IcFEM is an indigenous Kenyan organisation based in Kimilili, Western Kenya with a mission of smooth integration of community development, evangelism and innovative provision of holistic care.IcFEM aims at building people, especially in rural areas, both spiritually and practically to become self-supporting.Their village programmes include welfare, agriculture, education, health care, discipleship ministry and welfare and relief which involves; care for the elderly, child sponsorship, and practical assistance for the handicapped and for the desperately needy.
IcFEM is registered with the Kenyan Government and has expanded rapidly since 1995 when it had only 9 full time voluntary staff to the current 100+ staff in 2004.
“Living in poverty is not just an issue of material deficit.The poor develop their own accommodative culture, which includes withdrawal from participating in wider society institutions/activity and a strong feeling of marginality, helplessness, dependency, weak self-image and a sense of resignation.Any meaningful transformation development process must focus on reversing this negative culture, by building up their self esteem and giving them back their sense of worth, self-respect, identity, respect, honour and recognition.
Through participation, IcFEM uses projects not as an end (material benefits) in themselves but as a means to free the poor from socio-psychological poverty and thus pave the way for‘Holy Living’.Participation promotes empowerment through changes of attitudes and self-realisation - power within oneself. This process includes the promotion of cooperation and not competition, power sharing and not power concentration, community building and not individualism, care and concern and not selfishness, justice and not exploitation.Participation consolidates collective empowerment and builds peoples’ power to take charge through capacity building.Participation enables the development process to be internalised.”
From the paper given at the Institute for Development Research, Oxford on Tuesday 21st September 2004 at the Third IDR Workshop at The Oxford Centre for Mission Studies.Workshop Theme: The Integration of Christian Mission and Transformational development: practical implications.THE CHALLENGE OF THE POOR TO CHRISTIANS:IcFEM’S EXPERIENCE IN INTEGRATING CHRISTIAN MISSION AND TRANSFORMATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN KENYA
Interchristian Fellowships' Evangelical Mission (Europe) is a fund raising and grant-making body registered in the UK to support charitable work in Kenya
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Management Team welcomes two visitors
Also please see our 'What is the IcFEM Mission?' section.
Management Team welcomes two visitors