BACKGROUND
The Pokot is a semi-nomadic pastoralist tribe living in the North West of Kenya. They have to cope with challenging living conditions, such as prolonged droughts, depleting pastures and often failing health due to lack of knowledge about personal hygiene, Female Ge***al Mutilation, malaria and HIV/AIDS. The East Pokot Medical Project (EPMP) has been providing medical help to the Pokot
community around Kositei and Barpello since the 1980's, because governmental medical services are mostly absent in this remote rural area. The organization has 2 clinics and 23 outstations from which they serve the Pokot community consisting of more or less 9.000 people. To prevent people common health issues, the EPMP aims to increase the provision of information. Next to (preventive) healthcare, the Pokot community and the EPMP have expressed the need for information and education about personal empowerment, entrepreneurship and enhancement of local resources. POKOT RESOURCE CENTRE
The Pokot Resource Centre is a new-to-build health and environment knowledge centre. It reaches out to the people of the isolated Pokot tribe with empowering awareness programs about HIV prevention, female ge***al mutilation, malaria and personal hygiene. The project also embeds a program on sustainable use of wind, sun and water. The resource centre consists of a library, conference room, workshop and office. It is part of an integrated compound including: a fully equipped medical clinic that provides advanced medical support to 9.000 people; a fitted field ambulance unit with a radius that services up to 10.000 people; accommodation for about 150 overnight attendees; rain water processing facilities for drinking, irrigation and educational purposes; wind and solar powered energy generators; garbage incinerator and public sanitation.
