Friday, December 2, 2016

Holly House Christmas - Day 12 - We Did It!



On the twelfth day of Christmas, my sponsor gave to me.... a delicious bowl of ice cream, a bottle of soda pop, an assortment of local candies, one chicken dinner, several lollipops, a pretty dress, one Christmas card, a new shirt, one bowl of rice, a new pair of pants, and all of the love they hold for me.

The grand finale of a holiday meal at Holly House is typically a bowl of ice cream.  Like all children, the kids at Holly House love ice cream and look forward to this very special treat.

December 1 was the last day of our fundraiser, and ... we did it!!!  The final tally is not yet available, but it looks like we met or exceeded our goal to provide every child staying at Holly House over the holidays with special meals for Christmas and New Years and a gift of clothing.  Any funds raised in excess of our goal will be put toward other immediate needs at Holly House.

Thanks to all who donated!  The holiday cheer these meals and gifts provide the kids of Holly House is very much appreciated.  We will have pictures of this holiday celebration on the blog after the holidays.
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Thursday, December 1, 2016

Holly House Christmas - Day 11



On the eleventh day of Christmas, my sponsor gave to me.... a bottle of soda pop, an assortment of local candies, one chicken dinner, several lollipops, a pretty dress, one Christmas card, a new shirt, one bowl of rice, a new pair of pants, and all of the love they hold for me.

One treat included in the Holly House holiday meal is a bottle of soda pop.  The children really look forward to this special treat!

December 1 is the last day of our fundraiser.  Please help us reach our $2450 goal by sending in your donations promptly so that we can get the money out to Kenya in the December wire transfer. These funds are needed to provide every child staying at Holly House over the holidays with a special Christmas meal and gift of clothing. In addition, this amount will cover another special meal for the kids for New Year's.

Please help us reach our goal of providing a great holiday for these children. Donations towards the Holly House Christmas event can be made here using the button under “general donation.” Please specify “Holly House Christmas” on your donation.

You can also avoid the Paypal fee by going to Paypal directly, choosing "friends and family," and sending your donation to info@hishandssupportministries.org   Again, please specify "Holly House Christmas" on your donation.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Holly House Christmas - Day 10



On the tenth day of Christmas, my sponsor gave to me.... an assortment of local candies, one chicken dinner, several lollipops, a pretty dress, one Christmas card, a new shirt, one bowl of rice, a new pair of pants, and all of the love they hold for me.

Holly House Christmas dinners generally include various local snacks foods for the children to enjoy.

We only have a few days left in our fundraiser and we are less than halfway to our $2450 goal! These funds are needed to provide every child staying at Holly House over the holidays with a special Christmas meal and gift of clothing. In addition, this amount will cover another special meal for the kids for New Year's.

Please help us reach our goal of providing a great holiday for these children. Donations towards the Holly House Christmas event can be made here using the button under “general donation.” Please specify “Holly House Christmas” on your donation.

You can also avoid the Paypal fee by going to Paypal directly, choosing "friends and family," and sending your donation to info@hishandssupportministries.org   Again, please specify "Holly House Christmas" on your donation.

Monday, November 28, 2016

Holly House Christmas - Day 9



On the ninth day of Christmas, my sponsor gave to me.... an assortment of local candies, one chicken dinner, several lollipops, a pretty dress, one Christmas card, a new shirt, one bowl of rice, a new pair of pants, and all of the love they hold for me.

Previous Holly House Christmas dinners have included various local candies for the children to enjoy.  These special treats make the meal very festive for the kids at Holly House.

We only have a few days left in our fundraiser and we are less than halfway to our $2450 goal! These funds are needed to provide every child staying at Holly House over the holidays with a special Christmas meal and gift of clothing. In addition, this amount will cover another special meal for the kids for New Year's.

Please help us reach our goal of providing a great holiday for these children. Donations towards the Holly House Christmas event can be made here using the button under “general donation.” Please specify “Holly House Christmas” on your donation.

You can also avoid the Paypal fee by going to Paypal directly, choosing "friends and family," and sending your donation to info@hishandssupportministries.org   Again, please specify "Holly House Christmas" on your donation.

Holly House Christmas - Day 8



On the eighth day of Christmas, my sponsor gave to me.... one chicken dinner, several lollipops, a pretty dress, one Christmas card, a new shirt, one bowl of rice, a new pair of pants, and all of the love they hold for me.

Christmas dinner at Holly House includes chicken as the main course!  This is a special treat for the children, who typically get their protein from less expensive foods such as beans.

We only have a few days left in our fundraiser and we are less than halfway to our $2450 goal! These funds are needed to provide every child staying at Holly House over the holidays with a special Christmas meal and gift of clothing. In addition, this amount will cover another special meal for the kids for New Year's.

Please help us reach our goal of providing a great holiday for these children. Donations towards the Holly House Christmas event can be made here using the button under “general donation.” Please specify “Holly House Christmas” on your donation.

