Mission

Objectives and Goals

1) Community healthcare and education
• Improve community health through education on reproductive health (eg. family planning); nutrition; hygiene and sanitation; and general health issues.
• Reduce incidences of HIV/AIDS and co-factors; waterborne and airborne diseases
• Enhance the community’s access to knowledge, skills and technology through setting up a Community Resource Centre and a Vocational Training Centre
2) Environmental awareness and sensitization
• Community mobilization towards soil conservation and re-afforestation
• Organizing community clean-ups
• Starting water and environmental related projects /enterprises
3) Poverty alleviation through an integrated and comprehensive livelihood security program strategy
• Creating and promoting small-scale enterprises and agricultural activities aimed at poverty alleviation
4) Community media and sports
• Initiating and promoting youth sports and informative entertainment
• Keeping the community abreast with the current news and happenings within the community, the country and internationally

CSG Constitution

COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUP (CSG) CONSTITUTION

1. NAME
The name of the group shall be Community Support Group (CSG)
(In this constitution referred to as “the group”).
2. OBJECTS
a) Community healthcare and education
• Improve community health through education on reproductive health (e.g. Family planning; nutrition; hygiene and sanitation; and general health issues.
• Reduce incidences of HIV/AIDS and co-factors;waterborne and airborne diseases
• Enhance the community’s access to knowledge, skills and technology through setting up a Community Resource Centre and a Vocational Training Centre (Community Polytechnic)
b) Environmental awareness and sanitation improvement
• Community mobilization towards solid waste and liquid waste management
• Organizing community clean-ups and tree planting
• Starting water and environmental related projects projects/enterprises
c) Poverty alleviation through an integrated and comprehensive livelihood security program strategy.
• Creating and promoting small-scale enterprises and agricultural activities aimed at poverty alleviation
d) Community media and sports
• Initiating and promoting youth sports and informative entertainment
• Keeping the community abreast with the current news and happenings within the community, the country and internationally.
3. MEMBERSHIP
a) Any person over age of eighteen years shall be eligible for membership of the group and shall, subject to the approval of the committee, become a member on payment of an entrance fee of Sh.100/=
b) Every member shall pay a monthly subscription of Sh.50/= on or before the end each month.
c) Any member desiring to resign from the group shall submit her/his resignation to the secretary, which shall take effect from the date of receipt by secretary of such notice.
d) Any member may be expelled from membership if the committee so recommends and if a general meeting of the group shall resolve by a two-thirds majority of the members present that such a member should be expelled on the grounds that her/his conduct has adversely affected the reputation or dignity of the group, or that she/he has contravened any of the provisions of the constitution of the group. The committee shall have power to suspend a member from her/his membership until the next general meeting of the group following such suspension but notwithstanding such suspension a member whose expulsion is proposed shall have the right to address the general meeting at which her/his expulsion is to be considered.
e) Any person who resigns or is removed from membership shall not be entitled to a refund of her/his subscription or any part thereof or any moneys contributed by her/him at any time.
