A number of income-generation projects are underway in Rabuor. In addition to the activities being conducted through the Rabuor Women's Group, the Rabuor Youth Group, as well as many men from Rabuor and surrounding areas, have become increasingly active in efforts to create sustainable sources of local income-generation and job creation. The involvement of men and women of all ages and backgrounds is a pillar of strength in all the activities supported by RVP. Below are brief descriptions of current activities:

Brick Making
Traditionally, bricks in this region of Kenya were hand formed and fired. This process required large amounts of firewood and led to the destruction of many indigenous trees. In response to the need for an environmentally-friendly method for making bricks, RVP has supported the creation of the Rabuor Brickworks.

The Brickworks uses local dirt and a small amount of cement to create uniform, very sturdy bricks formed by a mechanical brick press. The project is currently providing full-time employment to six local youths, while supplying an essential, highly marketable source of building material in Rabuor and surrounding communities.

Sunflower Oil Production
RVP is supporting the Rabuor Women's Group in expanding their cash crop production through a number of innovative methods. One such project is the sunflower project, which is expected to become an important source of income in the community. Sunflower is an ideal crop both because of the low maintenance required to grow it, as well as the high value of the products that it yields.

Once the sunflowers have grown to full size, their seeds are harvested. The seeds are dried in the sun and then pressed in a specialized mechanical press to produce 100% pure sunflower oil with no additives. The seed husks, which are discarded during the pressing process, are collected and used as a nutritious source of animal feed. The sale of the oil to local households and institutions, such as schools, provides income back to the Women's Group and is used to support the ongoing operations of the Rabuor Nursery School and other local RVP projects.

Dairy Goats
RVP has recently purchased seven hybrid dairy goats which were distributed to members of the Rabuor Women's Group. Each recipient of a goat underwent an intensive three-day training in the care, feeding and use of these goats. Hybrid dairy goats are superior to the local goats because they yield a great deal of milk, as much as an entire cow, while local goats produce very little milk. The hybrid goats have been specially bred to thrive in Kenya and are just as easy to maintain as the local goats.

In addition to the income derived from the selling of goat's milk, the goats can also be bred and sold to other households. This is expected to be a significant source of income in the near future due to the fact that this specialty breed of goat is not currently available in western Kenya.

Beekeeping
RVP is supporting the Rabuor Village Youth Group to establish several beehives for the collection of honey. The beekeeping project is a complementary activity to sunflower growing, as the bees pollinate the sunflowers. Honey also represents a nutrient and calorie-rich addition to the local diet. The honey produced will be consumed and sold in Rabuor and surrounding communities.

Micro-lending
The first round of small micro-loans were given to the women's group to increase food crop diversity and yield. The project was highly successful, with the loans being paid back in full within one year. Due to this initial success, RVP hopes to expand its micro-lending program to support a new round of projects being proposed by village residents. In keeping with the RVP philosophy of community-driven development, micro-loans are granted in response to proposals from village groups. Each project is evaluated on the basis of its potential to enhance the overall well-being of the community and its ability to generate a sufficient amount of income to cover the original amount of the loan.

 

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Updated October 2006