You can also avoid the Paypal fee by going to Paypal directly, choosing "friends and family," and sending your donation to info@hishandssupportministries.org   Again, please specify "Holly House Christmas" on your donation.

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Holly House Christmas - Day 7



On the seventh day of Christmas, my sponsor gave to me.... several lollipops, a pretty dress, one Christmas card, a new shirt, one bowl of rice, a new pair of pants, and all of the love they hold for me.

One thing that makes the Christmas and New Years meals at Holly House extra special is the inclusion of some special treats.  One of those treats is typically lollipops.

We received a couple of additional donations today and should be over 35% of the way to our $2450 goal! These funds are needed to provide every child staying at Holly House over the holidays with a special Christmas meal and gift of clothing. In addition, this amount will cover another special meal for the kids for New Year's.

Please help us reach our goal of providing a great holiday for these children. Donations towards the Holly House Christmas event can be made here using the button under “general donation.” Please specify “Holly House Christmas” on your donation.

You can also avoid the Paypal fee by going to Paypal directly, choosing "friends and family," and sending your donation to info@hishandssupportministries.org   Again, please specify "Holly House Christmas" on your donation.

Friday, November 25, 2016

Holly House Christmas - Day 6




On the sixth day of Christmas, my sponsor gave to me.... a pretty dress, one Christmas card, a new shirt, one bowl of rice, a new pair of pants, and all of the love they hold for me.

Donations from the Holly House Christmas fundraiser cover a gift of clothing in addition to holiday meals.  For girls, this clothing dress will be a dress.  The picture above shows the girls of Holly House in the dresses they received for Christmas 2015.

We are currently 35% of the way to our $2450 goal! These funds are needed to provide every child staying at Holly House over the holidays with a special Christmas meal and gift of clothing. In addition, this amount will cover another special meal for the kids for New Year's.

Please help us reach our goal of providing a great holiday for these children. Donations towards the Holly House Christmas event can be made here using the button under “general donation.” Please specify “Holly House Christmas” on your donation.

You can also avoid the Paypal fee by going to Paypal directly, choosing "friends and family," and sending your donation to info@hishandssupportministries.org   Again, please specify "Holly House Christmas" on your donation.

Holly House Christmas- Day 5



On the fifth day of Christmas, my sponsor gave to me.... one Christmas card, a new shirt, one bowl of rice, a new pair of pants, and all of the love they hold for me.

One of the best gifts that you can give your sponsored child is the knowledge that they are in your thoughts this holiday season.  When you make out your holiday cards this year please remember to include your sponsored child.  You may also consider including a picture of you or your family.

We have received another donation and are now up to 35% of our $2450 goal! These funds are needed to provide every child staying at Holly House over the holidays with a special Christmas meal and gift of clothing. In addition, this amount will cover another special meal for the kids for New Year's.

Please help us reach our goal of providing a great holiday for these children. Donations towards the Holly House Christmas event can be made here using the button under “general donation.” Please specify “Holly House Christmas” on your donation.

You can also avoid the Paypal fee by going to Paypal directly, choosing "friends and family," and sending your donation to info@hishandssupportministriesorg   Again, please specify "Holly House Christmas" on your donation.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Holly House Christmas - Day 4



On the fourth day of Christmas, my sponsor gave to me....a new shirt, one bowl of rice, a new pair of pants, and all of the love they hold for me.

Donations from our fundraiser will provide each child at Holly House this Christmas with a new outfit.  For boys, this will mean a new shirt and a pair of pants.  The children are excited to receive these gifts of new civilian clothes, which ensure that they are properly dressed outside of school and give them confidence in their outward appearances.

The needle on our fundraiser is currently stuck at 34% of our $2450 goal.  These funds are needed to provide every child staying at Holly House over the holidays with a special Christmas meal and gift of clothing. In addition, this amount will cover another special meal for the kids for New Year's.

Please help us reach our goal of providing a great holiday for these children. Donations towards the Holly House Christmas event can be made here using the button under “general donation.” Please specify “Holly House Christmas” on your donation.

You can also avoid the Paypal fee by going to Paypal directly, choosing "friends and family," and sending your donation to info@hishandssupportministries.org Again, please specify "Holly House Christmas" on your donation.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Holly House Christmas - Day 3



On the third day of Christmas, my sponsor gave to me....one bowl of rice, a new pair of pants, and all of the love they hold for me.

The holiday dinners that our fundraiser will provide the Holly House children for Christmas and New Years will include a bowl of rice as the base of the meal.  Rice is a staple of meals in Kenya and holiday meals are no exception.

We are currently holding steady at 34% of our $2450 goal.  These funds are needed to provide every child staying at Holly House over the holidays with a special Christmas meal and gift of clothing. In addition, this amount will cover another special meal for the kids for New Year's.

Please help us reach our goal of providing a great holiday for these children. Donations towards the Holly House Christmas event can be made here using the button under “general donation.” Please specify “Holly House Christmas” on your donation.

You can also avoid the Paypal fee by going to Paypal directly, choosing "friends and family," and sending your donation to info@hishandssupportministries.org. Again, please specify "Holly House Christmas" on your donation.

