010
Friday 5 November 2010
Add New Post ‹ Coach House Geography — WordPress
Add New Post ‹ Coach House Geography — WordPress: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Saturday 30 October 2010
Monday 25 October 2010
Teachers-Direct Recruitment - Wordsearch Resource Maker
Teachers-Direct Recruitment - Wordsearch Resource Maker: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
word search with cloze - limited words in text
word search with cloze - limited words in text
Word Search Generator :: Create your own printable word find worksheets @ A to Z Teacher Stuff
Word Search Generator :: Create your own printable word find worksheets @ A to Z Teacher Stuff: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Word search different shapes
Word search different shapes
Sunday 24 October 2010
Thursday 21 October 2010
BBC search for coasts
http://www.bbc.co.uk/apps/ifl/learningzone/clips/queryengine?SuppressCaching=1&ContentType=text%2Fhtml%3B+charset%3Dutf-8&oper_1=eq&attrib_1=SCHOOL_LEVEL_NAME&bool_1=AND&oper_2=eq&attrib_2=SUBJECT_NAME&val_2_1=Geography&bool_2=AND&oper_3=eq&attrib_3=TOPIC&val_3_1=Coastal+Regions&bool_3=AND&attrib_4=SearchText&oper_4=eq&val_4_1=&config=results&page=1&pagesize=12&val_1_1=Secondary&level=Secondary&subject=Geography&topic=Coastal+Regions&clipsBrowse.x=52&clipsBrowse.y=8
Monday 18 October 2010
My Wonderful World - Geography Awareness Week
My Wonderful World - Geography Awareness Week: "dentification challenge, and watch compelling video clips.
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Water: Our Thirsty World
Download your FREE copy of the special edition issue of National Geographic Magazine.
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Liquid Assets
This documentary tells the story of essential infrastructure systems: water, wastewater, and stormwater. Watch the 16-minute overview video and use the community toolkit to make a difference.
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GeoSpatial Revolution
In four online episodes, explore how geography-based technology is changing how we think, behave, and interact with our world. Educator resources bring these important lessons to your home or classroom.
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Freshwater Films
Choose a film from this list of videos, from documentaries to cartoons. Find one that is age-appropriate for your classroom, or fun and interesting for the whole family!
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Where's That Water?
Identify water bodies in satellite images for a chance to win cool prizes—there's a new quiz every day!
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Nat & Geo's Adventures
Go 'Down the Red River' or 'Explore a Shipwreck' with Nat & Geo on these fun H20 Adventures!
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NG Kids: Creek Clean-up Game
Help a toucan clean up a creek with this fun interactive game!
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EcoRescue Rivers Game
Clean up several North American Rivers and find out what pollutes our rivers with this fun game.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
*
Water: Our Thirsty World
Download your FREE copy of the special edition issue of National Geographic Magazine.
*
Liquid Assets
This documentary tells the story of essential infrastructure systems: water, wastewater, and stormwater. Watch the 16-minute overview video and use the community toolkit to make a difference.
*
GeoSpatial Revolution
In four online episodes, explore how geography-based technology is changing how we think, behave, and interact with our world. Educator resources bring these important lessons to your home or classroom.
*
Freshwater Films
Choose a film from this list of videos, from documentaries to cartoons. Find one that is age-appropriate for your classroom, or fun and interesting for the whole family!
*
Where's That Water?
Identify water bodies in satellite images for a chance to win cool prizes—there's a new quiz every day!
*
Nat & Geo's Adventures
Go 'Down the Red River' or 'Explore a Shipwreck' with Nat & Geo on these fun H20 Adventures!
*
NG Kids: Creek Clean-up Game
Help a toucan clean up a creek with this fun interactive game!
