Capacity Development

OFEAS considers capacity building, formal or informal, as one key ingredient for meaningful development and sustainable prosperity in society as Kenya. In that respect, one of the painful realities in many communities in the country is the poor capacity building standards and lack of the same for the elderly that matters. Based on the maxim: “Little capacity building is worse than No Capacity building”, OFEAS observed with apprehension that where training exist,
the actual elements that constitute capacity building are tremendously wanting, for instance, trainers are often ill equipped or work on a volunteer basis and training materials unavailable; and if, available – untimely notwithstanding the unresolved problem of harmonization of capacity building needs at the national level. Inadequate training/learning spaces leaving elderly persons deficient of knowledge and hence increases chances of vulnerability to property and financial predators ranging from minor to severe and thus affecting the elderly person’s capacity building.

We have evidenced-based belief that formal capacity building is relatively expensive for instance, OFEAS observed that literacy and illiteracy, which are direct products of formal capacity building, are in this modern day-and-age equally direct functions that reduce or perpetuate poverty cycle especially in the peripherized populations in Kenya.

In this regard, OFEAS realizes the fundamental need for tangible community capacity building. Therefore, OFEAS will endeavor to provide basic quality capacity building to children, women and strategic community leaders in communities through different organized
programs as:
(i.) Improve and expand safer capacity building services for children and youth,
(ii.) Enhance the relevance of capacity building and promote elderly people well-being,
(iii.) Improve the quality of capacity building system management through local education
authorities,

(iv.) Provide rapid response mechanisms that will increase the resilience in times of crisis,
(v.) Provide Adult capacity building, and Creative Pastoral education Programs.
(vi.) Promote reporting desk mechanism and retention through provision of communication enablers.
(vii.) Provision of nutrition program for under 5 children enrolled in the Elderly people Development Program.

Truly, OFEAS is consciously aware of the need for elderly people capacity building in some of the most marginalized communities in Kenya like the Nyanza community that it has most served. Demography illustrates that over half of Kenya populace is above 60. Since OFEAS believes the old are current community leaders; thus, the real elderly capacity building empowerment is truly inspiring. As such, OFEAS has tried to partner with local communities and appropriate donors to develop opportunities for children and adults to attend schools where there are none.