Monday, November 21, 2016

Holly House Christmas - Day 2




On the second day of Christmas, my sponsor gave to me....a new pair of pants, and all of the love they hold for me.

Our Holly House Christmas Fundraiser will provide all of the children at Holly House over the holidays with special meals and a Christmas gift of clothing.  Clothing is a traditional holiday gift in Kenya, and one that is very much appreciated by the children at Holly House.  Like all children, the kids at Holly House are constantly growing and are always in need of clothing to be worn outside of school.  Boys will receive a gift of pants and a shirt, while girls will receive a new dress.  The children have been thrilled with their gifts of new clothing in the past.

We currently have 34% of the $2450 needed to provide every child staying at Holly House over the holidays with a special Christmas meal and gift of clothing. In addition, this amount will cover another special meal for the kids for New Year's.

Please help us reach our goal of providing a great holiday for these children. Donations towards the Holly House Christmas event can be made here using the button under “general donation.” Please specify “Holly House Christmas” on your donation.

You can also avoid the Paypal fee by going to Paypal directly, choosing "friends and family," and sending your donation to info@hishandssupportministries.org. Again, please specify "Holly House Christmas" on your donation.

Sunday, November 20, 2016

12 Days of Holly House Christmas



On the first day of Christmas, my sponsor gave to me....all of the love they hold for me.

We have 12 days remaining in our Holly House Christmas Fundraiser, as all donations must be received by December 1.  We will be counting down these days on the blog as the "12 Days of Holly House Christmas," and detailing all of the things that your donation will provide a child at Holly House for Christmas.

For the first day of Christmas, we chose the most important gift of all - the gift of love.  For a child living in poverty without the comfort of their parents, there is no greater gift than the knowledge that someone loves them, cares about their well-being, and wants to see them succeed in life.

We currently have 21% of the $2450 needed to provide every child staying at Holly House over the holidays with a special Christmas meal and gift of clothing.  In addition, this amount will cover another special meal for the kids for New Year's.

Please help us reach our goal of providing a great holiday for these children.  Donations towards the Holly House Christmas event can be made here using the button under “general donation.”  Please specify “Holly House Christmas” on your donation.

You can also avoid the Paypal fee by going to Paypal directly, choosing "friends and family," and sending your donation to info@hishandssupportministries.org   Again, please specify "Holly House Christmas" on your donation.


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Saturday, November 5, 2016

Holly House Christmas Fundraiser

(pictures from Holly House Christmas 2015)

Fall is flying by and the holidays are just around the corner.  Christmas is a special time of year in Kenya – one that traditionally revolves around visiting relatives, food, and gifts of clothing.  Most of the students living in the Holly House orphanages, however, do not have family with whom to share these traditions, and will instead be spending their holiday break on campus. 

Each year, sponsors and supporters of Galilee raise money to provide these children with a memorable Christmas experience.  This typically includes a chicken dinner, drinks, dessert, and other edible treats.  For children whose typical meals consist of beans and rice, this Christmas dinner is a true feast that they look forward to with delight. 

We also hope to raise enough money to provide each child spending Christmas at Holly House with a gift of clothing.  Clothing is a traditional Christmas gift in Kenya, and the children at Holly House are always in need of clothing to wear when school is not in session. 

Let’s all come together to give the kids at Holly House a magical Christmas this year!  Fanuel (the school director) indicated that there will be approximately 70 students staying at Holly House over Christmas.  Dinner (including beverages, desserts, and treats) is expected to cost $17 per child for a total of $1,190.  Providing the children with a gift of clothing will cost an additional $18 per child for a total of $1,260.  Thus, the grand total for a Holly House Christmas to remember will be $2,450.  Any donations received in excess of this amount will go toward other needs of the Holly House orphanages.

Donations towards the Holly House Christmas event can be made here using the button under “general donation.”  Please specify “Holly House Christmas” on your donation.  All donations must be received by December 1!






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Saturday, October 8, 2016

Meet the Staff

Rosaline


We are going to have a new feature on the blog where we introduce some of the staff and community members who work so hard to educate and care for the children at Galilee Primary and Waddington High Schools. 

Today, we would like you to meet Rosaline.  Rosaline is an independent seamstress who has a small one-room shop set up right outside the gates of the school.  For the last five years, Rosaline has been making the uniforms that the children wear to school.  She sews shirts, dresses, trousers, skirts, and shorts for the children at GPS and WHS (sweaters are sourced elsewhere).  She also sells dresses and other civilian clothing to members of the local community.  In addition to being the school seamstress, Rosaline is also a proud Galilee Primary School parent.  She has a child enrolled in the nursery class at GPS. 


Uniforms are always a great gift idea for a sponsored child.  You can purchase a uniform and support Rosaline’s business at our on-line shop.