*
EcoRescue Rivers Game
Clean up several North American Rivers and find out what pollutes our rivers with this fun game.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Tuesday 21 September 2010
Monday 20 September 2010
Factors affecting weather and climate - Resources - TES Connect
Factors affecting weather and climate - Resources - TES Connect: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Link to all sorts of useful stuff
Link to all sorts of useful stuff
Wednesday 15 September 2010
Tuesday 14 September 2010
Elizabeth Portrait of a Queen
Elizabeth Portrait of a Queen: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
key to portraits of Elizabeth 1
key to portraits of Elizabeth 1
Education - Image Gallery - Practical Action UK
Education - Image Gallery - Practical Action UK: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
great developing world resource
great developing world resource
Monday 13 September 2010
YouTube - 1066 - The Battle of Hastings
YouTube - 1066 - The Battle of Hastings: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
vg vid of BOH
ADDED to History wik
vg vid of BOH
ADDED to History wik
Saturday 11 September 2010
lesson2_causation.pdf (application/pdf Object)
lesson2_causation.pdf (application/pdf Object): "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Year 8 before the Raj section
Year 8 before the Raj section
lesson3_chronology.pdf (application/pdf Object)
lesson3_chronology.pdf (application/pdf Object): "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Y7 prior to U2 for chronology
Y7 prior to U2 for chronology
BBC - Primary History - World History - Benin plaque
BBC - Primary History - World History - Benin plaque: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Lesson 1 and maybe lesson 3 intro Y7
Lesson 1 and maybe lesson 3 intro Y7
Tuesday 24 August 2010
ArchSearch: Archives: EUS: Central Marches Downloads
ArchSearch: Archives: EUS: Central Marches Downloads: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
links to Eardisley
links to Eardisley
Sunday 22 August 2010
Friday 20 August 2010
User:Brain40/Random stuff - Gunpedia
User:Brain40/Random stuff - Gunpedia: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
great picture of different muskets
great picture of different muskets
Wednesday 4 August 2010
Farm Radio Weekly » Farm Radio Weekly Archive » 2. Malawi: Vetiver grass is a tool for soil and water management (African Farm Radio Research Initiative Malawi Team)
Farm Radio Weekly » Farm Radio Weekly Archive » 2. Malawi: Vetiver grass is a tool for soil and water management (African Farm Radio Research Initiative Malawi Team): "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
all things african!
all things african!
Friday 23 July 2010
Monday 19 July 2010
GROLIER ONLINE ATLAS
GROLIER ONLINE ATLAS: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Kids atlas - geographical and historical on Europe
Kids atlas - geographical and historical on Europe
Sunday 18 July 2010
Community Hurricane Preparedness, 2nd Edition: Questions
Community Hurricane Preparedness, 2nd Edition: Questions: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
part of hurricane preparedness exercise UnitA2 maybe?
part of hurricane preparedness exercise UnitA2 maybe?
Saturday 17 July 2010
tudorgeog’s Presentations on SlideShare
tudorgeog’s Presentations on SlideShare: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
great source of PPs - not downlaodable unfortunately!!
great source of PPs - not downlaodable unfortunately!!
Thursday 15 July 2010
Factory Conditions - Industrial Revolution
Factory Conditions - Industrial Revolution: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
good execise to include in class/homework
good execise to include in class/homework
20th Century Manchester History - Womens Suffrage, Labour & Socialist Politics in Manchester
20th Century Manchester History - Womens Suffrage, Labour & Socialist Politics in Manchester: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
All sorts about Manchester history and what has happened
All sorts about Manchester history and what has happened
Sunday 11 July 2010
Living Geography: Climb every mountain ?
