Wana Duma Children’s Project

Sunday morning thought I’d sleep in a bit but was woken up by howling puppies in the stairwell!  Ran down to see what was going on and found them stuck halfway up trying to find Momma dog….she was hiding on our landing!  They were starving!  So I sat with momma dog as they all attacked to eat…if I moved she wanted to follow!  Gave them time to get something down then dashed back upstairs to make them some food….thank goodness I had leftovers from their food I prepared for them last night.  They devoured all in minutes!!
Left them sleeping in the sun…
Attacked all the projects I needed to get done in my house until the church got too loud and decided to walk to town and get some blogging and e-mails done….they’ll be at it all day so nice to get a little quiet…..if they could just carry a tune and not have to play an electric organ turned on high it wouldn’t be so bad but I think someone told them that God was deaf. Phone calls to get to and kids and cu-cu’s  coming by later….lots to organize for the upcoming week……

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Daniel is still trying to get us a few more acres adjoining the two he donated.  Susan, Daniel and I decided we wanted to walk it again….we grabbed a taxi as it is 15 min drive from where we are now. It is such a pretty piece of land with a lovely view.  Next week we are supposed to meet the General Manager to go over details…wish us luck as it looks like we may need it!
On the way back from the property we swung by the Kekopey Ranch Secondary school where we have Willy, David N, Joseph and Mary. We were unable to see the kids as they were attending a double (?) teaching class but had a good visit with the Headmistress, one of my favorites!  We had our taxi driver then drop us in town at the medical clinic to talk to a doctor about Lucy.  He wanted to see her so we brought her right in (she lives just down the road with her sister).  She went into hysterics as soon as she saw the doctor as her hospital stay was so traumatic.  I promised her a special treat if she just let the Dr check her.  She lay quietly on the table while he examined her and immediately sat up and asked for chips (french fries)…her special treat!  Didn’t miss a beat and the most I’ve ever heard her say! So we went next door so she could enjoy her reward.  Meanwhile the doctor gave us a bottle of something to calm the gas produced by the TB meds.
On our way through town we ran into Steven who needed a book and socks (sent home!), Peter is still working under his tree with his bicycle repair business, Samuwel at his motorcycle shop and then our big girl Grace (the hairdresser).  She is such a love and will be coming up for dinner and to spend the night.  She thanked us for caring for her and that no one had ever loved her or cared for her before and how much it meant to her.  It is nice to see our big kids doing so well……some people say we are spoiling the children by loving them so much but I’m seeing the opposite….we give them hope and confidence that the world is a better place. That they are important and yes loved.

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Wednesday morning Susan and I woke tired but with a full day ahead of us.  We got a couple calls from our Kamathatha Kids that they were sent home from school for new teachers fees….seems to be too much to just call us but if they send the kids home they don’t have to work…… This week alone 12 of our kids have been sent home for some lame reason.
So after feeding the pups we headed out for the 2 1/2 hour walk to meet the kids where they have lunch. Not only to give them their fees but to check on them and talk to the Momma who fixes their lunches and keeps an eye on them.  Had new shoes for Gladys, Margaret and Jane and noted they had no socks and that the big kid’s uniforms were in tatters.  Turns out they never went and picked up their uniforms….so told them to please go pick them up!
On the way to see the kids our path took us by Cu-cu Kagure’s.  We popped in and left her some bananas and found her again sitting in the sun with her one year old great-great-grandson who immediately started to cry at the sight of these horrible pale creatures walking towards him.  We’ve seen him many times but we still terrify him.  We had a taxi come to pick us up so we could get home and get other things done.  We constantly have our older kids popping in and others that have heard about the muzungu that helps orphans.  Not easy to say no but we really are at our limit right now…..