Sunday, October 2, 2016

Child of the Week


Suleiman Moses Mambo

This week’s spotlighted child is Suleiman Moses Mambo.  Suleiman is fifteen years old.  He resides at Holly House and attends Waddington High School:

I am Suleiman Moses Mambo.  I was born in 2001.  By that time my family was financially unstable.  I was the first born (after me there are two children). Due to lack of money our family suffered and lacked food sometimes.  My life at home was very hard.  It was not easy for me to join primary school because my parents did not have money to pay for school fees.  I was taken by my uncle to primary school who would pay for school fees.  It was not easy for him to pay for school fees and also his children’s school fees, so I was usually sent home for school fees.  In class four, my parents argued with my uncle and from there he stopped paying for my school fees.  I was chased away from school to go for school fees.  I stayed home for three months before I was taken away to school by our chief and paid for me school fees for one year.

Due to continued taking of alcohol and cigarette smoking, my father suffered lung disease and unfortunately passed away.  The life in our family changed and became even harder.  From there I was taken by a well wisher from the village who paid for my school fees until I finished class eight.  I managed to pass well but my mother could not manage to pay for my school fees in secondary school.  So my mother went to search for assistance to the chief but she was unable.  She then came to Lorna Waddington and talked to director and told him about her status – how I don’t have anyone to pay for my school fees here in this school.  Life is not easy because there is no one to pay for my school fees.

                                                              Yours Sincerely,
                                                               Suleiman Moses Mambo

You can sponsor Suleiman for only $30 a month.  Your sponsorship will cover school fees and help pay for room and board.  The sponsorship fees for Holly House children do not cover the entire cost of their living expenses, but help supplement the monthly needs for caring for the children in the orphanage.  The remaining portion of their living expenses are covered through separate donations.  As a sponsor, you will receive an annual photo and personal information about your sponsored child.  Your sponsored child will send you letters, and you will receive information regarding how to correspond with your sponsored child, should you choose to do so. 


To sponsor Suleiman or for more information, please visit His Hands for Kenya or contact us here.  Please sponsor a Kenyan child today!


Sunday, September 11, 2016

Child of the Week


Child of the Week
Mercy Mulungye

This week’s spotlighted child is Mercy Mulungye.  Mercy is seventeen years old.  She resides at Holly House and attends Waddington High School:

My name is Mulungye Mercy Mutindi.  I was born on June 9, 1999 at a small village known as Mbukani.  I was born in a family of eight members with I being the first born.  I am lucky to have both parents alive although they are all jobless.

I completed my primary course in the year 2014.  Life in primary school was very difficult for me.  This is because my parents were unable to pay the school fees required for me.  Sometimes I could even stay at home for almost a full term after being sent home for lack of school fees.  This continued for several occasions but at long last I managed to complete my primary course.  I scored a total marks of 364.

Having done all the best in my primary academics, I had no hope if I will continue with education at secondary level.  This was because my parents had told me that there was no option rather than staying at home and helping them in caring for my younger siblings.

Finally, time passed and pupils started being admitted in form one in difference schools.  All the standard eight leavers in our village were admitted except me.  One day as I was walking for the grazing fields I met with one of my church members who knew about my situation.  She was willing to help me and assist me in getting an application letter for sponsorship.  She finally got it and gave me to apply.

After a few days, the woman who helped me in getting the sponsorship letter came to our home and told me to prepare myself for she was going to take me to school.  My parents tried their best in providing some of the requirements such as school shoes and also a small box for me.  Finally I was brought here in Lorna Waddington High School and admitted.  This is where I started my secondary school education and became one of the Holly House members.  I am very happy and joyful to be in the Holly House and I thank God for that.

The reason as to why I would like to be sponsored is to continue with my academics.  According to me, I would like to be a doctor when I complete my education at University level. 

Having spoken much about myself, I would like to pen off here.

                                                                        Yours Sincerely,
                                                                        Mulungye Mercy Matindi

You can sponsor Mercy for only $30 a month.  Your sponsorship will cover school fees and help pay for room and board.  The sponsorship fees for Holly House children do not cover the entire cost of their living expenses, but help supplement the monthly needs for caring for the children in the orphanage.  The remaining portion of their living expenses are covered through separate donations.  As a sponsor, you will receive an annual photo and personal information about your sponsored child.  Your sponsored child will send you letters, and you will receive information regarding how to correspond with your sponsored child, should you choose to do so. 

To sponsor Mercy or for more information, please visit His Hands for Kenya or contact us here.  Please sponsor a Kenyan child today!






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Thursday, September 1, 2016

What Should I Buy in the Online Shop?



Our Kenya program is a bit unique in that we offer sponsors the opportunity to purchase items for their sponsored child through our online shop.  These items have been specially selected by the school’s director to ensure that they are useful and culturally appropriate.  Sponsors should never feel any pressure to purchase items from the online shop.  Sponsorship itself is a tremendous help to the children, and they have no expectation of receiving additional gifts.  Nevertheless, some sponsors do enjoy the ability to provide a gift to their sponsored child, and wonder what items from the online shop would be most useful.  While your sponsored child will undoubtedly be delighted with anything you choose, one of the following items may be particularly useful:

Uniform


Students at the schools generally have only one uniform, which is worn six days a week and washed and hung to dry on the seventh day.  Often the child’s only uniform will be a worn and ill-fitting hand-me-down.  Uniforms and uniform sets that include pullovers are available in the online shop for all ages.

