Previous Projects

SKILLS ACROSS THE WORLD - KENYA 2005

Connor Kelly and Gavin Lynch, two highly skilled young Irishmen travelled to Kenya in 2005 (September - December) and were supported by Skills Across the World to undertake a few pieces of work supervised by the Granny Club Project in Kenya.

Firstly they carried out repairs at the Saidia Children’s Home in Gil Gil. This involved sorting out issues around waste water usage, fixing leaking roofs and wiring up for a solar panel and lights and most importantly, to install playground equipment for the children.

With this completed they travelled to Bondo near the shores of Lake Victoria, site of an earlier Skills Across the World project and worked with young men formerly trained by SAW to carry out repairs and maintenance at the Primary School, construct and repair school furniture and further contribute their expertise to a nearby community who are building a health clinic at Majengo.

2003

SAW has completed its project at Milenga Primary School in Western Kenya. Read below to find out more about the team and check latest news to get the final update.

International Volunteers Team at Milenga Primary School

• Billy Danawe - is the current SAW team leader in Western Kenya . Billy heard about SAW through one of the 2002 participants and decided to join this year. Whilst a bricklayer by trade, he has proven to have many other skills including mechanical, which keep 'ol Betty' (the SAW vehicle) in order.
• Marco Gstohl - is a very capable SAW participant from Liechtenstein. Marco was also recommended by a former SAW participant and his been sharing his excellent carpentry/cabinetmaking skills with the local volunteers and also picking up some new skills himself.. Marco's German accent is slowly being infused with an Ozzie "twang".
• Adrian Bowen - is one of three Austrailans on this team, who contributed greatly to the development of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Milenga Community and the design of the buildings with his project management skills. After a very productive and worthwhile three months in Kenya Andria is now back in Sydney running his own construction company Bowen Geissler.
• Adrian Parker - heard about SAW after competing in the National Australian WorldSkills competition last year. An electrician by trade, Adrian, proved to be versatile and multi skilled and also developed skills in teaching and training as he shared his knowledge with the local volunteers.

2002

Obedi Primary School, Kenya

The Skills Across the World (SAW) formula has been successfully proven once again... that one of the best assets you can bring to developing communities is skills and even more importantly the ability to share them!!

Five volunteers from New Zealand, Ireland, Norway and Australia worked alongside 12 community nominated trainees. 3 of the local trainees were part of the SAW project in 2000. Our intention was to utilise their language skills to assist with the new local volunteers as well as improve on their own skill level.

The site was Obedi Primary School, six hours northwest of Nairobi, 20km north of Lake Victoria in the heart of Luo tribal area (map). Obedi is an incredibly needy school (see 'before' photos on left) and with the Sincerutty organisation providing finance for materials, the SAW team managed to make a huge difference to the lives of the 270 students and their teachers. First on the agenda was to build four new latrines, as the current latrines had seriously passed their used by date. 40ft holes were dug, foundations were laid, walls were built, roof made and four new toilets now grace the lawns at Obedi. The next step was to renovate two existing classrooms. Creative thinking was needed to increase the amount of natural light in the classrooms (the school has no electricity): the gable bricks were knocked out and replaced with corrugated transparency. Floors were cemented, windowsills put in place, window frames fitted and rendering both inside and out. All this had initiated the local volunteers for the big task: the construction of four new classrooms!

Unfortunately, SAW was unable to build new school furniture, due to time constraints and budget limitations. We will certainly address this in 2003, utilising the trained community members.

Bonus
Our call for a bricklayer was answered by Ken Egan, a TAFE teacher from Granville, Sydney who was keen to take the challenge and was happy to use his long service leave. It was the first time we have included an "golden oldie" (sorry Ken!) in the team and something we certainly would like to continue.

	International Volunteer Team at Obedi School
	Mike Somers from New Zealand, an electrician who competed in the Montreal Worldskills Competition in 1999, returned as Co Team Leader, after successfully completing the SAW Kenyan project in 2000. Nick O’Brien from Australia, a cabinet maker by trade also with overall construction experience under his belt, joined Mike as Co Team Leader. Eline Amundsen from Norway, who trained as an early childhood teacher, joined the project to "value add" by working with the primary school children, as well as labouring. Conor Kelly from Ireland - a multi-skilled cabinetmaker, who reached the finals of the Irish Apprentice of the Year. Ken Egan from Australia, a vocational education head bricklaying teacher from Granville TAFE. Ken has had extensive overseas experience, having previously spent some time working on construction projects in Vietnam.

	Thank you to Sincerutty, Cooper Tools and the Big Brother Movement for their support on this project.
	Read a letter of thanks from Headmaster of Obedi Primary School to Skills Across the World Volunteers

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2000

Baropuk Primary School, Kenya

We made the decision to head to Kenya in early 2000 after political unrest in Zimbabwe. A request for assistance from a community at Baropuk Primary School led our team to Western Kenya, near the shores of Lake Victoria. A team of four international volunteers worked alongside seven local volunteers to achieve far more than was ever imagined. The initial project was to complete two classrooms and a staffroom that had been begun by the local community but was devastated in floods. The team and dedicated local volunteers successfully stretched the budget (coupled with some innovative practice) so everyone in the school could benefit. All eight classrooms were rendered and had new cement floors, some ceilings and roofing replaced, window frames and doors were put in every classroom and where possible even a splash of paint! Whats more, comfortable, practical furniture was built for all 325 students!

	International Volunteer Team at Baropuk School
	Andrew Schilling from Australia, a national WorldSkills gold medallist, who put on hold his successful bricklaying company in Melbourne whilst he was in Kenya. Mike Somers from New Zealand, an electrician who competed in the Montreal Worldskills Competition in 1999. Teresa Park from Canada, a cabinet-making student. Mathew Devery from New Zealand who is a welder with the New Zealand Army.

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