People to People Proposal: SWAK, Timboni village, Kenya

Society of Women and Aids in Kenya (SWAK) started from three women who decided that they had to do something about the killer disease AIDs that was sweeping through their community, effecting entire families, leaving behind orphans, widows and widowers. Slowly, as more women experienced the results of AIDs directly through seeing friends and family members die, they began to join SWAK, Watamu branch. Now over 40 women are members of SWAK, with a core group of 15 active women. These are women from the “grassroots”, village women, who value life, love and sharing.

Although their own financial resources are limited, they have dedicated time and energy to assisting families directly effected by HIV/AIDs through taking them to clinics, helping them with medical treatment as well as providing school fees and books for orphans.

SWAK members discussing purchase of briquette machine at a community meeting

Fundraising through alternatives to charcoal

SWAK Watamu branch would like to purchase a machine, manufactured in Nairobi, that produces briquettes from biomass such as coconut husks. These briquettes would be sold to local people to replace the current dependence on charcoal which is quite destructive to local forests. The briquette machine would produce income for SWAK to be used to assist families with HIV/AIDs and also help conserve the natural environment of the nearby Arabuko Sokoke forest. SWAK needs US$1000 to buy the machine and get the income generation project started.

CONTACT for more information on this proposal or how to make a donation

Jim Lindsay or Pamela Collett P.O. Box 33 Watamu 80202 KENYA

Telephone: +254-122-3241 email mukinduri@bigfoot.com