Living Geography: Climb every mountain ?: "- Sent using Google Toolbar
looking at Snowdon as a theme park"
looking at Snowdon as a theme park"
Yachana Foundation - Yachana Foundation
Yachana Foundation - Yachana Foundation: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
doing good stuff in rainforests
doing good stuff in rainforests
YouTube - Hot meals in Haiti
YouTube - Hot meals in Haiti: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
New Videos from OxfamGreatBritain unsubscribe
YouTube - Learnhistory's Channel
YouTube - Learnhistory's Channel: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
lots of history vids
lots of history vids
New Videos from Learnhistory unsubscribe
- Britain's Middle Ages - 16 - The Wilton Diptych in the National Gallery in London
- Britain's Middle Ages - 15 - The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
- Britain's Middle Ages - 14 - Roof of Westminster Hall designed by Richard II
- Britain's Middle Ages - 13 - The crown of King Richard II at Munich
- Britain's Middle Ages - 12 - Tomb of the Black Prince at Canterbury Cathedral
- Britain's Middle Ages - 11 - Plates of the Knights of the Garter at Windsor Castle
- Eyes on the Prize ep1 Awakenings 1954-6 p4
- The Four Humours
- Andreas Vesalius
- James Young Simpson and John Snow
Thursday 8 July 2010
BBC News - Humans' early arrival in Britain
BBC News - Humans' early arrival in Britain: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Early humans in the UK nearly 1 million years ago
Early humans in the UK nearly 1 million years ago
Road surface purifies air by removing nitrogen oxides, researchers in the Netherlands find
Road surface purifies air by removing nitrogen oxides, researchers in the Netherlands find: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
titanium oxide in cement over a stretch of road in the Netherlands removed 25-45% of nitrous oxide - implicated in acid rain but also a strong greenhouse gas
titanium oxide in cement over a stretch of road in the Netherlands removed 25-45% of nitrous oxide - implicated in acid rain but also a strong greenhouse gas
Wednesday 7 July 2010
Monday 5 July 2010
Saturday 26 June 2010
Thursday 24 June 2010
GE Graph at Digital Geography
GE Graph at Digital Geography
a really neat way to present data in Google Earth
a really neat way to present data in Google Earth
Sunday 13 June 2010
Amazon Conservation Association, Our Work, Conservation Concessions
Amazon Conservation Association, Our Work, Conservation Concessions
several interesting programmes - harvesting, ecotourism REDD - worth a look
several interesting programmes - harvesting, ecotourism REDD - worth a look
Monday 7 June 2010
Sunday 6 June 2010
Wai Wai and Community Conservation - Conservation International
Wai Wai and Community Conservation - Conservation International
http://www.conservation.org/FMG/Pages/videoplayer.aspx?videoid=31%C2%A0
http://www.conservation.org/explore/south_america/guyana/Pages/guyana.aspx
http://www.conservation.org/FMG/Articles/Pages/guyana_conservation_concession.aspx
http://www.conservation.org/learn/culture/communities/Pages/overview.aspx
http://www.conservation.org/learn/culture/communities/Pages/incentives.aspx
http://www.conservation.org/FMG/Articles/Pages/guyana_conservation_concession.aspx
http://www.conservation.org/fmg/pages/videoplayer.aspx?videoid=46
Brilliant scheme in how Guyana is making it all happen
http://www.conservation.org/FMG/Pages/videoplayer.aspx?videoid=31%C2%A0
http://www.conservation.org/explore/south_america/guyana/Pages/guyana.aspx
http://www.conservation.org/FMG/Articles/Pages/guyana_conservation_concession.aspx
http://www.conservation.org/learn/culture/communities/Pages/overview.aspx
http://www.conservation.org/learn/culture/communities/Pages/incentives.aspx
http://www.conservation.org/FMG/Articles/Pages/guyana_conservation_concession.aspx
http://www.conservation.org/fmg/pages/videoplayer.aspx?videoid=46
Brilliant scheme in how Guyana is making it all happen
Saturday 5 June 2010
Wednesday 2 June 2010
Tuesday 1 June 2010
REMARKS CONCERNING THE SAVAGES OF NORTH-AMERICA , by Benjamin Franklin 1706-1790
REMARKS CONCERNING THE SAVAGES OF NORTH-AMERICA , by Benjamin Franklin 1706-1790
what Benjamin Franklin thought of Native Americans - shows excellent sense!
what Benjamin Franklin thought of Native Americans - shows excellent sense!