School Shoes


Students are expected to wear black school shoes with their uniforms.  However, some children do not have school shoes at all, while others wear shoes that are too small, too large, or excessively worn.  

Textbooks


Textbooks are crucial to the academic success of our Nairobi Kids.  Due to lack of funds, children at GPS and WHS share textbooks.  Sponsors may purchase both individual texts and complete sets for their sponsored children through the online shop.  Please note that when you purchase a textbook for a student, that student will have use of the textbook throughout the academic year (including bringing the book home with them).  However, when the student moves to the next grade level, the textbook will remain in the classroom to benefit the next class of students.

Revision Books


Revision books are available for students in Standard 6 through Form 4.  Revision books provide detailed summaries of key concepts and are extremely helpful to the students in studying for their examinations (including the KCPE and KCSE Exams).  Each subject has its own revision book.  Each high school subject revision book covers the concepts taught in Forms 1-4 (thus a WHS student would only need one revision book in each subject to cover all four years).  There are two sets of primary school revision books: one that covers standards 7 and 8, and one that covers only standard 6.  Some sponsors choose to purchase revision books for their sponsored children to help them with the subjects in which they seem to struggle the most.

School Supplies


All of the children could use a gift of basic school supplies (the school will ensure that the items purchased are age-appropriate).  In addition, students in Standard 6 and higher would benefit from a purchase of the math sets, while high school students would find it helpful to have math sets, scientific calculators, and/or math tables for KCSE Exam Prep.

School Bag



A school bag (typically a backpack) is a useful gift for a student that has been given books or supplies.  The children typically live in very small, dusty dwellings and it is nice for them to have a place to keep their school things together and a means by which to easily transport them back and forth to school.
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Thursday, August 25, 2016

Child of the Week



Wilson Isalu

This week’s spotlighted child is Wilson Isalu.  Wilson is eighteen years old.  He resides at Holly House and attends Waddington High School:

My name is Wilson Isalu Onyengo.  I was born in Nairobi in April, 1998.  Our family is made of five members who are totally jobless and are living a miserable life.  I am the only child being looked after as I am the last born. 

I am the child of a single parent.  This is the result of my mother’s death in the year 2007.  She was the only breadwinner of our family and she was lovely but I am sorry we lost her.  It was during this time that our property was taken, leaving our family as poor as a church mouse.  We were welcomed to the field of suffering.  I was forced to remain outside of school for some years since my father was unable to pay for my school fees.  I even planned on committing suicide so that I could stop suffering but I was rescued by a neighbor who was passing by.

Due to all the suffering I experienced I would make away with people’s property so that I could get food since no one in our family was concerned with the other. 

I humbly request support from you so that I may achieve my goals in the future.  I have realized that the only weapon to fight poverty in our family is through education, which is the key to success.  Kenya is a good country with social people and there are so many areas of investment.  I personally have a desire to visit and know more about other countries.  After my high school level I would like to take a career in education.

I was glad to hear that my brother had met a good Samaritan in Nairobi who was ready to bring me to Holly House.  I have really learned a lot from him and from my fellow students.  My coming to Holly House has relit my vision.   
.
                                                                        Yours Faithfully,
                                                                        Wilson Isalu

You can sponsor Wilson for only $30 a month.  Your sponsorship will cover school fees and help pay for room and board.  The sponsorship fees for Holly House children do not cover the entire cost of their living expenses, but help supplement the monthly needs for caring for the children in the orphanage.  The remaining portion of their living expenses are covered through separate donations.  As a sponsor, you will receive an annual photo and personal information about your sponsored child.  Your sponsored child will send you letters, and you will receive information regarding how to correspond with your sponsored child, should you choose to do so. 


To sponsor Wilson or for more information, please visit His Hands for Kenya or contact us here.  Please sponsor a Kenyan child today!




Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Child of the Week

Dorice Nyangweso


This week’s spotlighted child is Dorice Nyangweso.  Dorice is seventeen years old.  She resides at Holly House and attends Waddington High School:

My name is Dorice Nyangweso Otieko.  I was born on January 7, 1999.  I was born by both parents who were jobless.  Due to their situation of joblessness, I faced many challenges in my primary education.  I perservered all the challenges and worked hard to attain my goals. I managed to get 354 marks in my KCPE exams.

Lack of finances forced me to stay home as the other children were joining secondary school.  I had wanted to continue with my education but I was now losing hope.  I never knew if I would go to secondary school.

One day, as I was quiet sitting under the shade, a strange man walked into our compound.  He told me to prepare myself to go to school.  I thanked God for that. By good luck I found myself in Lorna Waddington.

Here in Holly House I’m happy going on well with my education.  I work hard in my education to achieve my goals.  I would like to explore many countries and help the helpless children in different countries. 

