CURRENT FUNDRAISING FOCUS: LSBF GoFundMe Page

We are now raising money to help Polydord pay for a new irrigation pipe to connect a water storage container to the kitchen gardens (currently water for this use is rationed, and only turned on at certain times in the day, requiring someone to be there to manually watering at those times).

____________________________________________________

Our story begins when Shift Bristol was contacted at the beginning of 2024 by a remarkable man called Polydord Wasokye; seeking out fellow Permaculturalists to learn and collaborate with.

Polydord, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, is now a refugee in the Kakuma Refugee Camp - one of the largest camps in the world, located in the North-western region of Kenya. The camp is home to more than 200,000 asylum seekers and refugees, cohabiting in some of the harshest and unforgiving climate and living conditions, contending with high temperatures and dramatic flooding. The camp communities attempt to meet their needs with very few resources - with limited rations of food and water, and very little power/rights (if any) to make changes to or leave the camp.

You can read more of Polydord's story below...

Polydord is the co-founder of a refugee led project called Life Skills for Better Future, a project which aims to:

• Establish private kitchen gardens around each family home to bolster access to affordable and fresh food (to supplement their inadequate refugee dried food rations)
• Build of an educational classroom/centre with demonstration plot, to teach the necessary agriculture skills to wider groups in the community.
• Hold regular creative workshops with up to 45 children and young people from the camp - to engage their hearts, minds and bodies to develop their personal resilience and wellbeing. (Many of these children and young people have witnessed unfathomable violence and trauma, and now find themselves in unfamiliar surroundings, with people speaking many different languages).
• Empower women to set up small enterprises to raise their income, and help them save a small percentage to invest in the growth of their businesses.

Since Feb 2024 we have been collaborating on a monthly basis with Polydord and his team, to help assist in these regular workshops. Together we dance, stretch, draw, sing, breath, play, and teach - I've had the joy of witnessing the team support and encourage each child and young person to lean into the joy and the safety that these workshops provide.

Since working together we have been mindful of the power dynamics as a white westerner, and wish to avoid falling into the trap of acting like a 'white saviour'. Our role is to support Polydord and his team in their goals, offering encouragement, ideas for activities to do with the children, topics for them to learn about agriculture/permaculture/nature connection, and sharing news of his work throughout our networks. We also to help to raise funds to buy the materials and resources that LSBF identify that they need and request.

So far, money raised from this fundraiser has paid for a large television screen (so that the children and the team can connect with others via zoom, and connect to resources via the internet), easels to be built for each child so that they may draw/create without having to rest their paper on the floor, paper / coloured pens & pencils (previously children were using charcoal from the fires), and most recently some new shoes for children who had been walking barefoot or with inadequate footwear.

Words from Polydord, about the latest shoe appeal:

A Heartfelt Thank You for Your Generous Support for Children in Kakuma Refugee Camp

We are deeply grateful for your generous donation of children’s shoes for the kids at Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. Thanks to your support, we were able to purchase 23 pairs of shoes at 250 KES each, providing comfort and dignity to children who were previously walking barefoot or wearing old, worn-out shoes.

Your contribution has made a real difference, allowing these children to walk with confidence and pride. The smiles on their faces reflect the profound impact of your kindness.

We sincerely thank everyone who contributed to this cause. Together, we are helping these children step towards a brighter future.

With gratitude,

Polydord Wasokye

LSBF-Kakuma

(Polydord carrying his family's monthly food ration for 5 people: 2.5ltrs vegetable oil, 2.5kgs yellow peas, 14kgs of rice).

Polydord Wasokye

"My journey begins in the verdant landscapes of Kazimia Village, nestled in the eastern expanses of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Born on December 10, 1995, into a lineage steeped in agriculture; my life was intimately tied to the rhythms of the land. Our family - guardians of the soil - cultivated our livelihood through the bounty of our gardens. From a tender age I accompanied my mother on the long treks to our plots, learning the art of farming and the value of hard work amidst the lush diversity of our fields. Our land yielded Cassava, maize, avocados, pineapples, bananas, and a mosaic of vegetables and legumes, sustaining the family and funding my education.

Despite the pastoral beauty of my homeland, my narrative took a darker turn as the shadows of war and unrest crept across the Congo. The fragility of life in my village, marred by violence and insecurity, propelled me on a quest for safety and peace, leading to my registration as a refugee in Kenya's Kakuma camp in February 2015.

In Kakuma, I encountered a world far removed from my agricultural roots, marked by food scarcity and economic hardship. Yet, it was here that my resilience shone. Determined to overcome the barriers of language and displacement, I embraced the challenge of learning English, laying the groundwork for a future driven by purpose and community service.

By the end of 2016, My personal life blossomed with the founding of a family, yet my heart remained with the broader camp community. Disturbed by the dire conditions facing women and children in Kakuma, I founded the Life Skills for Better Future (LSBF) organization. LSBF emerged as a beacon of hope, dedicated to empowering refugees through vocational training and sustainable development programs, fostering a community where self-reliance and economic independence are within reach.

Under my leadership, LSBF has initiated programs like Livelihoods for Resilience, targeting the nutritional and educational needs of women and children and cultivating permaculture practices. The organization’s mission extends to enhancing employability and entrepreneurship, aiming to dismantle the barriers to economic advancement for Kakuma’s inhabitants.

I envision a future where equity, opportunity, and self-sufficiency are accessible to all, striving tirelessly to expand LSBF’s impact. My story is a testament to the transformative power of education, community, and unwavering resolve, illuminating a path of hope and renewal for refugees far beyond the borders of Kakuma."

If you can help Polydord in any way, he would love to hear from you.

• Contacts and networking
• Permaculture knowledge and skills sharing
• Spreading word of his project
• Fundraising application support
• Editing documents
• Sending resources / funds

lsbfcbo1995@gmail.com / whatsapp: +254 741 217748