ABOUT MACODO

Mtito-Andei Community Development Organization (MACODO) is a Local NGO operating in Mtito-Andei Division.

It began its operation in 1999 and registered as a CBO with the department of social services in the year 2002. In the year 2009 MACODO registered as a Local NGO. MACODO has been in collaboration with World Vision Kenya Mtito-Andei IPA since 2006.MACODO also has a partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture - Njaa marufuku Kenya (NMK)since 2008 up to date.

The organization’s development programs are Education (Sponsorship, Civic, and Culture & Sports), Food security (Agriculture & Livestock), Environment (Water sanitation & Hygiene), Health (HIV/AIDS & Reproductive Health) and Human Resource (Marketing & Micro finance). The LNGO operates in entire Mtito-Andei Division. Currently the LNGO has a membership of 278 groups (S.H.G, W.G, Y.G, Support groups & Disabled peoples’ Groups) with 11,664 members and managed by 19 board members including the locational, zonal and groups committees. Mtito-Andei Division falls under an ecological zone 5 and 6 which is arid and semi arid. It receives a low amount of rainfall of 250mm-450mm annually which is often erratic and poorly distributed. These harsh climatic conditions have led to desertification which in addition has encouraged gradual soil erosion resulting to diversified effects. Currently the community practices subsistence farming and limited cash crop farming which is entirely rain-fed, small scale livestock rearing, charcoal burning and small scale businesses. People trek for long distances to fetch water and medical services. The area experiences high prices on food stuffs; also there is a prolonged human – wildlife conflict leading to widespread destruction of crops, killing of livestock and spread of diseases. The Division has three seasonal rivers namely 1) Kambu River  2) Ngai-Ndethya River and 3) Mtito-Andei River  and their drips flowing Eastward and drain into River Athi.

The division has a population of approximately 79,117 people in six locations, 36,862 males and 39,345 females. Approximately 941 people live per square kilometer as per the 2009 Kenya National Bureau of Statistics Census Report. This project targets the rural poor in the division. According to Participatory Learning & Action (PLA) survey of (2006) and Emergency Response & Disaster Mitigation (ERDM) of 2008, the researches were carried on by World Vision Kenya, Mtito-Andei IPA in hand with MACODO found that Mtito-Andei residents rely on relief food due to low rainfall, desertification and soil erosion. These findings have proved poor living standards compared to the areas with high rainfall which have high living standards. This project is focused on availing relief food to evade the looming disaster of deaths due to starvation.

PROBLEM STATEMENT:

MACODO as a growing LNGO is facing a lot of challenges especially caused by the poor community in the surrounding that has been stressed by severe starvation. The continued political instability in hand with the financial constraints in Kenya has meant little concern is given by the government to the poor Mtito- Andei Division in all fields of advancement. In addition the worst climatic condition is now being experienced in the last Five years where extremely little or zero crop yields were attained in the last rain season. MACODO has been involved in uplifting Agricultural and Livestock activities in the locality by distributing seeds and in providing farming awareness but this time the rains failed totally. As to say it’s the worst food security crisis in East Africa as warned by the US agency about the Eastern Horn Of Africa. The poor yields have forced prices to shoot up in an alarming rate since it’s the driest year since 1995.Infact households in the region are unable to access the basic food supplies needed for survival and more than Fifty thousand people need humanitarian assistance. To that end MACODO is seeking funds from all well wishers to assist in controlling the food crisis since a bigger disaster looms in the 6 Administrative locations that comprise Mtito - Andei Division. MACODO has constructed a seed bank to keep tolerant seeds (green gram, cowpeas, pigeon peas,  gadam sorghum, finger millet, bulash millet),currently there is no seeds stocked due to the prolonged drought.The funds once granted will cater for the purchasing of the seeds to supply to the community.Currently the locality is experiencing hunger in its full swing cause the local residents flock at the  CBO Offices daily in search for daily food,

PROJECT OBJECTIVES:

ü  To provide emergency assistance to save lives

ü   Purchasing and distributing emergency relief food and related items

ü  Treat acute malnutrition until the next expected harvest season in May 2012.

ü  To support farmers with seeds to enhance food security.

The main objective of the project is to provide emergency assistance to save lives in Mtito Andei Division. The purpose of the project is to treat malnutrition among the targeted beneficiaries. The results of the project are: attainment of proper nutrition, reduced deaths caused by starvation, availing of viable seeds for the next rain season. The project also expects to address cross- cutting issues of awareness on hunger strikes and human rights during the nine months project.