In October 2021 we could report about the start of a new project. The registered association (Self Help Group) with Mike Okella started after several months of preparation with the breeding of Tilapia fish. The business plan and the detailed program with 12 modules for training of young people convinced us to support this project with a small loan or the training program with a grant.
Three ponds are now lined with foil. The work is in full swing. The first 2,000 fingerlings have been transferred from the growing ponds. The harvest next spring will of course be reported on.
The fish farm is a great opportunity for the people of Rusinga and is only just beginning. Zephania, Collins, Samuel and Anastasia write to us at Christmas and tell us about themselves, their commitment and their goals. We are happy to pass on our thanks and their wishes for Merry Christmas and the New Year.
Many thanks to our supporters who made this project possible.
Hello, my name is Zephania Owuor.
I am from Rusinga Kamasengre. I have a family, a wife and two children. I am a farmer here and I grow bananas, sukuma wiki, tomatoes and cassava. Although the farm is small, I manage it. I am one of the beneficiaries of the DECHWA fish farm and receive training there.
At the end of the training, I will be able to work with another organization or run my own farm. This is a very good thing and I am very interested in it. My vision is to feed the people of Rusinga with fish farming and my farm where I grow different kinds of crops. So that Rusinga will be a good place where people can eat different foods like fish and cassava so that they will be healthy and have enough to eat.
I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
My name is Collins Otieno Odhiambo from Rusinga Island.
I am a member of the DECHWA community project. I work there every day. I am a father of five children. We hope that at the end of our first harvest we will be able to close the gap of food security.
This is a problem for Rusinga because people here depend on fish for food, but fish production in the lake is low these days. This is because the lake is overpopulated and some poor fishing activities are being carried out. Since we introduced fish farming, we know that at the end of our first harvest we will have a lot of fish and we will also be able to feed the community well.
We have also done some training here. We hope to train others in the next few months so they know how important fish farming is as a business. We used to use fish as food, but now we want to make it an economic activity. And also achieve food security. We want to expand and maybe in the future we will set up cages so that we have a number of fish that can provide food for the community.
I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
My name is Samuel Ouma and I am from Rusinga Kamasengre.
I am a family man. I have a wife and two children who are all boys. At the moment I am going fishing. I only fish near my house. I don’t go too far away because I don’t have boats that can take me fishing far away from my house.
My vision for my people in Rusinga Kamasengre is to fish more so they can put more food on the table. So that our children can become full, happy and strong. I hope that by doing this we will have more fish in the village so that we can have more food. Because with the fishing we are doing right now, we can’t get enough fish. But with this project here, I know that the production will be enough for the villagers and for the people of Rusinga as a whole.
Otherwise, just before Christmas, I would like to wish the people in Germany a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Many thanks and warm greetings to all people in Germany.
Hello, my name is Anastastia Mwendia and I am a mother of two children and a businesswoman. I live in the region of Rusinga Kamasengre.
I have visited the fish farm of the DECHWA community project and I am very happy about it. Because the work that is being done there shows that at least Rusinga will be a developed community. And that is in terms of food security and production. The work is very good and it has encouraged us.
My vision for Rusinga is that there will be an adequate supply of food and a balanced diet, and that will also grow my business. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.