Bridges International Development African missions (Meru, Kenya)

TAILORING

          The Women’s Tailoring Class trains women in the fundamentals of sewing and prepare them to challenge the Kenyan National Sewing Examination.  This training gives the women the knowledge and experience to design and fabricate clothing for themselves, their family and friends, or for sale.  The purpose of this class is to give the women an opportunity so that they can provide clothing for their family and gain economic stability either through personal sales, a business opportunity, or employment.

 

CATERING (BAKING)

Baking/catering is currently being taught in our Women’s Training program.  The class is taught by a local Kenya lady who has her own catering business.  We have a charcoal oven at the Bridges school for use by the students.  This class also provides another way for the women to provide for their families as well as a way to earn money from the sales of their baked goods. 

  

GOATS    

            Goats are an ideal animal for the economic support of an African family.  Africa has many goats but they are not utilized in a way to provide appreciable economic impact.  Goats are excellent milk and meat producers when selected and managed properly.  One good goat can supply all the milk needs of an African family.  We placed two KDPG goats in a Kenyan home for needy children with excellent results.  The two nanny’s produced five kids, one set of twins and one set of triplets, and are producing 28 glasses of milk per day. 

            A good milk goat can produce up to 4 liters of milk per day, more than the average African cow at a much more reasonable cost.  However, proper selection (breeding) and management is the key.  Before anyone can purchase a KDPG goat they have to go through a management training program and agree to the terms of the program which includes keeping the goat in an approved elevated goat house, proper parasite control, and good nutrition.

            Good goats are good for Africa.  We have had a goat management training session at our Bridges compound and we have purchased a KPDG goat and are anxiously awaiting her kidding.  Our desire is for the students to see that goats can be good economic assets for the family.

 

CHICKENS

          Chickens are also a very good animal for the African family.  They are easily managed and provide vital protein nutrition for the family.  We have witnessed several situations in Africa where properly managed chickens provide excellent nutritional and economic input for the average family.  Our pastor trainer Pastor Jackson has recently started a chicken operation with very good results.  He was getting about 35-40 eggs every day from his flock of about 60 hens.  I met a woman in the Tharaka district who had a small flock of hens and was getting 14 eggs each day and people were lined up at her gate every morning to purchase her eggs.     

 

VOCATIONAL TRAINING

          Several vocational training projects are currently being considered for the Bridges school.           These include; Farming God’s Way, carpentry, mechanics, business and accounting, computers, and others.