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I arrived in Nairobi and spent a few days getting organized and spending time with our rescue pup, Bahati.  He is now a year old.  He’s a handsome boy but still a pup.  Mary has taught him to sit, stay, shake hands, down, stay out of the kitchen and go to your bed!
I arrived, this trip, at a time of great rains and flash flooding…..I left in a severe drought where crops failed and herd stock and wildlife were dying.   600 tourists and staff had to be evacuated from the northern Samburu area and they lost everything left behind. The lodges are badly damaged.  The rains continued and now for the last couple days it is hot, hot, hot again… so the rains may be behind us again.
Tuesday Susan and her cousin Simon, a taxi driver, picked me up before 8am.  We had a lot to get done this first day back north.  On our agenda first was to check on a new girl in the program, 16 yr old Freyda.  She’s in Form 2 (sophomore) in Boarding school in Naivasha.  I assumed about a half hour detour on the way to Gilgil.  Turns out 4 1/2 hours later round trip over terrible roads and we only got to spend 15 minutes with her!! Thank goodness we got there close to tea break or they wouldn’t have let us see her at all.  Although Susan had met Freyda before I had not so this was a nice opportunity to meet her and tell her more about Wana Duma. Her school is hidden in the hills on your way to the Aberdare Mountains.  She is doing well in school and we look forward to her joining us during spring break in April.

We continued on to Gilgil by early afternoon, stopped at our house, unpacked the car and immediately went to check on our little 5 1/2 yr old Lucy.  Lucy is HIV positive just out of the hospital after contracting TB and pneumonia.  We almost lost her!  She is so tiny – she’s lost a lot of weight and has a painful protruding stomach, a result of TB medicine.  She never talks, just looks at you with her big brown eyes.  Lucy moved into town from her Cu-cu’s place  and now lives in a 6 x 8 foot room with her older sister Miriam (21) and her other siblings Grace, Daniel, Sarah and 88 yr old Cu-cu. They all slept in this tiny room with sewage ditch just outside the front door! Boy, do we need our Children’s Home built and soon!  We left vitamins, food, clothes, shoes, treats and smiles.

As it was getting late we had to move on to check on Cu-cu Kagure (87) the great-grandmother of one of our girls.  When I left three months ago she wasn’t well.  After consulting with the Pharmacist we left her with the equivalent of Tylenol and re-hydrants.  As we approached her hut she was sitting out in the sun shelling peas and jumped up so happy to see her muzungus again!  She considers both Susan and I her daughters and loves when we visit. 
Tired but happy we headed home to unpack and get sorted before dark PLUS check on Momma dog and 11 puppies delivered 6 weeks ago. Since dogs aren’t well cared for by Africans I was worried about their condition.  I found Momma dog skin and bones…the pups looked well.  So packing had to wait as we cooked up some healthy food for Momma………

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I’ve been home in the States for a month now.  When I left Kenya the kids were all getting out of school for the month.  As our house is not equipped to house the children for more than a day or two most everyone returned to stay with their Cu-cu’s.

Susan (staff mama in Kenya) has been calling the last few days with updates as they all head back to school!  In Kenya the school year is from January to November with April, August and December off.   Here’s a brief update on individual kids:

Elizabeth  is back at our Gilgil house after visiting with her Mom who lives eight hours away.  She was at the house when Susan called and was excited to say hi on the phone!

Mercy  was also at the house for the night and was happy to talk to me all way in the US.  Both girls were shy to talk long distance at first but pretty soon I got Mercy to share her contagious laugh!  She said her Cu-cu, brother Bismack and kitten Pendo are all doing well.  But she was disappointed that Pendo was growing so fast!

Our two Hannahs ( Kagure & Nyagothe)  stayed the night before Elizabeth and Mercy  – Susan took them back to school.  Both are healthy and well.  They reported that both of their Cucu’s,  that were very sick before I  left  in November were doing much better.

Titus  will be joining Josphat at the Combori Polytech School next week in carpentry courses.  He is one very happy young man!

Agnes  W. , ( for m 4)  Joseph G  (form 3) and Steven  (form 4) return to Gilgil secondary Day School along with new kids in the program in Form 1 Gladys and  her brother John and Anthony.  In Kenya Secondary School Forms 1, 2, 3 and 4 are equivalent to grade 9, 10, 11 and 12.  Gladys’ sister Lucy will go back to Utumushi Day School where the two Hannahs are and they are friends.

Susan took Geoffrey back to the Moi Primary Boarding School and got him settled.  He loves school and is really blossoming there.  His brother David is 18 now and interested in driving school so we will be checking out a program for that when I get there next time.

Willie returns to Kekopey Ranch Secondary Day School.  He will be joined by another David who surprised us by finishing up Primary School with good enough grades to move on up. 

