Bondo Town is located near Lake Victoria in Nyanza Province, Kenya, about 50 kms northwest of Kisumu. Located in an agricultural area, the town was established as a market centre in the early 1920’s and has a population of over 30,000, with more spread out over a large area in many communities around the town. HIV/AIDS orphans are one of the most vulnerable groups in the area, and are represented in almost 50% of the school population. This high number is attributed to the major health issues in the region, including 23% HIV/AIDS (2011, approximately 3-4 times the national HIV/AIDS rate), and high rates of malaria, TB, and maternal mortality. The orphans face numerous hardships resulting from poverty, insufficient food, low nutritional standards, poor housing and lack of access to basic services, such as water and sanitation. Other challenges the Bondo Community face include inadequate school infrastructures (substandard buildings, no water, minimal sanitary facilities), and the inability to pay school fees.
ICO Foundation has been establishing initiatives with this community since February 2012, when two ICO Team Members lived there for the better part of 2 years. The initial goals were to improve school infrastructure; assist women in generating income and becoming self-sufficient (eco-stove project, African Angels); assist with local water projects; and build proper homes for a couple of widows and their children in desperate need. ICO also built one of the first school libraries in the area, which could house up to 120 children. From 2014 to the present the focus has been the sustainment of the Bondo School Sponsorship Initiative which supports underprivileged children to get a good quality education and for those in boarding school a steady diet and shelter, ranging from primary school through to university.
The Bondo School Sponsorships Initiative also supports ICO students and their families with food, shelter and health security. This may include but not be limited to the purchase of: food supplies, land to grow crops and/or establish a homestead, fencing the land, building a modest house, furniture, assistance with accommodation rental, assistance with medical issues, and other support benefitting the students and their families.
The focused efforts towards COVID relief ended as of 22 May 2021.
As of August 20th 2022 the Bondo School Sponsorships Initiative name will now be changed to Bondo School Sponsorships (and Family Support).
To read more about our Initiative Lead Mark and Field Lead Mary click here.
For more information contact our Initiative Lead:
Mark Dull: markdull@innovativecommunities.org
