Filed Under : 
Oct.7,2009
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October Newsletter |
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Jambo- There have been exciting new updates from our friends in Kenya. The girls program is continuing to progress quickly. It is thrilling to hear the excitement of the young women who are now excelling in their education and vocational training. The younger children are also now in school and doing well. The girls are taking ownership of an impressive gardening program that is greatly improving their diets. The facility itself has been totally transformed. The facility has seen many improvements, including beds, kitchenware, a classroom and a new coat of paint, and though modest is a very warm place to live. As mentioned in the last newsletter, the implementation of a boys feeding program is now completely up and running. This is a great first step in improving the lives of those who are still living in the town dumps. Our friend Daniel Bourassa recently returned from Kenya where filmed a video documentary about the Nakuru 3:16 project. It is excellent and really gives an “up close and personal” perspective on the project and the girls. You can watch the video on YouTube by clicking here. (Note: The video is broken down into two parts.) Please take a few minutes to watch the video as it is great to see the faces and hear the stories of the girls that are in the program.
Below is an update from Regina, the Nakuru 3:16 Program Director. EDUCATION NURSERY SCHOOL The six children have been excited from day one in early May, 2009. The experience of waking up very early to the knowledge of bonding and learning new things has been refreshing for them and all of us. Their teachers have also commented on the extreme neatness and good grooming of our children. It is impressive to watch how the mothers are growing with their children. They have been extra cautious on the neatness of their children, and very punctual in taking and picking their children up from school. The mothers have shown a great commitment in coaching their kids during their homework. Some of the children have caught up with their classmates very fast. The following are their results:
Virginia had a great start! Maureen and the others need more coaching; it seems they had a difficult time adjusting. It is amazing to see how well Virginia has performed. Virginia’s mother Monica had never been to school, but now Virginia is getting an opportunity that Monica never had. Monica did not know how to read or write until coming to Nakuru 3:16 and attending Adult Education Classes. Monica is very proud of the success of her little daughter. PRIMARY SCHOOL The term ended on the 7th of August, 2009. It was a great and smooth one. Seems all the children were well adapted to the school and the curriculum. The following are their results:
Jane and Daniel performed best; the others need to put in more effort. ADULT EDUCATION The mothers had a chance to take the examinations for the different levels, and are being graded by teachers from the ministry of Adult Education. The classes are going well. Some of the levels have already received their results and others have not. The results for the first level:
The other results have not yet been released. VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND HAND SKILLS Most of the women have shown much interest in this session. Knitting – they have been able to make almost five sets of the woolen mats, Monica and Regina’s team being the most committed with two complete sets. Beading – They have also produced many necklaces and bracelets. Liquid Soap making – they have produced 20 liters which they used domestically. Hair dressing and Dress making have been a bit slow.
Recommendations Class work could be made better by the availability of reading materials i.e. a library Vocational training would be boosted by availing materials and qualified trainers for the women.
SPIRITUAL The women have been meeting every morning for devotions, every girls has a day to lead the devotions. They have become so powerful. Every Sunday the women and the children attend different churches including the PCEA Kiamunyeki Parish churches and PCEA Nakuru West Church. In all the services, they have been given a chance for presentations. SOCIAL The women have been undergoing group and individual counseling by the Kenya School of Professional Studies, the team has been thorough and the women responding well. The women and the children had a chance of attending swimming sessions at one of the best hotels in town, Grace land Hotel. They were all very excited and couldn’t believe that they could ever have a chance of going to such a hotel. They had fun and played with their children in a relaxed atmosphere. ECONOMICAL Kitchen Garden – The rains have been lost for a while now although we are still eating the greens, the garden needs to be re-done. We are in the process of clearing ready for planting again. Chicken Project – Some of the chickens died due to an outbreak and some were prepared for the women and children. We have now around seven chickens. The few eggs we get are enjoyed by children. Charcoal Briquettes – We acquired the machine given to us by PCEA Nakuru West, Church. We have also collected the charcoal dust and the saw dust and waste newspapers needed for demonstration. The demonstration will be carried out by one of the Urban Harvesters during this week. We hope the charcoal will substitute the firewood which has become very expensive and later on become an income generating project for Nakuru 3:16.
BOYS FEEDING PROGRAM The feeding of the 30 boys at Nakuru 3:16 has been going very well. The turnout has been consistent throughout the weeks. Their devotions and counseling are also doing well. We are in the process of making Nakuru 3:16 membership cards for both boys and the girls. We have also been offering the boys a chance to take baths. The boys were recently bought a football (soccer ball) which they are making good use of. Every morning they go for practice at the Nakuru, Afraha Stadium which is five minutes walk from the city centre. On the 22nd of August, 2009, the committee organized a tournament for them at Rohi schools in Kiamunyeki. The team performed well despite not having kits and playing shoes (they played bare foot). It is amazing to see how they are transforming especially in discipline. Challenges The medical needs need to be looked into since they are becoming pronounced.