A Medieval Mystery | The National Archives
A Medieval Mystery | The National Archives
all sorts of history with sources to 'borrow'
all sorts of history with sources to 'borrow'
New E-CPD Unit on Archives now live! - The Historical Association
New E-CPD Unit on Archives now live! - The Historical Association
CPD for history log on email address - password - the usual
CPD for history log on email address - password - the usual
Monday 31 May 2010
How Green Are Biofuels? | Renewable Energy | Allianz Knowledge
How Green Are Biofuels? | Renewable Energy | Allianz Knowledge
great site for graphics on climate change , alternative energy etc
great site for graphics on climate change , alternative energy etc
Sunday 30 May 2010
Amazon Tropical Rainforest Weather | Secondary school teaching
Amazon Tropical Rainforest Weather | Secondary school teaching
More about Nature Conservancy - NGO that does some good things
More about Nature Conservancy - NGO that does some good things
Friday 28 May 2010
Wednesday 26 May 2010
India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change — Climate Leaders
India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change — Climate Leaders
This will link with C7 part 3 global warming, the greenhouse effect and mitigation
Also fits in with Y8 Fragile environments
This will link with C7 part 3 global warming, the greenhouse effect and mitigation
Also fits in with Y8 Fragile environments
Tuesday 25 May 2010
Climate Change - Saving Forests with Brazil’s Ranchers and Farmers
Climate Change - Saving Forests with Brazil’s Ranchers and Farmers
hot off the presses - NGO and government working together to take advantage of REDD
hot off the presses - NGO and government working together to take advantage of REDD
Profiles in Sustainability: Setting a Sustainable Example on Brazil's Labareda Coffee Farm
Profiles in Sustainability: Setting a Sustainable Example on Brazil's Labareda Coffee Farm
sustainable activities
Also
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/profiles/documents/ecuador_cocoa.pdf
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/profiles/documents/small_farmer.pdf
sustainable activities
Also
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/profiles/documents/ecuador_cocoa.pdf
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/profiles/documents/small_farmer.pdf
Eco-Index: Project Search
Eco-Index: Project Search
This must THE SITE - choose a country and a topic and something is sure to fall out!
Just tried Brazil and agroforestry and there was a choice from a choice 8!
Also other countries in Amazon
Brazil + ' forestation and tree farms - 3 ideas!
+ Microenterprises - one on bamboo furniture looks really interesting! - and so it goes on!!
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/neotropics.cfm?id=main
is the site where I found Eco-index - there are some other great links to other places there too
This must THE SITE - choose a country and a topic and something is sure to fall out!
Just tried Brazil and agroforestry and there was a choice from a choice 8!
Also other countries in Amazon
Brazil + ' forestation and tree farms - 3 ideas!
+ Microenterprises - one on bamboo furniture looks really interesting! - and so it goes on!!
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/neotropics.cfm?id=main
is the site where I found Eco-index - there are some other great links to other places there too
Monday 24 May 2010
Sunday 23 May 2010
Amazon Rainforest Products
Amazon Rainforest Products
items that can be harvested and processed or sold as is
http://www.amazon-rainforest.org/tourism.html
ecotoursim
items that can be harvested and processed or sold as is
http://www.amazon-rainforest.org/tourism.html
ecotoursim
responsible_sourcing_tnc_report.pdf (application/pdf Object)
responsible_sourcing_tnc_report.pdf (application/pdf Object)
More from Nature conservancy council - about sustainable sourcing of products
More from Nature conservancy council - about sustainable sourcing of products
In One Brazilian Farm Town, Reviving The Forest : NPR
In One Brazilian Farm Town, Reviving The Forest : NPR
This is not exactly protecting the rain forest - this is reforestation - but it is part of what needs to be done
This is not exactly protecting the rain forest - this is reforestation - but it is part of what needs to be done
Responsible Soy Producers Agree to Pretty Basic Sustainable Production Standards : TreeHugger
Responsible Soy Producers Agree to Pretty Basic Sustainable Production Standards : TreeHugger
Is there anyway to make soya sustainable - links at the bottom of the page to other issues
Is there anyway to make soya sustainable - links at the bottom of the page to other issues
Sustainable_soy_production_in_Brazilwur.pdf (application/pdf Object)
Sustainable_soy_production_in_Brazilwur.pdf (application/pdf Object)
haven't really read it all but worth a look
haven't really read it all but worth a look
Friday 21 May 2010
Cocaine Blues: Coke-Heads Aiding Rainforest Destruction : TreeHugger
Cocaine Blues: Coke-Heads Aiding Rainforest Destruction : TreeHugger
Now here is an interesting cause of deforestation in the Amazon that you might not have considered!
Now here is an interesting cause of deforestation in the Amazon that you might not have considered!
