Month of June

We are delighted to welcome Richard and Bibiana Andabwa to Canada for the month of June. They are helping us spread the word of the effects of Tembo in Kenya. We spoke at a local middle school and last Saturday we spoke about the sanitation projects at the Rotary District Conference. Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria is highlighting our work during this month.

Shinyikha well

Here is the handover of the completed well. Happy to see Nixon (contractor) Julius the jeweler and Richard Andabwa (chair of our advisory committee) in attendance.

Well under construction

We left funding for this well rehabilitation at a primary school. Funding came from private donors and Renaissance Ministries. The boys are very interested in watching the progress.

Water for a community

This is the present water source for the community of Bukhaya. Friends donated their family Christmas gift money to Tembo to install a well. Work will start later this year, after the rains.

Sanitation

Our last sanitation project in Kenya was a block of toilets for girls sponsored by a private donor. I have put up a short 5 min video of the handover with ‘performances’ by the children. This might be of interest to anyone thinking of making a donation. Please pass on the link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7d_s8lcbqE

Power of the Virtues Project

We have struggled for years to bring the Virtues Project to Kenya, hampered by lack of funding and available facilitators. Many in the West do not see the need for such programs because in our culture we have many opportunities for reconciliation, cooperation, mediation programs. We have used Virtues to help reduce violence, especially caning in schools, to reduce teen pregnancy (keeping girls in school) helping communities work in harmony. The session the writer speaks of below was not held under ideal circumstances: (over 100 people, when we expected 40), broken photocopier, late start) but we hold on to our trust in the power of the program. I do hope that we shall be able to respond to the request of this teacher. 

I was recently among the lecturers who were invited for the VIRTUES program workshop at Elgonview College-Eldoret,Rift valley province in Kenya.Am a full-time lecturer at Elgonview College-Kapenguria campus.To be sincere the teachings were so heart-touching which turns the whole of my evils,corrupt and dirty deeds and minds into a pure,holy and humane life.I was really blessed.I specifically thank the facilitator-Patricia C for her professional teachings on virtues.I humbly request the concern Virtues program organizers to visit us at north rift horn of the republic of kenya. The region is full of cattle rustling,internal war,poverty,high illiteracy.With your grateful teachings you will totally and positively change the lifes of the resident of northern Kenya from gun-earning lives to holy,humane and caring human-nature.GOD BLESS VIRTUE PROGRAM...GOD BLESS PATRICIA-THE FACILITATOR.

Math-E-Zee tutoring centre and A/C

Saturday was a good day. The vehicle went to Kisumu to have the air conditioning fixed. What relief. With temps of 34 C and major road construction around, we have to crack the windows a bit without AC and the red dust is everywhere.

Late afternoon we met with our Math instructors from the tutoring centre. We have doubled the number of students, no one has dropped out and we have some great success stories. One girl was top in math in the district and her younger sister will join us. Another had to pass a qualifying exam because she failed HS math.She passed!. Others who are away at boarding school until April are reporting increased confidence in Math.  We are all eager to see the Math scores of the boarding students when they return in April. At the moment we have 'day' students and the school hosting us is becoming known for Math instruction. Although we have not rolled out the program into classes yet, parents are considering enrolling their children at Cherish to have easy access to the Math Centre. Here is a shot of the school and our fantastic group of instructors. (We use the Mathusee instructional program)

Math-E-Zee instructors

Cherish School

Although we never envisaged this when we set up the Math Centre, two of our instructors have achieved teaching positions in schools because of their ability to deal with 'slow learners' in Math using strategies from our program. Another who was already a teacher is setting up remedial math in his school. Building Opportunity in more ways than one!