- Training of leaders on project management (held on 15th December at Oseng’teti Primary School)
- Four monthly meetings as scheduled for the nuclei
- OSIEPE Yes youth convenings on various occasions
- Annual General Assembly held at the CBOs dairy bulk milk chilling plant on 19th December
- Annual party held on 29th December at Mr and Mrs Leo Membo’s home in God Abuoro
Project Management Training
As OSIEPE gears to launch the new project on expanding fodder and milk marketing in Muhoroni sub-County, with partial funding from USAID's KCDMSD, an intense training session was facilitated by the patron, Dr Washington Ochola. Participants included the newly unveiled project implementation committee, the executive committee, members of other program/project committees, the technical committee, youth and women’s wing representatives and selected CBO members for each nucleus. The training focused on project planning and design and management of resources (including finances), scope and time. Action plan was made to ensure due diligence in managing the new fodder and milk marketing project.
The annual business of the CBO was formally transacted and key resolutions made at the AGA. The assembly received, discussed and adopted the Monitoring and Evaluation and Learning (MEAL report), the financial report, the technical advisory committee report as well as the elaborate chairman’s annual report. The latter reported progress and new grounds for each of the CBO pillars. Major milestones of the year including
- Expansion of the Agrovet Shop at Chemelil and plans to expand its branches in Muhoroni and Awasi
- Contracting of Animal Health Service Providers to offer AI and other veterinary services. The CBO has partnered will ILRI to retool 3 Animal health practitioners to offer AI services under the dairy hub system with acquisition of liquid nitrogen and AI equipment
- Launch of the fodder and milk marketing project co-funded with USAID
- Resolution to expand are under fodder to 200 acres by mid-2017
- Setting of new targets for share contribution
- Purchasing of chilling plant shares by members
- Plans to roll-out registration of over 1000 dairy farmers to supply milk to the chilling plant and purchasing of shares by non OSIEPE members
- Admission of new members and receipt of application of new members for formal vetting and background check
- Commencement of construction of a 1.5 million hay barn at Awasi
- Approval on new policies on procurement, finance & operations and human resources guidelines
- Advertisement for key positions at the dairy hub including hub manager, accountant/project administrator, dairy technologist, guards, field extension supervisor, farm managers, fodder nursery attendant, hay barn attendant.
- Launch of training for milk transporters and dairy farmers on topical issues as expressed in training needs assessment gathered during mobilization of dairy farmers at the 28 milk blocks in the sub-County
- Approval of OSIEPE cost share expenditure under the new fodder and milk marketing expansion project including purchase of fodder mechanization equipment, dairy plant equipment (pasteurizer, milk ATMs, among others)
- A special message of appreciation of the transformation sojourns of OSIEPE was delivered from the county government through Ms Daisy Okal representing the Governor's office.
At the occasion purely set aside for celebrating the gains of the CBO many guest speakers and other CBOs were invited to interact with OSIEPE members. The group took stock of the year and made aspirational targets for 2019. The climax of the party was the patron’s end of year speech which highlighted key learning points and progress markers for 2019. Guests included the area chief, professionals, families of the CBO members, students and youth from the sub-County, members of the Luo Diaspora and prominent investors from the county. The members and guests were treated to a luncheon hosted by the Membo family.