Visit February 2015
NANYUKI FEBRUARY 2015
After arriving in Nairobi on the 13th February we travelled to Nanyuki the following day and our feet did not touch the ground all week. Listed below is a brief summary of what was achieved during our visit.
We have been assisting a very young mother (21 years old) to obtain specialist help for her daughter, Ann, (9 years old) who has a very bad sight problem and is virtually blind. We have financed her visits to a specialist and during this visit, we paid her school fees and bought everything she required to attend a specialist school for the blind. Before our intervention, she was shunned by society and could not attend school at all. Both mother and daughter were very happy indeed.
Ann*******************************************************************************************
We learned of the plight of a 17 year old young man called Bonaya who was desperate to go to school. His father died and his mother was inherited by his uncle (common practice in Kenya) to become his wife but the stepfather took a dislike to the boy. Bonaya was beaten repeatedly by his stepfather and his greatest wish was to go to school. His mother could not afford the school fees so he went to work for a year, earning 20p per day (some days he was never paid) and saved enough to buy school uniform and everything required to enable him to go to school. He even bought shoes but his stepfather took them away from him and sold them. His determination never waivered and when we met Bonaya, we were delighted to tell him that we would pay his school fees and by the evening of that day, he was at school. It was obvious from Bonaya’s face that he was completely traumatised by his circumstances but when he arrived at school and saw some of his previous classmates from school,
he smiled at last.
Bonaya********************************************************************************************
Food was purchased for VASSCO Mission who deal with the very young children in the largest slum area in Nanyuki – Likii. A box of clothes had recently been sent to them prior to our visit.
Food was purchased for Home and Home Orphanage but, unfortunately, we had no time to visit them on this visit.
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We had the privilege of visiting the British Army Training Unit in Nanyuki and met Colonel Eddie, who has kindly allowed us to send clothes and shoes to Nanyuki via BFPO. We also met Major Jo who is the Community Liaison Officer and she advised us as to what projects were underway locally that the British Army were assisting, prior to the visit of a group of trainee engineers from HMS Sultan next month.*
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We visited the Simama Project, which has taken over the home that was opened by Karenza Howard-Williams over a year ago when she took over 24 children off the streets and provided them with a loving home and access to education. The visit to this home was extremely moving as every one of the children greet you by giving you the biggest hug imaginable. They are all so very happy and we can honestly say that the atmosphere there was the most happy we have ever experienced in any of the homes visited. We are proud to be partnering Simama with their work.
Simama Project********************************************************************************************
A visit was made to Likii Special School where fund raising was underway by NanyukiNdio Home Group and Nanyuki Children’s Charitable Trust to provide a further classroom at the school. Since our last visit, two further classrooms have been provided by the Community Development Fund and one other organisation so, after meetings with the MP, the Hon. Mutahi, it was decided that we should support a plan to provide the school with hot water instead. They only have cold water to wash the children (which is the norm in Kenya). The Community Development Fund only has part of the amount required to supply this so we have promised to provide further funds to enable this to go ahead. The MP was delighted with our proposal.
Likii Special School
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Money was donated to the NEEMA Project which rescues abandoned babies and we were absolutely delighted to learn that the very first boy we sponsored several years ago, now has a job as a social worker with this organisation. We also donated a large box of clothes to the Home.
We met with a young lady called Lilian from Joy House, which is an organisation assisting older street children to make a living for themselves. The beneficiaries of this project will be the habitual street girls and boys who are identified as unsuitable for formal learning. We hope to assist them with the purchase of a car wash to enable the boys, in particular, to earn some cash and enable them to become self sufficient. The girls are assisted by this organisation with the provision of food, shelter and training in household skills, in order that they can be employed as house helpers. Future plans are underway to raise funds for the provision of sewing machines, which will provide many of the girls with a means of earning. All these projects are supervised and monitored by Joy House.
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We visited the polytunnel at Likii Primary School that we donated last year and were delighted to see it in operation and full of tomato plants. A further donated polytunnel at Ndururi Primary School is under construction and should be completed quite soon.
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The week before we arrived, several members of the NanyukiNdio Home Group, together with the Hon. Mutahi, MP, took uniforms and shoes provided by us to a school – Mutaro Primary – and we managed to provide all the children with new uniforms and shoes. The shoes were very kindly collected and donated by Threads and Treads (a local shoe shop in Verwood) and also many of our family and friends. At the end of that day, there were some very happy children and parents at Mutaro Primary School.
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Last, but by no means least, there is a very clever young man called James Lomodok, who has a passion to become a Doctor. He was a resident in Nanyuki Children’s Home and we have known James for many years. As he received very high marks in his final school exams, the Government provided him with a course in Accountancy and Business Studies as he lacked the amount of marks required for medical school by a tiny amount. Had he been privately funded he would have been eligible for medical school. The MP has promised to try and assist James to pursue his dream but cannot promise anything, due to financial restraints. The cost of medical school would be approximately £3000 to £4000 per year privately so we are keeping our fingers crossed that James will pursue his dream. He is deeply passionate about caring for his people.
MESSAGES OF APPRECIATION
We met the Governor and the MP several times during our visit and they both expressed their deep gratitude for the support of Nanyuki Children’s Charitable Trust and wished us to pass this message to all our supporters in the United Kingdom. Indeed, we would not be able to achieve so much without all your support and for this we both thank you very much indeed.
Meeting with the Governor
Meeting with the M.P the Hon. Mutahi
EASYFUNDRAISING
Just a reminder about shopping on line through easyfundraising.org.uk to those who have not registered. It is so easy and we have raised £287.64 so far. It costs you nothing and is so worthwhile.
ITEMS FOR SALE
We have some lovely Masaai blankets, beaded necklaces for sale and a few pairs of leather sandals.
Our facebook page is kept up to date as and when things happen in Nanyuki and many photos posted.
THANK YOU ALL ONCE AGAIN.
Carolyn and Bill
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