Director Joe Berlinger on "Crude" and the Amazonian Chernobyl : TreeHugger
Director Joe Berlinger on "Crude" and the Amazonian Chernobyl : TreeHugger
a particularly unpleasant effect of one of the reasons for deforestation - Bolivia, oil and Chevron. One step removed from the actual effect of deforestation, but is still an effect of one of the causes
a particularly unpleasant effect of one of the reasons for deforestation - Bolivia, oil and Chevron. One step removed from the actual effect of deforestation, but is still an effect of one of the causes
Drought Threatens Amazon, Speeds Warming : Discovery News
Drought Threatens Amazon, Speeds Warming : Discovery News
This effect is a little tortuous - cut down the rain forests and reduce the rainfall over time - so less growth so less CO2 absorbed by the forest as a whole not just the bit where the trees have been cut down. So our 'get out of jail' card is slowly being nibbled away at - more CO2 will remain in the atmosphere and there will therefore be more for us to have to reduce through other means.
This effect is a little tortuous - cut down the rain forests and reduce the rainfall over time - so less growth so less CO2 absorbed by the forest as a whole not just the bit where the trees have been cut down. So our 'get out of jail' card is slowly being nibbled away at - more CO2 will remain in the atmosphere and there will therefore be more for us to have to reduce through other means.
Deforestation Causes 'Boom-and-bust' Development In The Amazon
Deforestation Causes 'Boom-and-bust' Development In The Amazon
This might be similar to the Guardian article?
This might be similar to the Guardian article?
Social causes of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest
Social causes of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest
more casues from Montabay.com -
more casues from Montabay.com -
Wednesday 19 May 2010
The Hindu Business Line : 30,000 ha to come under organic farming in Kerala
The Hindu Business Line : 30,000 ha to come under organic farming in Kerala
The state of Karala in Southern India
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&ll=15.665354,75.9375&spn=22.710579,39.243164&z=5&msid=114294639013811556926.000486f96d3a137f3dcd4
is going organic by using crop rotation, legumes, trees and farm animals to keep the soil in good heart
The state of Karala in Southern India
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&ll=15.665354,75.9375&spn=22.710579,39.243164&z=5&msid=114294639013811556926.000486f96d3a137f3dcd4
is going organic by using crop rotation, legumes, trees and farm animals to keep the soil in good heart
Monday 17 May 2010
Friday 14 May 2010
[ARCHIVED CONTENT] DFID - Increasing crop yield and preventing soil erosion in India
[ARCHIVED CONTENT] DFID - Increasing crop yield and preventing soil erosion in India
2 really simply ideas to prevent soil erosion
2 really simply ideas to prevent soil erosion
Thursday 13 May 2010
Millions fed | International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
Millions fed | International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
Not sure if I have this one already but lots of ideas to plunder - try a chapter or 2!
Not sure if I have this one already but lots of ideas to plunder - try a chapter or 2!
Monday 10 May 2010
Sunday 9 May 2010
Saturday 8 May 2010
wildsingapore news: Can drip irrigation break Africa's hunger cycles?
wildsingapore news: Can drip irrigation break Africa's hunger cycles?
More about Diop and drip irrigation - all the news today!
More about Diop and drip irrigation - all the news today!
Friday 7 May 2010
Thursday 6 May 2010
Wednesday 5 May 2010
Tuesday 4 May 2010
Monday 3 May 2010
Sunday 2 May 2010
Tuesday 6 April 2010
Environmental Geoscience: Environmental Science in the 21st Century
Environmental Geoscience: Environmental Science in the 21st Century
excellent textbook on all sorts of eco issues
excellent textbook on all sorts of eco issues
Saturday 3 April 2010
BBC NEWS | World | Africa | Living amidst the rubbish of Kenya's slum
BBC NEWS | World | Africa | Living amidst the rubbish of Kenya's slum
As the United Nations gathers to discuss anti-poverty measures, the BBC News website assesses how Africa could meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 10 years' time. Here, Gray Phombeah looks at life in a Kenyan slum.
Living amidst the rubbish of Kenya's slum
Kibera residents say nothing has been done to improve conditions
"This one room is my bedroom, my kitchen, my sitting room," says 67-year-old Jared Odhiambo.
"My eight children, my wife and I sleep here."
This is the story of Kibera - the biggest, poorest slum in Africa - just outside the heart of Kenya's capital city, Nairobi.
The first thing that hits you here is this rich stench of almost 1 million people living in this ditch - in mud huts, with no sewage pipes, no roads, no water, no toilet, in fact, with no services of any kind.
