Recent Developments

EfD are delighted to share the great news that one of the largest health insurance companies in Kenya has awarded Penda with the Excellence in Quality award. In the ceremony, they highlighted that Penda's Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) is an example of what all the other healthcare providers in Kenya should be doing to improve quality in healthcare. 

Thanks to EFD’s financial support, Penda has one of the most advanced CDSS in East Africa, guideline-based care using clinical decision support pathways, created using internationally recognized and standardized World Health Organization algorithms to recognize warning signs, diagnose, treat, and follow up prioritized primary care conditions.  More than 90% of clinical encounters at Penda use CDSS, the core of clinical operations at Penda and the key to how they provide high quality care at low-cost.

EfD are looking forward to supporting Penda to develop their CDSS capabilities further to encompass the unique needs of Pigia Penda - their telephone-based healthcare delivery channel bringing remote primary care to low-income, hard to reach remote communities, expanding access and lowering costs to patients.

here is Doctor Robert Korom, Chief Medical Officer, receiving the Excellence in Quality award where he thanked to Penda's Quality team, IT team, Partnerships team, and Medical Centre teams.  

TIST is The International Small Group and Tree Planting Programme.  They are based in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda with 136,100 farmers in 23, 610 small groups growing over 23,600,900 trees and to date, capturing over 9,000,000 metric tonnes of carbon!  

Every month the various TIST groups let you know what they are doing and the benefits to the farmers and planet, you can hear their stories here

And for TIST Uganda's latest news update you can follow this link to LinkedIn

Every quarter Jacaranda reviews its impact and this quarter they give us a few high level program updates, a great story about nurse mentorship in practice, an update on their pilot in Eswatini, and news about Jacaranda's contribution to the new national goverment Emergency Obstetric Care mentorship guidelines that their team has been engaged in shaping, as well as a valuable snapshot of their digital health tool PROMPTS used by over 1.5 million Mothers representing 44% of expectant and new mothers in Kenya;  their 270 government nurse champions who have been trained by their MENTORS programme, and over 3,000 + providers that have been trained using DELTA, Jacaranda’s mHealth learning tool.

You can read the full article on the huge impact Jacaranda has had in Kenya and in Eswatini right here and if you have any questions please do contact us at info@efdafrica.org

Growing Participation

TIST Farmers continue to reach new milestones with their expansion efforts.  Their hard work, achievements, and enthusiasm make TIST what it is today. 

TIST Farmers believe in the power of sharing the big results they create on their farms and in their communities.  Through their expansion efforts, more than 30,000 farmers have joined TIST over the past two years and, as of today, 100,000 farmers have joined TIST in Kenya alone!  Through Seminars, Cluster, and Mobilization meetings, TIST participants open the door for others to come and learn about the value of teamwork, community, and connection and are a way to pass on information about TIST Values, background, benefits of Conservation Farming, and the objectives of TIST. 

Aboku David recently held one of these meetings in his Cluster, Tubur-Ogolai, and reported that it was a great achievement.  "Mobilization is going well," he said, "I have involved local leaders, stakeholders, and church leaders."  By meeting in TIST Small Groups and discussing strategies, David noticed that the farmers' motivation to participate in TIST activities has increased. His approach has been a success;  "TIST is growing well in my Cluster because I am moving from village to village.  My target is to make sure that everyone hears about TIST."  David also holds sensitization meetings under big trees "so that they can learn the value of trees."  His community is embracing the program so much that they have nicknamed him "A Friend of Trees." 

TIST Farmer: Kagina James Mutambuka

I have gained a lot from TIST Uganda.  When I joined TIST I was invited to a course where I was encouraged to set up a nursery bed for supply of tree seedlings. This I did and I was able to grow more pinus patula trees.  I was also encouraged to plant more trees of different kinds: fruit trees and indigenous trees.  I have learned Best Practices towards the environment through trainings, growing enough food for the family, and thinning and pruning of my trees. I am so grateful for the payments that I have been receiving from TIST since I joined in 2012.  This has enabled me to buy more land and plant more trees. Thank you TIST Uganda for improving my livelihood. Kagina James Mutambuka, a farmer from Rubaya group. 

Uganda Education Fund Recipient: Ajilong Susan 

Schools resumed on May 9th in Uganda.  During the last term, TIST sponsored 12 students through the Education Fund.  Three further students have been added this term for a total of 15 recipients!  Ajilong Susan is pictured above.  She is attending Jeressar High School and recently wrote the following in a letter of thanks to those who made this possible:  "I am writing this letter from the bottom of my heart that I am really glad because of the golden opportunity you have given to me.  Because of my poor parents who could not afford my school fees I was to miss education.  I am very happy for all what has been done for me.  I believe I am going to make it.  I have hope of excelling and also teaching others the benefits of planting trees.  Long live to all the TIST Uganda Leadership." 

Sustainable Development Goals Survey Update

Survey locations as of May 2, 2022

As announced in an earlier newsletter, TIST has launched a survey to measure the impact TIST Farmers have on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.  So far, over 2,000 surveys have been completed since mid-February.  The results show that 27% of surveyed farmers hold leadership positions both within TIST and their community.  Based on the responses, TIST Farmers reported a very positive outlook on where they view themselves in the future, a frame of mind that has been credited to the mentorship and sense of community of the TIST Program.  The next steps include increasing the number of women surveyed, expanding geographic diversity, sharing survey Best Practices, and increasing the number of interviewers.  

TIST by the Numbers

134,900+ TIST Members

23,700,500+ Live Trees

9,300,900+ Tonnes of Carbon Sequestered

If you'd like to know more about how to help the environment while iproving the lives of small holder farmers please do contact us at info@efdafrica.org