Dandora village was established in the year 1995 by concerned residents, who felt and still feels that the residents must come loud and conserve environment to abate the effects of negligence which now are dodging their lifes. These are;
•Permanent water shortages because of construction of buildings on transit water pipes.
•People diagnosed with cancer as a result of settling along and under high voltage power lines.
•Some suffering unknown diseases that affects brain as a result of using diverted polluted by raw sewer Nairobi River for irrigating vegetables consumed by residents
Dandora Vilage based in Dandora slum, Embakasi Division Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya.
Diseases, hunger, and poverty are among the most formidable challenges in our societies. Yet, the achievement of physical and mental well-being of the people is crucial to human development.
Healthcare, Medicine, Food, Water and Income. Every Kenyan deserves them. Every child, youth, woman and man needs them.
But I know millions of people in Kenya desperately short of the five. They and their families, communities are inhabitants of rural and sub-urban areas. And I can tell you that, by any time you reach them, they have very little with them. They are weak, skinny, emaciated and hopeless. They are suffering from multiple diseases – malaria, nutrition, HIV/AIDS and ophthalimia among others. And the stress in their lives makes the youth, men and women sink into anti social behaviour. Their girls and women become unsafe and turn to prostitution whereas the boys and men migrate to urban areas with breaking inflation.
Without prompt donations from rich nations, malnutrition rolls and vulnerability soars, and donors end up paying more for food airlifts and therapeutic feeding programmes. The cost of suffering and dying is expensive, leading to trauma and agony. The cost of funerals and caring for orphans makes it difficult for families to cope. Lack of food and medicines means
The diseases kill faster and the combination of HIV/AIDS and hunger pushes families deeper into poverty. The number of the sick and starving is increasing everyday.
Since our primary objective is to integrate traditional knowledge into western medical practices through promotion of sustainable traditional knowledge in the fields of human, livestock, health, food security, biodiversity, natural resources management, sustainable livelihoods and capacity building in the said areas, it is instructive to consider the proposal in the context of the problems associated in provision of basic healthcare services.
The achievement of the physical and mental well-being of people is critical to the development of human-resource. The development and expansion of health services and facilities in terms of spatial coverage, training of personnel and sophistication in tertiary care delivery services have been tremendous since independence. Between 1963 and 1987, the infant mortality rate dropped by one-third and life expectancy increased by over ten years. Overall the number of doctors increased from 908 in 1963 to 3,000 in 1987, i.e from a ratio of 8 doctors per 100,000 people in 1987. Hospital beds and cost per 100,000 people increased from less than 110 in 1963 to 148 in 1987.
In spite of these positive trends, the provision of health services country-wide is still inadequate. Among problems that have emerged are:

oIncreasing pressure on public sector financial resources not only for expanding health facilities and services but also in responding to increasing demands arising from high population growth rate.

oAn inadequate spatial distribution of health services in the country due to low community participation in some areas and the difficult physical environments obtained in the arid and semi-arid areas.

oShortage of manpower and management expertise for the running of health services.

oA low level of hospital operational efficiency epitomized by a more than 100 percent bed-occupancy rate co-existing with high cost per in-patient per day; and;

oLack of public information and education which would guide the people themselves to develop the competence in meeting the basic requirements of good health.
It is clear that the achievement of sound physical and mental health must also rely on the integration of basic services, such as education, training, water and sanitation, distribution of basic foodstuffs.
Kenya is facing unprecedented development challenges, but even bigger opportunities. It is a country with a wonderfully rich culture and history, and Kenya share a strong sense of natural identity it is blessed with a sounding natural resources and beauty.
Poverty, food insecurity, HIV/AIDS, gender inequality and environmental degradation all confront the country. In the last three decades the number of food insecure people in Kenya has more doubled,
•Over the same period. GDP per capita growth averaged negative 1%
•Malnutrition in Kenya’s children in slums such as Dandora rose by 70% of the period 1970 -2001
•Per capita income of about $ 312 per year was lower in 2002 than $350 in 1975
About 1 tone of soil nutrients are lost annually from Kenya’s soil because of cultivating the same piece of land year in - year out.
Progress towards the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations has stalled in Kenya. 75% of the of the poor live in urban suburbs like Dandora, sustaining their existence by farming small plots or breeding cattle, sheep, goats, chicken, donkeys or camels for income. Healthcare and agriculture are central to improving the lives of the poor.
The community representative is Mr. Nahashon Sadat. He is currently a volunteer community Trainer of Trainees.
TRAINING OF SCIENTISTS AND TECHNICIANS
Analysis of environmental deteriorating factors show on essential reason of the whole consequence caused by the changes in our environment. More complex scientific research and demonstration seems to be necessary both: for proper decisions concerning all new sources of influences on the environmental quality, as well as for adequate behaviour of each one of us.
It is known that the social structures in this field depends on knowledge of environmental problems as well as methods, and on the individual understanding of the importance of increased personal involvement in a wider cooperation as a condition of improvement of the quality of life. This activity depends on the quality of natural and cultural environment.
Very important seems to be coordination of environmental efforts at all educational levels and out – of - school youth activity, in connection with different practical needs in this field and permanent education of adults.
Unfortunately none of existing educational programmes in the country include enough wide scientific, technological and practical investigation in connection with needs of really integrated practical activities at all levels. Also the education system is not adequate especially concerning preparation on a wide international scale. Yet the efforts are very important and urgent.
As a result only a small percentage of scientists and the youth is actively participating in environmental cooperation. This is as a result of, not adequate educational programmes, information and methods and also inadequate perception of environmental quality. However, the quality of human environment is not efficient because scientific studies are made in a traditional way: they are fragramentary and do not result into integration.
More integrated interdisciplinary studies are necessary, both for better knowledge of the relationship between man and the environment and for methodological verification and incasing efficiency of all kinds of professional and social environmental activities.
Dandora village supports interdisciplinary research seminars, and post graduate courses preparing young talented scientists and technologists from different disciplines- e.g. from natural, social sciences and techniques – for integrated investigation as well as for cooperation with decision – making man and politics, at all levels – national, sub regional and international. Very important is the connection between theoretical discussions during interdisciplinary seminars and studies during environmental field camps.
In the case of EHCP of Dandora community, its research committee together with the assistance of interested institutions, universities, extension services and the committee organize an independent evaluation team to undertake periodic evaluation work. In addition, a database and monitoring unit for every project is established under project for data collection and monitoring.
In addition to farming records, biodiversity data, specifically designed for periodic evaluation purposes are in-built in the projects for periodic evaluation purposes. Such periodic surveys may include the following;

-Surveys on socio economic conditions in the project are to compare with the baseline survey;

-Surveys of Land use changes and conservation progress in an area or watershed or forest using remote sensing techniques, every 5-10 years as required;

-Other single purpose and brief surveys such as on – farm income, land productivity, conservation.