There are many people World wide who fit this title but Makechi William(pictured on the right) is quite unique and an innovative extension workers worthy to be scaled-up.
He started working with farmers more than two decades ago in the larger Trans Nzoia District in Rift Valley parts of Kenya which is a very productive and active area in terms of agricultural activities. He has collaborated with so many projects and organizations like KARI, V.I Agroforestry project, ICIPE, several Agrochemical companies, Agriculture Society of Kenya (ASK), Kenya Dairy Sector Competitive Programme,[ KDSCP], Lions Club of Kitale among others.
Demand for his participation in several farming information activities led him to found Star Rays Education Centre [SREC](2002) which is an upcoming rural resource centre which has an international recognition. It is a member of Kenya Voluntary Development Association (KVDA) which works with International volunteers, Kilili Self Help project (USA) which promotes organic farming, contributor and distributor of the Organic Farmer Magazine (www.organicfarmersmagazine.org), the Community Eye Magazine.
SREC – Community Library receive journals and other teaching aids from the Bee for Development, Kilimo endelevu Africa (www.alin.net), Steps, Spore among others. SREC promotes energy saving technologies, water and environment conservation, organic farming, value addition especially livestock industry e.g. SREC are members of Kenya Livestock Breeders Organization[ KLBO] with a breed inspector licensed to register animals to Kenya Stud Book. He’s been a steward and assisted in judging livestock in several shows or business fairs.
He has participated in many local and regional workshops pertaining to farming technologies and information dissemination including online e.g. ‘infonet’ as promoted by www.biovision.ch. Currently, he is undertaking further studies in Animal Sciences in faculty of Agriculture at Egerton University Main Campus, which will go a long way to boost his starring work with farmers.
This work and project has been visited, appraised or highlighted and documented by the then British High Commissioner to Kenya Sir, Jeffrey James, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) both radio and T.V several local print media and one from France including International Workshop. Soft copies of some of the documentaries are available in CDs.
We have Early Childhood Development Centre, Primary School with meetings and conference facilities at SREC.
At SREC we train farmers regularly on different technologies we also train farmers from far from their own venues. God is not left out in tapping the potential in him as Makechi is also a church minister.
This is one person in a million you must meet as an individual or corporate and see how he can energize other extension workers and farmers and also empower him by sharing his vision and mission. Please get in touch with him through email: starehe2@yahoo.com or +254721 245443 / 0771178805.
Most welcome.
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