Spring 2010
Rain at Last
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After three years of drought, dried up family farms, soaring food prices and people going hungry, the rains have returned! Kenya has received a phenomenal amount of rain in recent months bringing relief as well as flooding in many parts of the country.
While the farm at Kusitawi Village struggled during the drought, it is now doing exceptionally well. And several acres now have drip irrigation lines ready for use when the next dry season comes.
The corn harvest yielded over 50 bags. Other vegetables are also doing well though the market has decreased some as the rains have helped our neighbors as well. Some vegetables will be dried and stored. The bananas are growing great and the market remains favorable for them. We are working to increase production with a more intensive farming program.
The farm provides good work and training for our orphans as they help weed and harvest and tend the animals.
Cows
We now have six cows! Two are calves that were born in 2009. They are producing between 36 and 40 liters of milk a day that is sold to the community. The cows provide good income to the farm and the manure is composted for fertilizer.
Wings of Support
The charity arm of KLM Dutch airlines generously donated funds for WWN to purchase a small pickup truck for use on the farm to move material, gather harvest and provide transport of sales. This will be a huge help as our production increases and save us from having to hire transportation on numerous occasions. WOS has also donated clothing for our children, and in 2008 they funded the wash house for the boys’ dormitory. A huge “thank you” to KLM for their continued support.
High School Freshmen
In January we had 25 students entering Form l secondary school. Guardians are suppose to buy the first school uniform and we provide the second as they need to be washed daily. This year we had to provide the first and second uniform for 13 of the children who did not have money for the first uniform, as well as textbooks and supplies. We also paid for all 25 children to have medical exams required for joining secondary school.
Magagoni High School Graduation
Chris: In November 2009 our first class of 39 seniors sat for their National Exams. While we were visiting Kenya in March the results were announced. This is a very big day in the life of young Kenyan adults as their performance on these tests can determine their academic future.
Considering Magagoni was the first public high school in the area, and the first two years were taught with limited resources and teachers (all donated through Children of Strength), and with half of the student body coming from homes devastated by AIDS, we can all be so very proud of every one of these 39 kids who were able to stay in school through their senior year.
Our best performer scored a B- on the exam. While none of our students’ scores merit a free university education, several scored high enough to continue their education if they can raise the money needed to pay for college or trade school. Several have committed to retaking the exam in hopes of improving their scores and their opportunities.
In Kenya, graduates do not start college until a year after they finish secondary school. Many will still be without family or support with minimal skills in a poor and suffering country. In the meantime, some will consider the next step…
The Next Step
Our biggest challenge in 2010 will be the transitioning of our children into the community as adults. The question we are all asking ourselves is when are these birds ready to fly? We are pursuing the development of a new program within our ministry. This program will provide scholarships, training and development for those children and young adults who have completed their schooling and are no longer eligible to participate in the sponsorship program. We all agree that every child who leaves the sponsorship program will need to wait one year before being eligible for The Next Step. During this interim period the candidate will need to work and save money to help with any future educational training. Then The Next Step can come along side to provide guidance, financial assistance and resources in the form of educational/vocational school, micro-loans and business development.
Note: All U.S. board members and staff volunteer their time. There are no salaries or honorariums. All travel at their own expense. Your sponsorship and gifts go directly to support the children and staff in Kenya