Kesho Leo inaugural annual staff meeting

On Friday the 6th of May the employees of Kesho Leo held the first of what is planned to be an annual staff meeting. The meeting is an opportunity to share, with all Kesho Leo employees, foodwatershelter’s goals for 2011.

The goals are created each year at the Annual General Meeting in Australia, and cover all aspects of the project. These were then translated into Swahili so they can be read by all Kesho Leo staff over the year.

The meeting was conducted entirely in Swahili, occasionally a volunteer spoke with a translator, however the meeting was run by the staff with staff members of different departments running the discussion on that department.

Staff members who spoke included:

• Mohamed Salim (Kesho Leo Manager), who ran the meeting and spoke about Organisational Sustainability and Infrastructure.
• Lucy Dismas and Regina Mrema (Chekechea Teachers) covered Kesho Leo Education.
• John Laizer (Farm Manager) told the crowd about Kesho Leo Permaculture.
• Lucas Mayoba (Community Liaison Officer) enlightened the staff about Kesho Leo Social Welfare.
• Lauren Bartley (Health Volunteer) had her English translated as she spoke about the Health program in place of Mama Maswata who is a Kesho Leo board member and Matron of a local hospital.

Many staff members have commented that they learnt lots of things about foodwatershelter that they never knew.

The meeting was preceded by a meal of pilau - a dish with meat mixed into rice. The Kesho Leo cow, which was recently slaughtered, was used for the meat. The Kesho Leo Mamas did a great job cooking the meal, which was appreciated by the 60 or so people who attended.

All staff members were thanked for the efforts over the year; foodwatershelter is very proud of its position in the community and the staff a directly responsible for this. Three staff members were recognised for exemplary service over the year and in recognition they are to be given a baby goat:
       •  Lucas Mayoba - Community Liaison Officer
       •  John Laizer - Farm Manager
       •  Samora Kimani - Askari

The meeting ended with a showing of the foodwatershelter video which features many of the staff. You can view the video here on YouTube.