f) Any member who falls into arrears with her/his monthly subscription for more than six months shall automatically cease to be a member of the group and her/his name shall be struck off the register of members. The committee may, however, at its discretion, reinstate such member on payment of the total amount of subscription outstanding.
4. OFFICE BEARERS
(a) The office bearers of the group shall be-
i. The Chairman
ii. The Secretary
iii. The Treasurer
iv. The Organizing Secretary
All of who shall be fully paid-up members of the group and shall be elected at the annual general meeting to be held in each year.
(b) All the office bearers shall hold the office from the date of election until the succeeding annual general meeting subject to the conditions contained in sub-paragraphs (c) and (d) of this rule but shall be eligible for re-election.
(c) Any office bearer who ceases to be a member of the group shall automatically cease to be an office bearer thereof.
(d) Office bearers may be removed from office in the same way as is laid down for the expulsion of members in rule 3 (d) and vacancies thus created shall be filled by persons elected at the general meeting resolving the expulsion.
5. DUTIES OF OFFICE BEARERS
(i) Chairman – the Chairman shall, unless prevented by illness or other sufficient cause, preside over all meetings of the committee and at all general meetings.
(ii) Secretary – the Secretary shall deal with all the correspondence of the group under the general supervision of the committee. In cases of urgent matters where the committee cannot be consulted, she/he shall consult the Chairman or if she/he is not available, the Organizing Secretary. The decisions reached shall be subject to ratification or otherwise at the next committee meeting. She/he shall issue notices convening all meetings of the committee and all general meetings of the group and shall be responsible for keeping minutes of all such meetings and for the preservation of all records of proceedings of the group and of the committee.
(iii) Treasurer – the treasurer shall receive and also disburse, under the directions of the committee, all moneys belonging to the group and shall issue receipts to all moneys received by her/him and preserve all vouchers for all moneys paid by her/him. The Treasurer is responsible to the committee and to the members that proper books of account of all moneys received and paid by the group are written up, preserved and available for inspection.
(iv) Organizing Secretary – the Organizing Secretary shall perform such duties as may be specifically assigned to her/him by the Chairman or by the committee in line with achieving the group’s objectives.
6. THE COMMITTEE
a.) The committee shall consist of all the office bearers of the group and others members (2 ex-officio) elected at the annual general meeting in each year; such committee members shall hold office until the following annual general meeting. The committee shall meet at such times and places as it shall resolve but shall meet not less than once in any four months.
b.) Any casual vacancies for members of the committee caused by death or resignation shall be filled by the committee until the next annual general meeting of the group. Vacancies caused by members of the committee removed from office will be dealt with as shown in rule 4(d).
7. DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE
a.) The committee shall be responsible for the management of the group and for that purpose may give directions to the office bearers as to the manner in which, within the law, they shall perform their duties. The committee shall have power to appoint such sub-committees as it may deem desirable to make reports to the committee upon which such action shall be taken as seems to the committee desirable.
b.) All moneys disbursed on behalf of the group shall be authorized by the committee except as specified in rule 11(c).
c.) The quorum for meetings of the committee shall be not less than 6 members (office bearers and ex-officio).

