My name is Morag Gamble and I am the founder of Ethos Foundation – a permaculture charity that helps to make permaculture education accessible to communities around the world. Right now, we are seeking to raise $2000 to fund Sakina Kiriba so that she can travel from Kenya to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to teach Permaculture.
This is an exciting opportunity on so many levels! Sakina was born in DRC, but she hasn’t been there in 11 years since she was forced to flee to the Kakuma Refugee Camp due to political unrest in her City.
About the opportunity
Recently an organisation called ‘Act in Solidarity with the Vulnerable of War’ invited Sakina to teach 20 war veterans in DRC about Permaculture. This organisation aims to help support these 20 war veterans, who have suffered hardships during the war and are now homeless due to the destruction of their properties. Sakina will run a program with them to teach Permaculture farming methods. This will help them earn money and begin to rebuild their lives. Sakina has told us that a lot of these people believe it is not possible to grow food without chemicals. This belief often leads to dangerous chemical exposure and crops that don’t provide an income. She believes that by teaching them about Permaculture, it will help to improve their health and the health of the environment. Beyond even this, she hopes that it will start a ripple effect that could change farming practices in DRC forever.
When Sakina approached us early last week to help fund her trip, she spoke about what the opportunity would mean for her.
“I would like to go and teach permaculture in Bukavu (DRC). Firstly because I love my people and have seen the great importance of permaculture and its many benefits. I have been fortunate to be well educated – I would like to share this education so that it can be good for my country and my people too.”
Meet Sakina
Sakina was sponsored by Ethos Foundation to complete the Permaculture Educators Course through the Permaculture Education Institute. In her refugee community of Kakuma, she now leads many initiatives including a Permayouth group (pictured below).
Sakina goes on to say
“I know that my country (DRC – her origin country) is large and is rich and valuable in many ways – it has forests and rivers – but people lack the education to use these resources. I believe that the way I received an education about sustainable farming is good. It has meant that people around me can also benefit from better farming practices. If I can spread this knowledge, then the people who I teach can teach others and this will mean that people in my neighbouring countries will eventually benefit from good food by these permaculture farming techniques.”
The current situation in Sakina’s town of birth in DRC is still dangerous, which means she is unable to return there. However, she is able to visit Bukavu, where the situation is a lot better and it is now safe for her to return. While it’s not exactly the reunion she was hoping for, Sakina is very excited to go home to her birth Country. She hopes to head to Bukavu next month, to begin teaching the group of 20 war veterans about Permaculture.
How can you help?
Please donate at www.ethosfoundation.org.au to help us reach $2000 before October. This money will be used to sponsor Sakina to travel from Kenya to DRC, her accommodation while there, and any teaching expenses. How to donate? Click the ‘Donate’ at the top right of the website. Once there, select the ‘For Sakina to teach Permaculture to Homeless War Veterans in DRC’ option.
We guarantee that 100% of the funds donated go directly to Sakina and will see her heading to DRC in early October (or as soon as she can).
If you are unable to donate, then please share this blog to help spread the word. The more people who see this, the more help we can get to make Sakina’s goal a reality.
Thank you for all your support and for reading this blog. If you have any questions about Sakina, this project, or Ethos Foundation, please leave a comment below.
– Morag Gamble