Community Breakthrough Support Mission is excited to announce Margaret Biketi as the new Project Manager within our Woman and Youth Empowerment Program!  Margaret has been with CBSM since 2008 as Head Mistress in our school and will now be taking on an exciting new role in our Empowerment Program.

“When I started at CBSM we only had 30 children and a lot of hope to impact the lives of the hundreds of needy children in the area,” explains Margaret.  Since then CBSM is proud to support and teach more than 350 students at our school.  “Because of the great success of our school project I hope that our Woman and Youth Empowerment Program will grow to help the lives of others within the community just like our school has.”  

Margaret has been working closely with Zaida our accountant and leader of our Woman’s Table Banking Group to communicate with the woman involved in these projects to understand their needs, ideas and short and long term goals.  

CBSM has 10 active groups of woman in our table banking program that meet weekly and pool together funds that a member or members may borrow for a fixed amount of time with interest to invest as each group sees fit.  Some women use this money for short term projects and/or to invest in various tools/materials etc. to boost their personal businesses.  Businesses vary from agriculture, selling second hand clothing and farm products, brick making, shops and a food hotel.  

These businesses have been a lifeline for many woman and their families as it is their primary and sometimes only source of income. Margaret will be working closely with the table banking groups to provide materials, education and other tools to help them expand and improve their businesses.  

Margaret is excited to dive into her new role, “I am really looking forward to helping the groups and understand how to improve our programs for them so they can experience success.” 

CBSM is so thankful for Margaret’s determination, passion and positive energy and believes that she is the perfect person to lead our program to long term sustainable success!

Please check back for updates of the woman involved in these programs and how you can support them!

 
During the CBSM board of management December meeting, it was resolve that we must establish an office for CBSM in Kimilili town, as well as open up an account in Kimilili in the only KCB bank. As well, it was decided that if all goes well these two items are to be implemented between January and February 2011.


The lack of a functioning office has greatly inconvenienced the public, local government agencies in the past. The CBSM board members did not have a central meeting place to contact and make official transactions or for coordinating and facilitating the project activities. The board sited that it is also the lack of central office in Kimilili, which makes it difficult for normal running of its affairs.

We are striving to get the reporting of the CBSM Education Center and the various women co-ops flowing properly. Without a central place to meet, this has make it difficult for reports to be archived and for loan. Therefore, we have started with our preparations.

First, we have started gathering office equipments. Here is a list of the present status of this endeavour:
  • 
Palm Security has generously donated an office table and two chairs. We are making arrangements to transport them to Kimilili at the next opportunity.
  • The board decided that the two computers Agnes and Alex are currently using in Kimilili shall remain office computers for official use in the CBSM office.
  • 
Should we get an office then our current volunteer Matrine will use part of it for her and her child’s accommodations, as she continues to volunteer as a teacher for CBSM. 
  • Kibabii Engineering network has donated one telephone head for landline for CBSM office.
  • 
Rev. Wasike has handed over the modem for an internet connection in the office . This is the modem that was purchased and used by Vicky during her stay in Kimilili last fall, which she gave to Rev. Wasike upon her departure. This modem is currently being used by Agnes and Alex.

  • Phylis has been mandated to take inventory of available office tools/equipment and other requirements. The office must be connected to electricity.


The office set to start by early February 2011.


It will be the official contact point/place for the public, CBSM families and government agencies who have recently developed alot of interest in whatever we are doing. Hence there have been numerous visits at the school prompting interruptions of normal learning process.


No office staff shall be employed for the moment. We shall have to depend on volunteers. My wife, Phylis is relocating to Kimilili soon with our children and she will be a full time person in the office among others.


Rev Wasike

 
By Rev. Wasike

Sister Millicent, who heads activities of VPS has changed employer and will deploy to Kisumu town. Though our Nairobi team will miss her contribution in the weekly meetings, I thank God that she is now closer to Kimilili where village phone saloon and school are. Nairobi where we are, is too far away that we can not visit as regularly as we would wish. Now, Millicent can help in providing closer leadership to the women group at Kimlilili. I was happy and congratulated Milicent for the progress.