Ms Teresia Kanyenya plants a tree at Komarock

We were privileged to host Ms Teresia Kanyenya of Isiolo at KCDN today.

She arrived at KCDN at about midday and we went to the site which we cleaned last Saturday, and Teresia planted a commemorative tree.

The surprise we got on site is captured on pictures 314 and 316. This is a woman whose house borders the Canal and we found her watering the seedlings that we planted behind her house. That was our greatest joy today.

That is the power of collective responsibility.

Kindly join us to ensure that our dream of a Community Arboretum bears fruit. We have KCDN volunteers on site and it is costing us Kshs 5,000 to maintain the work each day. With the support of Friends like Terry, we know we will Move From Talking to Tasking.

Lastly, I was impressed today when our President Moved From Talking to Tasking at KICC during the fundraisng in aid of the fire victims of Lamu. He said as much; we must Move From Talking to Tasking.

Thank you for your vist to KCDN Terry, and thank you to Mr. President for Moving From Talking to Tasking.

Odhiambo T Oketch,
CEO KCDN Nairobi,
Tel; 0735 529 126, 0724 365 557

Komarock Community Arboretum

Komarock Community Arboretum 5^th September 2009

On 5^th September 2009, we all converged at Komarock to clean the Komarock Canal and plant trees along the same Canal. And what a show it was? We ware sharing a comprehensive plan of action and report with our strategic partners.

Besides KCDN and the KCDN Team, we had Mr. Robert Mutuma from the Eco Challenge [Total Kenya Ltd], Ms Anne Kagumba, the CAO City Inspectorate, Mr. Reginald Okumu from Tribe Kenya Initiative and formerly, chairman of the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya, Ms Grace Wanjiru, Divisional Commander, City Inspectorate Embakasi Division, Mr. Peter Kariuki, Ward Manager Komarock Ward, Ms Mellen Kinaru, Secretary General Komarock Residents Association, Mr. Elijah Kombo [PhD Talking], Ms Arinolah Elizabeth-Nite, Friends of KCDN and many parents/guardians and children.

On behalf of KCDN, I must thank Total Kenya Ltd for having enabled us to make this day a success. Besides giving us 1,000 seedlings for the event, they gave us Kshs 20,000.00 to enable our logistics. We must also thank Bishop Dr Julius Mbagaya, President of the Baptist Convention for sending to us Kshs 3,000.00, Ms Arinolah Elizabeth-Nite, Kshs 2,000.00, Mr. Otieno R Sungu Kshs 2,000.00 and Mr. Reginald Okumu Kshs 1,000.00.

We must also thank Komarocks Residents Association and the parents in the KCDN Child Support Initiative for turning up in large numbers. We had close to 700 parents in the KCDN Initiative taking part. Special mention must be made of the City Council of Nairobi through the Ward Manager Mr. Kariuki who availed staff and equipment to enable the clean up exercise to be a success.

This was the first step into making the Canal a Community Arboretum. We have a lot in our hands now, and we will appeal to several Friends to come on board and help us. We will engage 10 personnel to ensure that the seedlings are watered and that the grounds are made into what we envisage. This will cost us Kshs 5,000.00 per day, and we only appeal to more Friends, Institutions and individuals, to come on board and help us out. We ware sharing a comprehensive plan of action and report with our strategic partners led by Total Kenya Ltd.

We will invite the companies to take charge of only 100 metres of the canal and help in our efforts at Environmental Conservation. We will also invite willing individuals to help as much as they can.

In the next 6 months we want to show case what partnership can achieve for us, and we invite your support to help turn this mass of a mess into Komarock Community Arboretum. In this appeal, we will work closely with Eco Challenge, Friends of Eco Challenge and the City Council of Nairobi to ensure our dream becomes a reality. This dream includes a well done landscape with trees and golden showers, seats at the Arboretum, which Mr. Reginald Okumu has promised to contribute to, a public toilet, a library and much more.

If you are willing to work with us in this programme, kindly get in touch with us through the Eco Challenge Team at Total Kenya Ltd, or reach out to the undersigned. We make public all the support that we get.

Many thanks to all of you.