I have been walking through stinking rubbish, glutinous mud and poisonous odours to see the abject poverty in the Kibera slum, the poverty which world leaders are supposed to address as part of the MDGs.
Hell on earth
"Our houses are collapsing," says Aloo John, Jared Odhiambo's neighbour in Kibera.
"We don't have toilets, so what we do is, we use paper bags and throw them out at night. If you are out at night and unlucky, you will feel something landing on your head, and that's somebody's human waste."
Irene Mula, a primary school drop-out, shares a room with seven members of her family, including her mother and father. 
We want to do more than just converting their cardboard boxes into concrete boxes 
Amos Kimunya
Kenya's lands minister
"Life is tough here," she says. "It's full of challenges, poverty and stress, that's what is all about here."
The Kibera misery is indeed awesome and painful to see - a vision of hell on earth.
Urban black hole
It dates back to 1920 when the British colonial government let a group of Nubian soldiers settle on a wooded hillside of Nairobi, with no title deeds.
From a few thousands residents, more and more people from different communities moved into Kibera over the years, seeking new life and shelter, but ending up in shacks, their dreams shattered.
More than 80 years later, and after three Kenyan administrations since independence in 1963, nothing has been done for these people. 
Kibera residents live next to raw sewage
It is here, in this urban black hole like many others around the world, where the success of the UN's goal to improve the lives of 100 million slum dwellers by 2020 will be measured.
One man believes it can be done.
He is Amos Kimunya, Kenya's lands minister. Away from the stench and the despair of Kibera, he spoke of the Kenya government's commitment to providing better housing for Kibera residents.
"We have committed 500m shillings ($6.6m) in our current budget to sort out the lives of people living in Kibera."
"We want to do more than just converting their cardboard boxes into concrete boxes - what we want to do is a comprehensive programme of upgrading the slum beyond just putting up new houses.
"It's about improving the lives of the people, job opportunities, HIV/Aids prevention and protection, education facilities, playing grounds - and so it's a comprehensive upgrading of the slum."
Easy part
Mr Kimunya's optimism is echoed by Anna Tibaijuka, executive director of the United Nations city agency UN-Habitat.
Her organisation is charged with the responsibility of making life better for slum dwellers around the world.
"For the past four years, we have been working with residents of Kibera," she says at the UN-Habitat headquarters located in, Gigiri, a posh leafy suburb of Nairobi. No one cares about us Jared Odhiambo
Kibera resident
"If you really want to benefit the poor, you have to spend time on what we call social organisation, otherwise you might upgrade the slum and people who have better incomes will come and take over.
"Indeed, it takes a long time and very little seems to be happening, but a lot has been happening in terms of preparations.
"Physical construction is actually the easiest part of it."
No hope
Back in Kibera - 600 acres of mud and filth, with a brown stream dribbling through the middle - Ms Tibaijuka's and Mr Kimunya's assurance that help is on the way sounds rather hollow.
"No one cares about us," says Jared Odhiambo.
"The government of President Mwai Kibaki does not care about poor people."
Aloo John agrees: "Right now, we don't have any hope. They had promised us a lot of things before but nothing happened."
One of the MDGs is to halve the number of people who suffer from extreme poverty. Another is to improve the lot of slum dwellers.
If anyone is going to address those development goals, Kibera seems to be the first place to start.
SHOFCO Organization
SHOFCO Organization
Issues and problems in the Kibera Slum
Kibera is located on government land. It is known as ”illegal settlement” and not included in the city plans and budgets for the public services. The settlement is 7 km from the Central business district and is composed of 12 Villages, each varying in population and size, topography, culture, ethnicity and religious make up.
This densely populated settlement is plagued by the same social health, economic and environmental problems as the slums. Structures in Kibera are built randomly with little space available. Few trees and plants can be seen in Kibera. People do not have physical addresses and very few have post box number.