We have been joined in the program by three siblings  that live with a Grandfather that is in poor health – Joseph (17) Mary (16) and a younger sister Margaret (15) in Kekopey Primary Day school .

Patrick and Denis attend Good Shepherd Academy with Mercy and Elizabeth.  Denis  is an A student and thriving in this environment.  Patrick is struggling but trying hard.

Irene, Catherine and Joyce are all making progress at the Wellspring Girls Academy.  Irene struggles more emotionally as her Mother is still living with AIDS at home with her four younger brothers.  They often don’t have enough food so we supplement them with staples.  We’ve also enrolled her 16 year old brother  Ian in automotive school.  It’s wonderful to see Joyce and Catherine thrive in Boarding School.  They both went from D students with no hope or dreams to C+, and B’s and a lot of smiles.

Simon will also be joining an automotive school in Nairobi.  Simon like so many of my kids that never did well in school but hung in there come alive in vocational school.  Hoping Nairobi not too much for my small town boys!  We will be keeping an eye on them.

At Kamathatha Primary we have David M, Martha, Agness and six new little ones: 6 year old Joseph and Agness’ siblings Joseph, Daniel, Jane, Margaret and Gladys.  Another little Joseph also six who asked if we’d feed him too will join our lunch program- how can you ever say no?

At Kekopey Primary we have siblings Caroline (12) Grace (11) and Daniel (10).  Sarah 3 1/2 still at home with  Cu-cu  who is 86 and in poor health.  Lucy 5 ½ and just out of the hospital being treated for TB and also HIV positive and 8 yr old Faith who goes to school at DEB have moved into town with older sister Miriam . We’ve been trying to find Miriam a college course but nothing that we can afford at this time…still looking.  Meantime we will be helping both Miriam and her Cu-cu with food and medicine for all the kids.

Nine year old Diana (also HIV positive) is doing great.  Stays healthy with vitamins and additional food we supply to her guardian who is also HIV positive.  She is in Standard 3 and a good student.

Another new family we brought in are 11 year old Faith who needs supplements for HIV, her cousins  8 year old John and 3 ½ yr old Raphael (also HIV positive).  They live with their Cu-cu and older brother Anthony also in the program.

Our kids in the Korogocho slums of Nairobi (Dickson, Brigitte, Fatuma, Suleiman and Richard Spice) are all in good form .  They live in such a tough environment but their Mom who has AIDS works hard to keep them focused.  We feed, supplement the family with vitamins and pay the rent to keep Mom’s stress level down and she can just concentrate on the kids.

I’m heading  back to Kenya in two weeks and I’ll be updating you at that time.  We have a volunteer, Kathleen King, coming to Gilgil in April to do a photo documentary of our families – especially our Cucus.  I’ll update you more on that project later as well.

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Wednesday is market day in Gilgil and it’s turned into a good day to catch up with many cu-cu’s.  We look forward to two of our favorites, both great grandmothers in charge of their great grand-daughters named Hannah…both currently in Primary Boarding and doing well.  First we decided to go check on cu-cu Kagure and found her happy to see us but looking a bit strange…something wrong with her left eye.  Then she admitted to two weekends of bad headaches loss of vision and hearing in one ear. Didn’t seem to be a stroke but went to a Doctor to consult and they just sent me back with a stronger pain killer????  At any rate a couple days later and she said the headaches are gone.  Then on to find cu-cu, Nyagothie.  She walks 6 miles into town every other wed for food and to find us.  We went to her daughters to find her gravely ill and rushed her to the hospital (if that’s what you want to call it….amazingly aweful and inadequit to me).  She was unconscious and in very bad shape.  We had to get a taxi to take her from one building to another and then carry her in to the ward and lay her on a plastic coated bed with no blankets!!  I had just bought a blanket for the house and pulled it out of my bag and wrapped her up….then they made us leave as we weren’t family….. sadly waited the night out and went back in the morning to at least find her conscious….and very happy to see her mzungu!  Then she went back to sleep. As of this writing she is slowly recovering…we brought warm sox, sweater, vest and stocking cap to warm her….no one had done anything else…her kids started showing up to fight over the “plot” of land she may leave behind…never bothered with their mothers comfort…AFRICA is so hard to fathom sometimes…you just walk away with tears in your eyes and hope for a better day……