Odhiambo T Oketch

CEO KCDN Nairobi

Tel; 0735 529 126, 0724 365 557

Odhiambo T Oketch; Birth Day

30^th July 2009

Dear Friends of KCDN,

Today is my birth day and on this day, I want to look back at the efforts that we are trying to make with your support at KCDN.

Without your support, nothing could have moved in the last 18 months. As Friends of KCDN, I want to share my appreciation with you. You have made us strong and moving.

Last month when things were looking gloomy for us, you came in very strongly and very swiftly and we were able to pay our rent arrears. We were also faced with some other arrears for furniture which we know we will pay with your support.

As I celebrate this day, I want you to help us move From Talking to Tasking. By ourselves, we cannot do anything. But as a team, we can move the masses and help make Kenya a beautiful place.

At KCDN, our main forte is child support. On December 4^th, we will host the 2^nd edition of KCDN Child Support Initiative. On this day, we will give educational materials such as books, stationery, uniforms, shoes and socks to 1950 children who have come to us for support.

We do not care where these children come from. All we know is that they are Kenyans and they are orphans or they are in dire need. And, we simply offer KCDN to be the medium of choice through which you can give hope to a needy child, a needy mother. That is our satisfaction.

On 5^th September, these children, their parents and the residents of Komarock will come together to say thank you to the community for the support that they have received. Together with Friends of KCDN, we will all clean the Komarock Canal and plant trees along the Canal as well. We will also encourage the residents to each plant a tree at the family compound and that tree to become the responsibility of the child at home.

To enable us do this, we need a lot of support in terms of mobilization, logistics and tasking.

As we look forward to working closely with you, we want to thank the following people for their support to us in the month of July;

1] Maurice Odenyo Kshs 2,000.00

2] Lenny Amolo Kshs 3,000.00

3] Sam Olendo Kshs 2,000.00

4] Oduor Ong’wen Kshs 3,000.00

5] Janet Feldman Kshs 3,693.00 USD 50

6] Elijah Kombo Kshs 8,000.00

7] Arinolah EN Kshs 2,000.00

8] Otieno Sungu Kshs 1,500.00

9] George Nyongesa Kshs 2,000.00

10] Jeanette M. Khaoya Kshs 6,823.50 CHF100

11] Dennis Obiero Kshs 1,000.00

12] Reginald Okumu Kshs 2,000.00

13] David Ochwangi Kshs 7,432.00 USD 100

14] Nancy Wambui Kshs 5,000.00

15] Shem Ochuodho Kshs 2,500.00

16] John Maina Kshs 1,500.00

Totals Kshs 53,448.50 and this helped clear our rent arrears

Thank you so much. You made our work fairly easier and you made a clear statement that we can actually move From Talking to Tasking.

As we appeal for your continued support and partnership, let us come together and clean our environments on 5^th September 2009. If you cannot make it to KCDN, do something at your residence.

We thank you for getting time to visit our blogspot.

God bless you all.

Odhiambo T Oketch,

Tel; 0735 529 126, 0724 365 557

From Talking to Tasking

Let's conserve our environment

In today’s issue of the Standard, Prof Wangare Maathai has put up a strong case in support of conserving our environment in an open letter she has written to the Right Hon Prime Minister.

She has touched on 6 cardinal issues that are also very dear to our initiative, From Talking to Tasking, the Greening of Nairobi East; A KCDN Initiative’;
1] Environmental education; in our mobilization process, we are encouraging the youth and their parents to each become personally responsible for our environment. We must each plant a tree and attend to it. We must each keep clean our water points and stop throwing garbage into the streams. This clogs the rivers and the water points. The enclosed photos attests to what environmental degradations can do to our rivers and water points.

2] Vanishing wetlands; we all know that rain has not been as consistent as it was some times back. This has led to drying up of wetlands. There has also been that threat from invasion by man. What is our collective responsibility in galvanizing the populace to conserving and preserving our wetlands. It is our responsibility to impart information to the youth and the parents in this regard.