I would be happy if you sponsor me in education to achieve my goals since my parents are jobless.  I will strive and make sure I achieve my dreams and accomplish my missions in the future.  May God fill you with many blessings.


                                                                        Yours Loving,
                                                                        Dorice Nyangweso

You can sponsor Dorice for only $30 a month.  Your sponsorship will cover school fees and help pay for room and board.  The sponsorship fees for Holly House children do not cover the entire cost of their living expenses, but help supplement the monthly needs for caring for the children in the orphanage.  The remaining portion of their living expenses are covered through separate donations.  As a sponsor, you will receive a photo and personal information about your sponsored child.  Your sponsored child will send you letters, and you will receive information regarding how to correspond with your sponsored child, should you choose to do so. 

To sponsor Dorice or for more information, please visit His Hands for Kenya or contact us here.  Please sponsor a Kenyan child today!





Sunday, July 31, 2016

What are the KCPE and KCSE?


When reading posts on the blog or letters from your sponsored children, you may have seen references to the KCPE or KCSE exams and wondered what those are all about. In Kenya, students are required to take cumulative examinations in order to receive certificates of completion for both primary and secondary school at the end of Standard 8 and high school, respectively. Obtaining these certifications is critical to the future success of our GPS and WHS students. Achieving a certain Kenyan Certificate of Primary Education (“KCPE”) exam score is required for Standard 8 students to gain admission to secondary school while scores on the Kenyan Certificate of Secondary Education (“KCSE”) exam determine university and trade school admissions, as well as job eligibility, for Form 4 students. For those Form 4 students unable to continue on to university, obtaining the KCSE can mean the difference between a decent job or admission to trade school and struggling to make ends meet in the slums.

KCPE Exam

The KCPE Exam tests students in the following subjects - Maths, English, Kiswahili, Social Studies, Science, and Religious Studies. The test is typically taken in November and results are made available in January. Due to the timing of the exam, the beginning of high school Form 1 classes is generally delayed until late January.
The maximum score on the exam is 500 points. For reference, in 2015 the Kenyan government reported that 49.61% of Kenyan students nationally achieved the mean score of 250 marks. The highest score achieved by any student in Kenya on the 2015 exam was 446 marks.

Waddington High School generally requires a minimum KCPE score of 240 marks for admission.

KCSE Exam

The KCSE Exam is administered to Form 4 students and tests a minimum of seven subjects. Students are required to test in three compulsory subjects (Maths, Kiswahili, and English), at least two sciences (choosing among Chemistry, Biology, and Physics), one humanities (choosing among History and Government, Geography, Christian Religious Education, Islamic Religious Education, and Hindu Religious Education), and at least one Practical (Home Science, Art and Design, Agriculture, Computer Studies, or Aviation) or Technical (French, German, Arabic, Music, or Business Studies) subject. The choices available to students are generally limited by the curriculum available at their high school. For example, due to lack of funds the only Practical or Technical subject taught at WHS is Business Studies.

Testing for the KCSE Exam typically begins in late October and ends in late November. KCSE Exam results are not released until the end of February. High school graduates planning to continue their education apply to University and other programs after receiving their KCSE scores, and begin their post-secondary programs the following January.

Kenya has a network of public and private universities that offer a broad range of career programs. In general, students who achieve a score of C+ or above on the KCSE Exam are eligible to attend public or private universities. Students who achieve a score of C or above may enroll in vocational programs or technical schools to obtain training for careers such as nursing, teaching, and accountancy.

Students scoring a B or higher on the KCSE Exam are eligible to receive government loan assistance at public universities. For students at WHS, scoring high enough on the KCSE to qualify for the government loan program is typically the only way that they can afford to attend university.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Child of the Week

Child of the Week
Kevin Achwal



This week’s spotlighted child is Kevin Achwal.  Kevin is seventeen years old.  He resides at Holly House and attends Waddington High School:

I am Kevin Achwal from Lorna Waddington High School.  I was born on the 11th of October, 1999 from Kakomega County.  I am the second child in the family of five children.  I stay with my parents but they are drunkards and HIV positive. 

This situation made it difficult for me to stay at home because my parents could not care for us.  I suffered through my primary education as there was no one to pay for my school year.  I persevered with the hardship until I finished my Kenya Certificate of Primary Education in the year 2014.

I managed to pass and scored 362 points.  This made me have hope in my life as I knew that I would get acceptance but this did not bother my parents.  I was confused, not knowing what to do and even whether I will join secondary school or not.  When it was about two months later I got a good Samaritan who did my school shopping and took me to school, where I am now.

I am now in Lorna Waddington High School struggling with the life.  Although secondary school is hard, I try my best to make my future bright and lighten my family members from that hardship.  I am now working to achieve my goals and dreams that I had set. 