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| For more information on Nakuru 3:16, visit the missions website for First Presbyterian Church, Missoula, at http://fpcmissions.org/international/kenya/ or email 316@fpcmissions.org. | ||
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Category : Newsletters
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December Newsletter
Jambo!
I hope this newsletter finds you and your families well.
This is the inaugural edition of the Nakuru 3:16 e-Newsletter, and I plan to send new editions on a monthly basis. Each newsletter will give you updates on current events in the program, personal milestones among the girls and staff, urgent needs, and any other news of interest. Much of the information in the newsletter will be a summary of the weekly posts on http://fpcmissions.org… if you can’t stand to wait a month, go ahead and visit the blog on a regular basis, or register for the RSS feeds.
(I am still getting used to this newsletter system, so I apologize for any strange or mysterious emails you may have received while I was testing the software. If you have any problems reading or receiving these newsletters, please let me know. Likewise, please forward this to anyone you think might be interested, and encourage them to sign up for the newsletter.)
Before I get into the details, I want to thank you all for your support, and tell you that your support is having a huge impact on the lives of the girls and their children. To put it in stark terms, it’s almost certain that two of the girls and one of their children would have died in the last couple of months had you not been there to help. Three lives. Three people who will have the chance to live and thrive and to improve themselves, their community, and the world. It is not often that we have the opportunity to have such a direct and dramatic affect on our neighbors. Again, thank you.
As part of the holidays, I encourage everyone to send Christmas greetings to the girls. Please email them to 316@fpcmissions.org by 12/20. I will package them all up and send them on to Regina so that she can read them to the girls on Christmas day.
Program Update
Since the team left in early October, great progress has been made on a number of fronts. In terms of facilities, Regina used donations from the team members to not only acquire enough mattresses so that the girls could sleep one family per mattress, but she was also able to get some bunk beds and get the girls off the ground. She is still working on a number of other items, including mosquito nets.
On the self-sustainability front, the girls have started a garden under the tutelage of a local farmer. Visitors from Great Britain donated some chickens last month, and these are starting to produce eggs. A number of people have expressed interest in providing funds for livestock as Christmas gifts, so we hope the new year will see cows and goats providing milk as well (both for internal consumption and for sale).
On the personal development front, Regina spoke with the local government about the program, and they were so impressed that they’ve provided a government paid school teacher full time to work with the girls. The girls have taken both to the teacher and their studies, and many of them are going to try to take their “exams” next year. This has been a huge positive step in the overall program.
On a broader note, food prices are steadily rising in Nakuru, putting stress not only on the program but on the population as a whole. I am not sure exactly what is causing the spike in prices, but I assume that it is somewhat tied to the recent high oil prices and the current economic crisis.
Personal Updates
Lydia became very sick after the team left. When Regina took her to the health clinic, she was diagnosed with TB and HIV… combined with her pregnancy, young age (15) and low weight, she was at considerable risk. With care, though, she is recovering and her spirits are high.
Two of the girls (Esther and Ann) also suffered serious illnesses, but are both recovering.
Most or all of the girls have developed stomach ulcers due in large part to the monotony of the diet. As a result, we’ve adjusted the diet per the doctor’s orders, but this is putting additional stress on the budget. We’re hoping that the new garden and livestock will largely offset this burden.
Regina herself has had a very challenging couple of months. First, her mother’s restaurant (and livelihood) were demolished during a third party landowner dispute. And just this week Regina lost her nephew. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers… or feel free to send her a note at: rwatetu@yahoo.com.
Giving
Current Program Needs:
- Increased variety of foods
- Regular (proactive) medical checkups
- Classroom supplies for the schooling
- Vocational training supplies (sewing, tailoring, beauty)
- Christmas gifts for the girls and their children
A common question is, “How do I send these things?” The short and unsatisfactory answer is, “It’s best to not send them directly.” Because of the cost of shipping and the risk that items may be stolen in transit, it’s usually better to earmark funds for these items, and let the project purchase them in country. This has the added benefit of injecting cash into the local economy.
We are actively working on the ability to accept online donations through http://fpcmissions.org. Until that’s in place, you can send donations through First Presbyterian Church, Missoula, at:
235 S. Fifth St. W.
Missoula, MT 59801
or ROCK Bridge Ministries at:
25 Stone Creek Trail
Alpharetta GA 30004
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me at dan.cripe@gmail.com or 406.251.5262. Thanks again, and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. (If Christmas is not your tradition, please accept the spirit of my wishes and apply them towards your holiday celebration.)
Cheers,
Dan Cripe