The housing units comprise one small room, mud-walled, with an iron roof. Most of these houses have earth floor and un-plastered walls. Roads are a big problem to the residents especially when there is a sick person that should be taken hospital because roads are too narrow for cars to pass through. When the fire breaks out in the slum, it is always difficult for the fire fighters to find their way to the scene. Open canals and trenches characterise Kibera's drainage system. Garbage and used water follow the same channel and once the garbage accumulates, the canals get blocked. Since Kibera is a squalid residential area, this kind of system is usually only a few yards away from the houses. This stagnant, smelly water and sludge that surrounds most houses breeds to mosquitoes, which lead to many diseases. In addition to lacking a drainage system, Kibera's residents still suffer from poor access to clean water, sanitation, education, health care and electricity. Above all, the residents suffer psychologically from the fact that the structures are temporary.
Finally, people infected by HIV are a growing problem. According to MSF, at least 15% of the Kibera inhabitants are infected but the rate could be much higher because some parts of the population, such as children up to 1 year, are not tested. Most infected people are youths, parents, and obviously young children.
Families suffer from it a lot because the children often contribute to the slow, long deterioration of their parents, without been able to do anything. They can also been infected themselves, and like their parents they don’t receive any treatment.
Due to these problems and challenges, youths have come together to start SHOFCO.
SHOFCO is a community-based youth initiative that operates in the Kibera slums in Nairobi. SHOFCO was established in February 2006 to serve as an instrument of change for the youths of Kibera by developing their potential abilities to the maximum. Since its formation, SHOFCO members have tirelessly displayed their thorough working knowledge beyond the look book level. |
Structure:The Organization draws most of its members from the Kibera Community and has a structure that ensures independence, collective responsibility and the accountability of the Executive Committee, Head of Departments and General Assembly. Since May 2007, an Advisory Board including 5 members has been established.
In order to put its activities into practice SHOFCO is also structured in four Departments:
SHOFCO believes that it is information that brings about transformation and therefore creating an informed society should be the first step to a mankind development. It is due to this reason that the members decided to establish a communication department that deals with information relevant to the youths and the society at large. Our motto is “inspire and empower the community to shine”.
SHOFCO is registered in Kenya under the ministry of gender, sport, culture and social services.
Advisory Board Members:
SHOFCO has an advisory board which is responsible to oversee the running of the organization in terms of transparency and accountabilities as well as giving an advice to the SHOFCO management. This board comprise of members both from outside Kibera who have series of meetings to put Shofco in order. They are professionals in different capacities. Shofco Advisory Board Members are:
Computer Literacy Program for Kibera Youth:
The SHOFCO youth and other youth within Kibera who are not computer literate are being empowered by training them to at least have basic computer skills. The program started on May 2007 up to date and more than 25 youths have benefited from the program. This programme was motivated by the American friends of Kenya (AFK)through their generous donation of a computers as well as the SHOFCO monthly office rent. This have made it possible for us to run smoothly even though we still need other computers.
The youths are being taught by volunteers both from SHOFCO who are computer literate and outsiders who volunteer. Brian Ball (formerly of Microsoft) who came to Kenya on 18th September 2007, offered general skills on computer technology.
SHOFCO is also blessed to have Jean Jordan from South Africa who has been helping SHOFCO on technical Computer maintenance since June 2007. He is now going to work together with Benoit Conrad, to improve and update the website.
SHOFCO Women Empowerment Project (SWEP):
SHOFCO motto is to “Inspire and Empower the Community to Shine”. This is the spirit that motivated the SHOFCO youths to work close to women in Kibera. This project started when SHOFCO members were doing distribution of stuff like food, clothes, mosquito-net, blankets, bed sheets, school uniforms, books, pens and shoes to the Women victimised by HIV/AIDS pandemic. The donation was done through the efforts of Dr Paolo Paron and his Italian friends. Dr Paron is one of our Adversary Board Member.
This activity inspired these women in Kibera and motivated them to come together and be part of the SHOFCO family.
We shared the women’s' sentiment with the AFK. Lucky enough, the month of June saw the birth of SWEP when Deb Naybor of Both your Hands paid a visit to SHOFCO. She donated a start-up cash this was the genesis of the SWEP Project. At the moment we have 35 women engaged in making crafts and jewelleries as a way of income generating activities. The working spirit that the women have is a challenge to the Youth.
Girls Welfare Empowerment Program:
With consideration of the fact that women make the fifty percent (50%) of the Kenyan population, yet their contribution in development is not being felt on the ground. This is perhaps due to limited or lack of opportunities in participatory development that involve all members of the society.