                                                                        Yours Faithfully,
                                                                        Kevin Achwal

You can sponsor Kevin for only $30 a month.  Your sponsorship will cover school fees and help pay for room and board.  The sponsorship fees for Holly House children do not cover the entire cost of their living expenses, but help supplement the monthly needs for caring for the children in the orphanage.  The remaining portion of their living expenses are covered through separate donations.  As a sponsor, you will receive a photo and personal information about your sponsored child.  Your sponsored child will send you letters and you will receive information regarding how to correspond with your sponsored child, should you choose to do so. 

To sponsor Kevin or for more information, please visit His Hands for Kenya or contact us here.  Please sponsor a Kenyan child today!



Sunday, July 24, 2016

A Peek Inside the Nairobi Slums

Famous, Rich, and In the Slums, Pt 1

This 2011 documentary follows four British celebrities as they immerse themselves in Kibera, Nairobi's largest slum. The kids at Galilee Primary and Waddington High School live in Nairobi's Kayole-Soweto slum under conditions very similar to those documented in the video.  As the kids at Galilee and WHS are well aware, securing a quality education is likely their only ticket out of the slums.  Please contact us or visit our website for more information on how you can help a child in Nairobi's slums escape abject poverty through the gift of education.



Thursday, July 21, 2016

Throw Back Thursday - The First Uniform Day



Most of the time our focus here on the Blog is devoted to getting more kids sponsored and showing what the kids of Galilee Primary and Waddington High Schools are up to. But, sometimes it is fun to look back and celebrate the history of the schools and how far we have come. So, today for “Throw Back Thursday” we are taking everyone back to 2003 and the “First Uniform Day” at Galilee Primary School. The following letter was written in June, 2003 by Fanuel Okwaro (the school director and founder) to Lorna Waddington (who helped Fanuel set up a sponsorship program to help educate the kids at Galilee Primary School).

Dear Lorna,

Thank you very much for your emails telling us of the Galilee friends. You have not only put a smile on my, our staff, and children's faces, but you have all touched their hearts and the hearts of the community around our school in a great way.

One day children come to school in their usual torn clothes, barefoot and frowning for having not gotten breakfast. The People in the community look at them (just like one commented) and say there is no hope of them ever coming out of this!

The day is a chilly morning, Nairobi is experiencing its most cold seasons of the year. The temperature is at 14 C. The children are shivering, a sign that the cold is reaching all over their body organs and the body warming systems are overwhelmed. The day is a Monday.

Do the children know what the day has for them? No, their only hope is the break time porridge which also serves as their breakfast, the rice and beans which follow at lunch time. For some the day will be over, they will only have another meal when they come to school the next day. What a fate?

At break time when the director calls out names to come to the office they still don't know what they are being called for. One by one they are handed their uniforms shoes and book bag packages. They all run out. They still don't believe it. Is the director serious? Is it really true? Some have never had a uniform from pre-school to class seven, where they are today. Some have never put their foot in something called shoes. The nearest they reached shoes is when they got slippers (sandals).

Everybody has abandoned the porridge (breakfast) queue. Songs are heard all over. Some are crying tears of joy. The director who is least expected to cry, tears are rolling from his cheeks he cannot control them. He forgot to bring the cameraman, so all these cannot be captured on the photos.

Frowning faces of the morning are all gone with the dew. The faces are lighted. The community around wonders what has become of Galilee pupils. The noises are heard for over 15 minutes. They cannot hold back. One by one they start coming out of their houses. They still don't understand why the children are so joyous. They move closer. Before they peep in the office five girls come out and they look at them the first. They think in their minds, “they must be children from one of the well off schools in the city, but which well off school? Which well off school has come to Galilee? The uniforms are similar to Galilee's? What is happening is one child comes out of the office running in his new uniform towards his guardian. At first the guardian does not recognize him, until he reaches near her. She looks at him. She is overwhelmed by joy. She kneels down and looks up in the sky. She is thanking God. She never expected the day to be that good so did everybody (children and staff). The director knew these are only uniforms, but they are going to make the children look beautiful and for the first time they are going to look like school children. Little did he know the joy that will come with it.

The people from the community go home happy and full of hope and the sad day becomes the happiest day in the history of Galilee. Everybody is happy for the rest of the day and looks forward to one day meeting these great friends.

I'm still regretting why I didn't bring the cameraman beforehand. Otherwise it was my happiest day in my work. Whenever I look at the children, I feel satisfied at least the new day has come. The light in the tunnel is getting brighter and brighter. May God bless all of you who took part in this act that made all of us happy and may he bring more friends through you with the same heart. This was a great experience.

Thank you

God BLESS

FANUEL.

Sunday, July 17, 2016

Child of the Week

Child of the Week
Ruth Mutheu



This week’s spotlighted child is Ruth Mutheu.  Ruth is sixteen years old.  She resides at Holly House and attends Waddington High School:

I am Ruth Mutheu from Lorna Waddington High School.  I was born on the 31st of March, 2000 from Kibwezi constituency, Makueni County.  I am the second born in my family.  I found myself in difficulties when my father turned and began to be a drunkard.  He could not play his roles as a father.  By that time I was just but in class four.  He was my father, but a father by name only.

