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Taxi Fleet CBSM is happy to announce that we have been working along side two local youth groups to create our very own 'Taxi Fleet'!

After four years of teaching best business practices, a pilot project has begun with a vocational training program. Youth from the CBSM community will take part n a nine-month vocational and leadership program and upon graduation they will own their own personal bicycle taxis.

The program will teach these youths bicycle maintenance, repair and will include a one week apprenticeship at a local Kimilili repair shop.
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Our main aim in building up a CBSM Taxi Fleet is to provide male youths with a new prospective on how they can achieve self-sufficiency through collaborative effort. The vocational and leadership training program will provide them with the knowledge they need to run a successful bicycle taxi business.

Everyone is very excited and many ideas, suggestions and support has been generated! Please continue to check our blog to receive more information and updates about our exciting new project!
 
The strike, which is estimated to have affected more that 12 million students has finally ended. The nation wide school strike affected government run schools across Kenya by the Kenyan National Union of Teachers (KNUT).

According to a local Nairobi newspaper report, teachers were handling a teacher to student ration of 1 to 80 and demanded that this be lowered by a large number of additional teachers hired for the country.

Luckily, CBSM's school, as well as other community and private schools continued to operate, but they have been encouraged by the KNUT to close. CBSM held a emergency meeting and decided to close for a few days to ensure the safety of all students.

Yesterday, September 12th, the strike was called off after four days by the KNUT. The KNUT's Secretary General David Okuta made a statement today saying “for the sake of our children, and for the sake of stability in the Nation, the strike has been called off.”

CBSM is happy that the school has been able to run and that other Kenyan students will be able to resume their learning once again.
 
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Zaida, Phylis, and Breezie (left to right)
(written by Mandie)

Dear Friends,

As some of you may know, we have a Peace Corps Volunteer, Breezie, who will be staying in Kimilili for two years. She has only been in Kimilili for three and a half weeks, but has really gotten down to work!

With a degree in nutrition, Beezie has been conducting nutrition talks to a local hospital's VCT clinic, to newly HIV diagnosed individuals. She will continue to educate others about proper food choices on a weekly basis at the hospital every Wednesday and Thursday morning. During her first talk she spoke about three types of food that can be helpful during an infection and/or illness like HIV/AIDS. Bodybuilding foods to repair the body during illness, protective foods to fight infections and energy foods are essential to maintain immune function. This information is very helpful to those who are newly diagnosed and who may not understand the importance diet can be.

Breezie has also been doing many other things, which has kept her quite busy. Recently, she attended a Community Health Workers meeting in Kamasielo and has been communicating with various group within the community, assessing their needs. Many have given great ideas that the community would like to see established or created.

Breezie has really enjoyed her time in Kenya thus far and looks forward to what lies ahead in the coming months.