3] Flimsy plastic bags; this is the biggest menace affecting our environment. If you take a look at the enclosed photos, you will notice that most of the dirt is plastic. What then is our role in making sure that we dispose of plastic in a manner that becomes environmentally friendly? In the run up to From Talking to Tasking, the Greening of Nairobi East; A KCDN Initiative’, we are engaging the youth and their parents with hard facts about this. We must do all that it takes to make the all needed difference. The government also needs to come up with a clear policy on manufacture of flimsy plastic bags. In the same vein, the government must also enforce rules on disposal of such paper. Can we attach instant fines to all those caught in the act?

4] Clearing of vegetation on road reserves; it must be our responsibility to plant and water trees along road reserves. In the East of Nairobi we have concrete jungles competing for all space. In an estate like Komarock, the road sides are all tarmac and it becomes very tricky planting trees. But it is our responsibility as Kenyans to ensure that we plant trees along the roads and in our compounds. This is the drive that we are initiating on 5th September 2009 and we call upon all people of goodwill to join us in this exercise. Let us all make it our responsibility. And at KCDN, we are sensitizing both the youth and our parents on this need.

5] Rain water harvesting; Kenya has been procrastinating with this for ever. Just after Independence, we used to have lots of rain. Compared with the trends now, we could predict with certainty when the rains would fall. This calls to mind our planning capacity. It is sad to note that Masinga Dam was built in 1942 and has served Nairobi and the Metropolis with distinction till now. If the government put in some little planning, we would have had various methods of water harvesting and storage. Isn’t it time we put pressure on our government to become serious with planning. We can do it so let us do it.

6] Conservation of the 5 water towers; for 46 years now, little effort has been put into conserving the water towers by the government. We all know how Mau Forest Complex was given out to politically correct individuals and how that has led to massive rape of the water catchment area. We all know that when Aberdare Ranges was under threat from the government, it was the private sector that came up with a road map to fence the forest and guard against government instigated encroachment. We must all loud Mr. Kiboro, formerly the CEO at Nation Media Group for doing a sterling job in this. Kenyans must all join and help guard against government instigated encroachments into the 5 water towers namely; Mau Forest Complex, Aberdare Ranges, Mt Kenya, Cherengani Hills and Mt Elgon.

We all know that when it comes to environmental destruction, the government has been in the front line. We have forest guards employed by the relevant ministries to guard our forest, yet, the worst forest destructions have been supervised by these people who were meant to safe guard the same forests.

All is not lost at least. If we put our act together now, we can help give life to our children. If we enjoin our children in environmental education now, we will create a future that will be green. If we join hands with the relevant ministries and put them to task, become partners in the process, our guards will not destroy our future any more.

This is why we enjoin Prof Wangare Maathai in also appealing to the Right Hon Prime Minister to lead from the front and help mobilize the youth of Kenya through Kazi Kwa Vijana Initiative in playing a greater role in creating environmental awareness and conservation.

The Kazi Kwa Vijana Initiative if well handled can clean the Nairobi River and help make Nairobi green again. And this is where KCDN comes in. And we have invited Total Kenya Ltd, Green Belt Movement, UNEP, the Ministries of Environment and that of Forestry, the City Council of Nairobi and some more companies and institutions to kindly join us on 5th September 2009 at 8.00am at Komarock Phase 2 to push forward From Talking to Tasking, the Greening of Nairobi East; A KCDN Initiative’.

We owe this to our children.

Odhiambo T Oketch
CEO KCDN Nairobi.
Tel; 0735 529 126, 0724 365 557,
http://kcdnkomarockswatch.blogspot.com

From Talking to Tasking..

From talking to tasking, the Greening of Nairobi East; A KCDN Initiative

If you look at the enclosed pictures, do you have a feeling that something is wrong?

This is the canal that passes through Komarock. It is a cemented canal and as you can see, the cement is not visible. It has been out grown by weeds and dirt clogs the whole stretch of the canal. It suffers from massive neglect.

On 5^th September 2009, we are mobilizing the school children, the youth and the residents and Friends of KCDN to come together for what we have been calling, ‘From talking to tasking, the Greening of Nairobi East; a KCDN Initiative’.

We have invited the Minister for Environment and Mineral Resources, Hon John N Michuki, to be our Guest of Honour on this day. He will give the key note speech in a ceremony that we will host at the grounds next to our offices at Komarock Phase 2 at the shopping centre at 8am on the same day [5^th September 2009]. He will be accompanied by our partner guests from companies and institutions that will come forward to support this Initiative.