My mother was just but a housewife.  She could struggle in any way in order to provide us with essential needs and also school fees.  Sometimes we could go on without a meal and even live for two days.  My life was no seriously in a mess.  I was no more to have a ticket to live.  But in my studies, I put more efforts in order to succeed.  Since hard work never goes unrewarded I managed to get 356 marks on my KCPE results.  I had achieved my goal but there was no where to go.  My father did not take any action on how I could proceed in my secondary school.

I knew that my school life had come to an end since my mother became too ill and weak due to the hard tasks she performed.  She was the breadwinner but now we had to find a solution on how to live.  My elder sister was no where to be seen since she dropped out of school in her early years due to my father’s drinking habit.  There was no other way other than coming up with a plan on how to take care of my young siblings.

But since God never leaves his people alone, a good Samaritan came on our way home and took me to school: Lorna Waddington High School.  I passed through many challenges in my life but I put more efforts in my studies in order to brighten my future and help my parents come out of the situation they are in.  I am looking forward to achieving my dream in my life.

                                                                        Yours Faithfully,
                                                                        Ruth Mutheu

You can sponsor Ruth for only $30 a month.  Your sponsorship will cover school fees and help pay for room and board.  The sponsorship fees for Holly House children do not cover the entire cost of their living expenses, but help supplement the monthly needs for caring for the children in the orphanage.  The remaining portion of their living expenses are covered through separate donations.  As a sponsor, you will receive a photo and personal information about your sponsored child.  Your sponsored child will send you letters, and you will receive information regarding how to correspond with your sponsored child, should you choose to do so. 


To sponsor Ruth or for more information, please visit His Hands for Kenya or contact us here.  Please sponsor a Kenyan child today!



Wednesday, July 13, 2016

What's Cooking?

        


Today we are sharing a traditional Kenyan dish for you to try at home. Make note, a sufuria is a pot or pan, dania is cilantro and Royco is a brand name for various prepackaged seasoning mixes. Enjoy your meal!

BOILED RICE AND BEAN STEW

The rice is prepared by measuring the amount of rice you want to cook. Then measure the amount of water to be double the quantity of rice and pour the water in a sufuria and put it on fire. Add adequate cooking oil to the water then let it boil. Add salt to taste. Pour the rice into the sufuria containing boiling water and reduce the amount of heat. Let it simmer for 15 to 20 min when the rice will have cooked well and the water has dried. Add some crushed dania and pepper at the top of the sufuria and cover it leaving it to cool.

HOW TO PREPARE BEAN STEW

Cut two balls of onions on a plate. Cut four ripe tomatoes, dania and pepper on another plate. Put a sufuria on fire and add in enough cooking oil to heat. Add in the tomatoes and let them fry till golden brown in colour. Add in the cut tomatoes, dania and pepper to cook to form a thick syrup like mixture. Pour in the boiled beans and mix the mixture well. Add in salt to taste. Add in Royco as a flavour. Pour in a cup of water according to the amount of beans being fried and let the mixture simmer for 5 min to cook well. Serve the warm stewed beans and boiled rice on a plate.



Monday, July 4, 2016

Child of the Week



Child of the Week
Jackson Kaloki Musyoki

This week’s spotlighted child is Jackson Kaloki Musyoki.  Jackson is sixteen years old.  He resides at Holly House and attends Waddington High School:

I am Jackson Kaloki Musyoki.  I was born in Makueni County in Kiburai district in Masiergaseni location.  I was born among four family members.  I am the first in the family.

My parents are jobless.  We live in abject poverty where my father is a drunkard and my mother does menial jobs to support the family.  Born in such a family, I was brought up in a nearby school in the village. 

I did my KCPE exam in 2014 where I passed well with flying colors.  I like reading storybooks and my favorite subjects are maths and Kiswahili.  I want to be a doctor when I grow up. 

In the village I live with my grandmother and the other siblings and my parents.  I assist my parents in doing some chores like fetching water and cooking. 

Now I am in Lorna Waddington High School where I am in Form two.  I am in need of assistance in paying school fees, school uniform, and my general upkeep.

I am working hard in my academics to achieve a good grade.  During our last exam I was in position eight and I had a mean grade of B+.  I like going to church and I pray to God that I work harder to pursue an A in my KCSE exam and be a doctor in the future time.  Best wishes to you.

                                                                        Yours Faithfully,
                                                                        Jackson Kaloki Musyoki

You can sponsor Jackson for only $30 a month.  Your sponsorship will cover school fees and help pay for room and board.  The sponsorship fees for Holly House children do not cover the entire cost of their living expenses, but help supplement the monthly needs for caring for the children in the orphanage.  The remaining portion of their living expenses are covered through separate donations.  As a sponsor, you will receive a photo and personal information about your sponsored child.  Your sponsored child will send you letters, and you will receive information regarding how to correspond with your sponsored child, should you choose to do so. 

To sponsor Jackson or for more information, please visit His Hands for Kenya or contact us here.  Please sponsor a Kenyan child today!