Badilisha Organization
The Host Organization Badilisha was initiated in the year 2010, Badilisha has a long history with nature based activities. It has acted as a regional hub for permaculture training, Resources center demonstration, outreaches with contact farmers. Besides this, our organisation is the driving force behind the Rusinga hills restoration initiative, a project we started a few years ago to try and bring back the Islands’ past glory.
Badilisha means “change” in Swahili. Badilisha aims to bring change to the lives of people on Rusinga Island, who face challenges such as food insecurity, HIV/AIDs, lack of education, among other pressing issues.
It also seeks to inspire change in the general paradigms of local and international individuals, towards a more holistic and responsible worldview.
Vision
A thriving community whose members enjoy food security, good health, full access to education and a healthy natural environment, and which is endeavouring to develop sustainably.
Mission
To serve the people of Rusinga Island by:
- promoting and demonstrating sustainable practices, in particular in food production and domestic issues, guided by the ethics and principles of permaculture;
- responding to the urgent needs of vulnerable sections of the community, in particular in relation to health, nutrition and education;
- participating in the regeneration of environmentally degraded areas of the island.
Objectives
- To operate a permaculture demonstration, education and resource centre, to include internet services and a library.
- To run an orphans and vulnerable children feeding programme.
- To offer outreach programmes within the local community, teaching and demonstrating sustainable farming and other practices.
- To deliver assistance to impoverished and vulnerable sections of the community in response to immediate needs.
To offer people from other communities the opportunity to visit us as volunteers or as tourists.
Our vision is that all people in the world live together in a way that supports mother earth as well as respects each other’s (universal) needs.
Badilisha embodies the phrase “think global, act local.” It seeks to adapt and mitigate the challenges facing Rusinga Island, and promote the achievement of the Millenium Development Goals. Rusinga Island bearss many burdens, which are driven or exacerbated by distal issues such as climate change and global inequalities. Challenges include
- poverty and unemployment,
- HIV/AIDS,
- lack of education and illiteracy,
- infectious disease (including malaria), undernutrition and malnutrition,
- drought, deforestation and soil degradation,
- collapsing fisheries
- domestic violence.
Badilisha has emerged as a response to these widespread challenges. It has developed a vast array of designs, facilities and programs using the ethics and practices of permaculture as its guide. Such teachings include “start slow”, “work with nature”, “use of common sense and local and traditional knowledge”, “holistic design”, “cooperation, not competition”, and “sustainability.”
These, and other teachings of permaculture, are apparent in the structure of the farm and also in the community social action projects run through Badilisha. Badilisha is a locally driven initiative, which engages, inspires, teaches and benefits the Rusinga community. It also has international partnerships, and welcomes visitors, students and volunteers from abroad to learn from and contribute to the farm and community. Badilisha successfully hosted a Permaculture Development Course in March 2011 and aims to become an International Permaculture Center.
Please browse to “Current Projects” section to view the 3 Year Plan for Badilisha’s permaculture design, followed by the community development initiatives that Badilisha entails. Together, these programs truly embody the ethics of Earth Care, People Care and Share of Surplus.