We are in discussions with institutions and Friends of KCDN to give us the ware withal to clean this canal and to plant trees along the same. We are also encouraging the school children to each plant a tree at their homes on the same day and become personally responsible for its growth, safety and watering. This will be part of their social responsibility to the society.

We have for a long time been pushing the companies for support through their Corporate Social Responsibility Departments without putting in our own personal efforts. We are happy that we have so far received positive responses from Total Kenya Ltd and Green Belt Movement. UNEP is still undecided but we hope to work with them in this programme of conserving our environment. Several companies will be reverting to us in due course.

We are also in discussions with the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife Services and the City Council of Nairobi.

The rains have failed us for so long to an extent that we must do something. We must move from the preconceived ideas that the rains fall in April and that is the time we should plant trees. If this was true, then the dams could not be drying up?

It simply means that the rains have not been there and we must task ourselves with the responsibility of managing our environment the best way we can. This will also call for massive civic education to all those who clog our canals and rivers, those who destroy our forests for quick monetary gains, and those who clear the bushes out of curiosity in the spirit of cleaning the environment.

Time has come when we must each galvanize someone into action. Together with Friends of KCDN, we will be pushing this Initiative and on a yearly basis, we will be coming together to do something in support of our environment. We must engage and talk less.

To the many Friends of KCDN, to the institutions, to the corporates, we invite and appreciate your continued support.

Many thanks and our blessings,

Odhiambo T Oketch,

CEO KCDN Nairobi.

Tel; 0735 529 126, 0724 365 557,

http://kcdnkomarockswatch.blogspot.com

Akba Uhaki visits KCDN

We were honoured today to host a team from Akiba Uhaki Foundation today at KCDN. The team was led by Mr. Kepta Ombati and it included Mr. Felix Kyalo and Ms Christine Njurai.

Akiba Uhaki had recently supported us when we hosted the 2nd Edition of the KCDN Peace Run/Walk.

This was an exploratory meeting to evaluate our capacities, our weaknesses, and explore how to look at the future with hope.

On hand to discuss with them were Ms Philis Kariuki, Ms Elizabeth Mwende and myself.

On behalf of KCDN and all the Friends of KCDN, I want to register our appreciation with the visit and we know that we have a lot to learn and share with Akiba Uhaki Foundation. This marks the beginning of real hard work for us at KCDN.

Many thanks and blessings,

Odhiambo T Oketch,
CEO KCDN Nairobi.

Firmly back on track

Dear Friends,

When we were threatened with eviction at our offices, Friends of KCDN came to our aid so forcefully in what Migosi George Nyongesa positively calls the power of numbers.

We are paying the final installment of the rent balance tomorrow. We will also make some advance payment on the part balance on our furniture and with the power of numbers, we are very optimistic that we will pay all the balance accruing.

We are as focused as ever on our mandate. Our forte is support of the African Child; that child who is an orphan and those who are vulnerable, coming from poor families. On 4th December 2009, we will give them books, stationery, uniforms and shoes in a ceremony that we will host at Komarock Primary School.

On this day, we will support 1950 such children. Again, it will be our love for children and the power we have in numbers that will make us successful.

No one will help these children on our behalf. It is our love, our desire to give and our power in numbers that will carry the day. KCDN is just but a vehicle through which you can put a smile on the face of a deserving child, a deserving mother.

On 5th September 2009, all these children and their friends, the youth and all the parents will join KCDN in 'From talking to tasking, the Greening of Nairobi; A KCDN Initiative' in planting trees around Komarock and in the family compounds. The kids will be appreciating the support that we have given them by becoming responsible for our environment.

We have sort partnership for this day with Unep, Total Kenya Ltd, Green Belt Movement and a few more companies. We will give appropriate updates.

As we thank all Friends of KCDN, we want to invite you to invite one more Friend to join our Initiative on Child Support.

We can make it happen so, let us do it. Remember it will be on 4th December 2009.

Our thanks and appreciation.

Odhiambo T Oketch,
CEO KCDN Nairobi.
Tel; 0735 529 126, 0724 365 557,
Email; komarockswatch@yahoo.com
http://kcdnkomarockswatch.blogspot.com