A group of ladies in Shofco thought about the best way to uplift well the being of girls in Kibera. Currently the ladies are targeting young school girls who are facing different problems that may affect their education. The Shofco ladies did research both in and outside the school to find the most urgent issue that can be paid attention to.Finally they came out with an issue of most girls missing school during their monthly period. This issue is too common in Primary Schools than Secondary Schools. Some primary school girls are using some materials that might promote Cervical Cancer or some sexually transmitted diseases.
It is commonly known that sex related diseases are always taken as private diseases and so young girls may not be free to let people know what they are going through.
Another scenario is whereby they may not know what is happening to them and ignore as they will only suffer in silence due to a problem that can be solved earlier. Most men are always less concerned about issues that affect women directly. This worsen the situation of our young sisters in slums, bearing in mind that most of bread winners are men. They provide the need of their family members-- however small their privation is. This lead to an understanding that even some women are sharing some problems with their daughters.The issue of the sanitary towels is serious matter. This is according to the finding of the Shofco ladies. Some primary school girls are missing classes or get very uneasy in class due to unhealthy materials they are using to cop with the situation. This is a sign of silent suffering of our younger sisters in slum areas. This kind of silent suffering have affected the academic standards of the girls residing in slum areas.
Due to this, we posed the question of whether the girls will have good academic background or they will live out of fear even if they are suppose to tackle the women issues nationally. This is just one of issues Shofco ladies are aiming to solve. Therefore, currently they are soul searching to solitude for sanitary towels for primary and some secondary schools in Kibera.
The ladies are targeting seven hundred girls in Kibera monthly. The sanitary towels will be distributed to the girls monthly to the schools. At the same time, the girls will be taught how to use the pads and their disposals to avoid misuse and careless disposal. We are concerned about how to dispose the used pads. The programme also looks into the Welfare of the women. They do identify the problems that needs urgent attention and coordinate with the Shofco Management to seek urgent action.
In general this programme act as a bridge between the Shofco and the women in general, this is because the ladies are best placed in understanding and mingle freely with both women and young girls.
Capacity Building for Sustainability:
In the month of July, Shofco received a volunteer called Cara Gibney from Northern Ireland to train youths about proper organizational management and team work and capacity building.
During this period 22 youths benefited from this training. The training have to made the SHOFCO management improved and more operational. The Youths are now more responsible than ever before the training steer up the spirit of job creation amongst the youths. Currently the youths who attended the training are working on a business program for the sustainability.
Media Workshop and Training:
The Shofco information and communication received two volunteers from Canada Five Minutes to Midnight FMM. Wojciech Grycand Hannah Renglich trained the Shofco youths about the media. They taught writing skills, Newsletter Production, Photography, Computer Maintenance, English Grammar, Ethical Issues in practice of journalism. The volunteers were in Kenya for a period of two months to assist Shofco develop the communication skills.
SHOFCO is aiming at setting up an information and communication centre within Kibera.The centre will act as source of the collective information to the people of Kibera. It is a way of localizing media so that the information can be heard from the people who experience a certain life style. This is because many people have negative opinion about informal settlements like Kibera. This programme is going to benefit 22 youths. It is also going to improve the quality of the news letter production of SHOFCO.
Tuesday 30 March 2010
icrisat-is-bio-reclamation-land.pdf (application/pdf Object)
icrisat-is-bio-reclamation-land.pdf (application/pdf Object)pdf on bioreclamation in Africa
Superdirt Made Lost Amazon Cities Possible?
Superdirt Made Lost Amazon Cities Possible?
source of 1000 yr old biochar
source of 1000 yr old biochar
Friday 26 March 2010
Thursday 25 March 2010
Tuesday 23 March 2010
Desertification - a threat to the Sahel
Desertification - a threat to the Sahel
Good graphics about how /why the Sahel has changed
Good graphics about how /why the Sahel has changed
Monday 22 March 2010
Maps of Britain from Ordnance Survey - buy paper maps and GIS data
Maps of Britain from Ordnance Survey - buy paper maps and GIS data
Must return Ap;ril 1st to see what is around
Must return Ap;ril 1st to see what is around
Sunday 21 March 2010
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