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What a busy weekend!!  Still recovering! Saturday I had 23 of my new kids (and a few older ones to assist) aged 3 to 13 over for beef stew, rice, bananas, juice and cake.  Half were from very rough situations….4 little girls and their brother came dirty, smelly and crying after walking 2 and 1/2 hours to get here and another 3 little ones with their older sister arrived after 2 hours of walking, also filthy and tired! The first bunch live with their 86 year old Grandmother who is in failing health and the second bunch have a father working in the field and their Mother an alcoholic and in jail more than not.  All were severely neglected and needing attention. All but the brother are under our sponsorship but it is becoming clearer that our Children’s Home is a must!!! I didn’t want them to leave.  They all had fun drawing and writing thank you notes, eating and just getting attention….if I had a tub they would have all gotten a good scrubbing too!  :)  When it came time for them to leave I sent them all home on transportation (on the back of bikes!!) but at least I didn’t have to worry about them walking home!!  They all left very tired little munchkins but they all had smiles and new clothes or shoes and full tummies.

Sunday was the day for our big kids to come for Joseph’s 17th birthday party…Joseph asked for sausages and birthday cake….so that’s what he got along with a rice dish and local veggie dish…lots of juice and a beautiful birthday cake.  Joseph never stopped smiling all day…orphaned young he has been raised by his ailing Grandmother who recently left him with his brother this year so she could stay with other family.  I’m proud of him for sticking with school and dreaming of a future.  Most the older kids have known each other the last 8 years in this program and have a fun time together….so much fun in fact that they never want to leave!!!  Daniel brought a distinguished elder to visit our project and he was very impressed and promised his support….this is great to be recognized within the community and confirms it was a good decision to rent a house and get settled and seen! Now I have budgets, accounting and a game plan for the New Year. Now cu-cu’s to visit and school to sort out for the new kids and those joining different schools!

I’m also in need of more sponsors!!!!

Gladys (16) and her brother John (15) They are both going into Secondary Day school (Form 1 to 9th grade)  $400 each for the year.

Joseph Kogomu (6) first grade   $150 per year.

Faith  (11) 5th grade.  Has a sponsor for school but is HIV positive and needs a sponsor for vitamins and medicine $150.

John (8) younger brother of Faith first grade  $150 a year.

Raphael (3) youngest of that family is HIV positive needs vitamins and medicine $150 per year.

Daniel (10) brother to five of the new little girls in our project that have sponsors…he does not and is a sweetheart – $150 a year.

 
Another Daniel also 10 years old – brother to the other bunch of sisters in the project also NO sponsor also a good big brother and will be forced to work in the fields to help support the family if no sponsor. $150 a year.

Robin at 14 orphaned and has been assisted by friends that can no longer afford his school fees…he will go to Form 1 (9th grade) Secondary Day school.  $400 a year.

We are also adding two other Form 1 kids a brother and sister we just brought in (sorry don’t have their name yet.  They are living with an old Grandfather who can no longer afford their school fees…each $400 a year for Secondary Day school. More on these kids later

The requested money per child helps feed, clothe and school them.  My staff here and I work hard to meet their needs and appreciate any and all support!!

Thanks to all….spread the word!!!!!!!!!!!
Lots of love from Kenya
Susanne

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It’s been quiet on the home front in a way….cu-cus and kids just drop in as this is their safe haven and I never know when.  The kids start to return to the house tomorrow.  The two Hannah’s Thursday night (after staying with their cu-cu’s a couple days) and I’ll walk them back to school Friday morning. Then Elizabeth and Mercy get out of their Boarding school Friday AM and stay for a few days.  They are at the end of their term and out now until January 5th as are Denis and Patrick.  All other schools continue until the end of November. Saturday morning planning a beef-stew party for the younger kids and on Sunday a birthday party for the older kids….so a busy weekend ahead. I met a woman today, Nelly with Shepherd Academy.  She stopped by to hear about our program and found we are doing much the same thing so we can network together.  One day next week Susan, Daniel and I will go visit one of her Academies near our house.  She has an Academy for boys and one for girls.  It will be nice to see what others are doing in the area. Now off to do shopping for the weekend!