8. GENERAL MEETINGS
a.) There shall be two classes of general meetings – annual general meetings and special general meetings.
(i) The annual general meeting shall be held not later than 31st December in each year. Notice in writing of such annual general meeting, accompanied by the annual statement of account and the agenda for the meeting shall be sent to all members not less than 21 days before the date of the meeting.
(ii) The agenda for any annual general meeting shall consist of the following:
• Confirmation of the minutes of the previous annual general meeting.
• Consideration of the accounts.
• Election of office bearers and the committee members.
• Appointment of auditors in accordance with rule 10(a).
• Such other matters as the committee may decide or as to which notice shall have been given in writing by a member or members to the secretary at least four weeks before the date of the meeting.
• Any other business with the approval of the Chairman.
b.) Special general meeting may be called for any specific purpose by the committee. Notice in writing of such meeting shall be sent to all members not less than 7 days before the date thereof.
c.) Quorum for the general meetings shall be not less than two-thirds of the registered members of the group.
9. PROCEEDURE AT MEETINGS
a.) At all meetings of the group the Chairman, or in his absence, a member (preferably one of the office bearers) selected by the meeting shall take the chair.
b.) The Chairman may at his discretion limit the number of persons permitted to speak in favour of and against any motion.
c.) Resolutions shall be decided by simple voting by a show of hands. In the case of equality of votes, the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
d.) Members must be punctual and be there for the whole meeting save emergency cases. Lateness fee (decided by the committee) shall be fined on those arriving late or absconding the group’s meeting without written apologies.
10. AUDITORS
a.) An auditor shall be appointed for the following year by the annual general meeting. All the group’s accounts, records and documents shall be opened to the inspection of the auditor at any time. The treasurer shall produce an account of her/his receipts and payments and a statement of assets and liabilities made up to a date which shall not be less than 6 weeks and not more than 3 months before the date of annual general meeting. The auditor shall examine such annual accounts and statements and either clarify that they are correct, duly vouched or otherwise and in accordance with the law or report to the group.
b.) No auditor shall be an office bearer or a member of the committee of the group. An auditor may be paid such honorarium for his duties as may be resolved by the annual general meeting appointing her/him.
11. FUNDS
a.) The funds of the group may only be used for the following purposes-
(i) Healthcare and Education
(ii) Environmental-related activities
(iii) Income generating activities.
(iv) Emergency
b.) All moneys and funds shall be received by and paid to the Treasurer and shall be deposited by her/him in the name of the group in any bank(s) approved by the committee.
c.) No payments shall be made out of the bank account without a resolution of the committee authorizing such payment and all cheques on such bank account shall be signed by the Chairman, Treasurer and/or Secretary of the group.
d.) The committee shall have powers to suspend any office bearer who it has misappropriated the group’s funds. Such suspension shall be reported to a general meeting to be convened on a date not later than 2 months from the date of such suspension and the general meeting shall have full power to decide what further action should be taken in the matter.
e.) The financial year of the group shall be from 1st January to 31st December.
12. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
Amendments to the constitution of the group must be approved by at least a two-thirds majority of members at a general meeting of the group. They cannot, however, be implemented without prior consent in writing of the Registrar, obtained upon application to him made in writing and signed by three of the office bearers.
13. DISSOLUTION
a.) The group shall not be dissolved except by a resolution passed at a general meeting of members by a vote of two-thirds of the members present. The quorum at the meeting shall be as shown in rule 8(c). If no quorum is obtained, the proposal to dissolved the group shall be submitted to a further general meeting which shall be held one month later. Notice of this meeting shall be given to all members of the group at least 15 days before the date of the meeting. The quorum for this second meeting shall be the number of members present.
b.) Provided, however, that no dissolution shall be effected without prior permission in writing of the registrar, obtained upon application to him made in writing and signed by three of the office bearers.
c.) When the dissolution of the group has been approved by the Registrar, no further action shall be taken by the committee or any office bearer of the group in connection with the aims of the group other than to get in and liquidate for cash all the assets of the group. Subject to the payment of all the debts of the group, the balance thereof shall be distributed in such other manner as may be resolved by the meeting at which the resolution for dissolution is passed.
14. INSPECTION OF ACCOUNTS AND LIST OF MEMBERS
The books of account and all documents relating thereto and a list of members of the group shall be available for inspection at the registered office of the group by any officer or member of the group on giving not less than 7 days notice in writing to the group.
Compiled by the subcommittee (task force, formed on 24th May 2003, to improve the group’s performance). The amendments to the constitution was unanimously endorsed by the members at a special general meeting held at Joseph Kang’ethe social hall on 11th October 2003.
Approved and authorized, on behalf of the group, by:

Daniel Ogola	Linda Edith	Akinyi Ben Gao
Chairman	Secretary	Treasurer

12. CSG ADVISORS:

Bret Ericson
bret.ericson@gmail.com
Patrick Amenya
pamenya@toyotaea.com
Tel: 254-722-720447
Micaela White
micaelawhite@hotmail.com
Tel: 254-722-968612
Neha Singh
nsingh@email.unc.edu

13. COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUP (CSG) GOVERNING RULES:

i) The group must be politically neutral but members in their private capacities are under no obligation

ii) During meetings, only one person is allowed to speak

iii) No member should attend a meeting drunk or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

iv) One automatically ceases to be a member if he/she has a criminal charge or imprisoned. Rehabilitated offenders may be considered for membership.

v) Order should be maintained throughout the meetings of the group.

The Mission of CSG is as follows:

Objectives and Goals

CSG Constitution