Matthew Kerridge and Matthew Ryding on Volunteering in Africa
A Sky TV interview of Matthew Kerridge and Matthew Ryding promoting the IcFEM Gap Volunteers Programme and sharing their experiences of volunteering in Africa.
Introduction
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IcFEM is an interdenominational Christian organisation, currently operating in Western Kenya. The aim of the Interchristian Fellowships' Evangelical Mission is to build up people in the rural areas both spiritually and practically, to be wholly for God and hard- working, especially in the area of self- help and sustainable projects, to run a mercy ministry to the needy and to involve in various community development projects while conserving the environment.
As our Mission is to Accelerate Community Development, IcFEM has now developed a gap programme for international students and volunteers to share their valuable skills. The Gap Programme involves volunteers in meaningful and enjoyable tasks in Western Province, Kenya and is run and managed in a relatively large town of Western Province called Kimilili.
Please visit our blog and keep up to date with the Missions work at www.icfem-mission.blogspot.com Director's Letter
Dear Students,
Living in poverty is not just an issue of material deficit. The poor develop their own adaptive culture, which includes withdrawal from participating in wider society institutions/activity and a strong feeling of marginality, helplessness, dependency, weak self-image and a sense of resignation. Any meaningful transformation development process must focus on reversing this negative culture, by building up their self esteem and giving them back their sense of worth, self-respect, identity, respect, honour and recognition.
Through participation, IcFEM uses projects not as an end (material benefits) in themselves but as a means to free the poor from socio-psychological poverty and thus pave the way for ‘Holy Living’. Participation promotes empowerment through changes of attitudes and self-realisation, power within oneself. This process includes the promotion of cooperation and not competition, power sharing and not power concentration, community building and not individualism, care and concern and not selfishness, justice and not exploitation. Participation consolidates collective empowerment and builds peoples’ power to take charge through capacity building. Participation enables the development process to be internalised.
In line with our mission of accelerating community transformation,we have receognised that students in the developed societies can be a great asset in various ways within the strategic programmes and projects the Mission is undertaking to alleviate poverty.To involve them, the Mission has opened up opportunities through our service delivery structure called IcFEM gap programme. For those who will trust us enough to choose IcFEM gap programme for their gap year, a deliberate arrangement has been made for them to gain maximum benefits from the programme by also including a range of interesting ecotouristic activities students may like to do. As God is central in most people's lives in Kenya (87% Christians), those who feel the need to know God better and to strengthen their relationship with Him will find the programme most rewarding.The IcFEM Mission will give you a fantastic opportunity to do your part to stamp down on poverty in Africa.
Solomon Nabie,
Director, IcFEM-Mission
(Western Kenya)
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