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We had a busy weekend with kids in Boarding school…starting  Friday with visits to our two Hannahs at Utumishi Boarding for “Pray Day.”  We found out we could bring them home for a week while the older kids did exams.  They gave us no notice and if we hadn’t gone to Pray Day they would have sat around that horrible place for a week!  So they are happy.  Hannah K not feeling well so we took her into the clinic to find out she has malaria and another infection!  So she is being treated for that and foot fungus!  Other Hannah is in good form.  Susan left for the weekend to attend a seminar so that left me with the Hannahs to go to “Visiting Day” at Wellspring Girls school where Irene, Joyce and Catherine are going. We stopped on the way and loaded up with chicken and chips (at their request), bananas, juice and cupcakes.  It was fun to spend time with them even if only for a picnic. Irene’s 17 year old brother was visiting and joined in… we are in the process of finding him an automotive program to join by January….otherwise to make money he breaks rocks in the rock quarry!! We Need a sponsor for him…estimating $500 for his year in the program  We found out this group of girls don’t get out of school until after I leave the country but I’ll try and have them come stay next weekend.  The girls seemed to think they could get permission.   Elizabeth and Mercy will be out of school next Friday until January so we will have a full house…

We’re planning two parties that weekend – Saturday all of the Primary school kids will come for beef stew and to write thank you notes and draw pictures. Sunday is Joseph Gitu’s 17th birthday and he called and requested a party (last year his birthday fell on the day we went to Nairobi for a field trip so we celebrated!  Now he wants a party every year!!) He’s a good kid now living with his older brother…his parents are gone and his Cu-cu has moved north to be with relatives.  So we will have sausage and rice dish of his choice along with birthday cake and other goodies.

We went to visit Mercy’s Cu-cu and bring food for Pendo (our rescue kitten) again. He is doing very well…Cu-cu loves having the company during the day and Bismack has a new best friend and takes good care of him.  Bismack is Mercy’s younger brother who will be 10 on Christmas Day.  We brought him into the program officially this year.  He needs a sponsor!!  Only $150 for the year….he’s a neat kid never without a smile!

Last two days have dawned bright and beautiful.  Nice after all the torrential rains and the mud it leaves behind.  Other parts of the country are still in drought and the Coast is swapped with flooding!! The church is in full swing this morning but the volume is down to an enjoyable level – the law now! Oops!  They must have read my laptop…the volume just went up a few notches!! My kids are hungry so time for sausages and french toast!

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Back in Gilgil again after a week gone.  We were welcomed by rain and muddy roads.  Some roads so bad they were almost impassable.  But little green shoots of grass already popping up and everything –looks better….clean and fresh. Our Gilgil dogs were neglected while I was gone….really nothing new there.  Poor Momma dog was hurt pretty bad by a stray and I’m having trouble getting a vet to help….she needs antibiotics now (where are you Dr Kate!!! I’ll have to bring some antibiotics for bites on my next trip!!)

Our first morning back Cu-cu Lucia and her older Grandson, Anthony (who Deb Kerr is sponsoring) and younger Grandson three year old Raphael came by.  We were able to go over things with Anthony about starting back to school again in January when the new school year starts.  He is so grateful and excited…thank you Deb!! We gave him a warm coat and new backpack and since we haven’t started Cu-cu on a food program yet sent them home with food for the week.  Little Raphael very cute and not afraid of the mzungu who gave him juice and muffin then color crayons and paper for him to color a picture for his sponsor (who wants to sponsor a three year old for vitamins and clothes for a year at $150).  Then our boy Willie came by to get school socks as he was sent home from school because he didn’t have any!!  Again any excuse to send a child home….Willie said they were sending half the school home for one reason or another…teachers wanted a paid day off!! He had juice and Mandazies (like pastry sort of).

 As soon s we got a break we left to walk to Mercy’s Cu-cu to check on her and see how our kitten Pendo was faring with her and Bismack.  We have to make sure he is getting fed…not the African way.  He is fine and Cu-cu feeling good and Bismack is doing very well in school. Next we went into town for mail and groceries and vet meds for Momma dog but no luck.  As I’m fighting some kind of bug myself I didn’t want to get stuck out in the rain and get sicker so I came home to work with Daniel –  he picked up Titus so we can see how he’s doing on his exams….

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