ROOF UPDATE

UPDATE: New roofs from Lifehouse Church

To The congregation of Lifehouse Church,


Thank you again for your very generous donation! With the funds you sent we were able to replace the roofs on ten classrooms. We hope to complete replacement of the remaining roofs once we raise additional funds.

The kids are happy the rain will no longer disrupt their learning.

Our heartfelt thanks to all who made this happen.

Music Fest 2017

               

                 

According to the Eastern Africa Music Summit, The Kenya music festival is is one of Africa’s largest competitive music festivals for schools, colleges and universities. Organized by the Ministry of Education, it is a way of reintroducing music education to particularly primary school level learners after music was made neither compulsory nor examinable in primary schools in the year 2000. As a result of music being made non-compulsory, secondary and tertiary music education enrollment numbers have also dwindled, sparking concern among authorities about the country’s cultural and musical future.

Among other objectives, the Kenya Musical Festival aims to encourage the study, practice and development of music dance and elocution, provide a forum for promising performers of music, dance and elocution to expose their talents and promote the preservation of Kenya’s rich cultural heritage. Participants compete in the areas of set pieces, folk songs, African folk dances, original compositions, arrangements and adaptations of existing music, and oriental, classical and instrumental music.

Music Fest 2017 started June 21.  Nationals were held between the 15th and 22nd of July in Kakamega Western Kenya.  Our team received top marks in their five events at the local level qualifying them for nationals. Once again we were fortunate to receive the extra funding needed for the team to make the three day trip to compete. Our group earned a close 2nd, a 3rd and 10th place, dropping out of the poetry event due to a sick team member.

Congratulations to our 56 member team for a job well done!

Meet the Staff

Meet Ruth, Ruth Mwende is another valuable member of the Galilee family.  Her efforts on behalf of the children have a positive impact on the running of the school and the sponsorship program. Ruth’s job title is school secretary but her duties are far reaching. Have questions about children or families, ask Ruth! Need photos or have a special request, Ruth is your go to person.

When the His Hands team visits Kenya it is Ruth who coordinates efforts on the ground and assists with interviews requiring a translator. She is a hard worker, fast and efficient.

Her love for her job and her effectiveness is evident in her positive interactions with the students and their parents. Ruth can coax a smile out of the most somber of students. Ruth has worked at the school for 10 years. Her daughter Valary is enrolled in preschool at Galilee Primary.

Ruth says, “thank you for the support you are giving to the Waddington High, Galilee Primary and Holly House kids, may the Lord bless you”.

Thank you Ruth for your commitment to the children!

Thank you Lifehouse Church!

Our heartfelt thanks go out to Buzz Brown and the congregation of Lifehouse Church in California for their recent donation. Money raised will go toward making repairs to the roof of the Waddington High building.

                                   


Buzz and the parishioners of Lifehouse are no strangers to our children. About 10 years ago, while on a family trip to Kenya, Buzz learned that the kids wanted pens more than candy and Pensforafrikids was born. Since then the group has shipped approximately 15,000 pens to Galilee Primary School and a few other schools.

                          


We are thankful to the members of Lifehouse for all they have done and continue to do for our Kenyan kids.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
― Margaret Mead

Happy Father's Day!

Father's Day, in the United States, is celebrated on the third Sunday of June. It is a day set aside to recognize the contribution fathers and father figures make in their children's lives. This Father’s Day we want to recognize a very special father, Moses Alwang’a. Moses is the house father for our children living at the Holly House and Holly Heart orphanages. He helps provide the young people with the love and guidance they need to learn to navigate through the difficult circumstances in which they find themselves.

Moses has been parenting our children for 10 years giving them a strong sense of family, security and stability. In addition to the 100 + Holly House/Holly Heart children, Moses is the father of three biological children, one at Waddington High and two at Galilee. Moses is also a respected teacher. He has been teaching math and science to our class seven and eight students at Galilee Primary for 12 years.

Moses, for all you have done and continue to do for the children we salute you!

 

The Story of Galilee Primary School

We are so excited to share with you a new documentary called Conviction.  Several months ago two American filmmakers, Nathan Devore and Travis West, traveled to Kenya in search of stories.  One of the stories they decided to tell was that of Fanuel Okwaro's work to build a center for academic excellence for the orphans and vulnerable children living in poverty in the slums of Nairobi.  Follow along to see how seeds planted some twenty years ago are now bearing fruit at Galilee Primary School.

We give our heartfelt thanks to Nathan and Travis for telling the story of the birth and growth of Galilee.

WHS Students Compete in Technovation Challenge

For the past three years, girls from Waddington High School have taken part in the Technovation Challenge.  The challenge requires participants to identify a problem in their community and create a mobile app solution that addresses the issue.  The challenge is open to girls from all over the world, and many schools in Nairobi are taking part.  The winners receive the opportunity to visit Silicon Valley in the United States and meet with leaders in technology innovation.  

Waddington High School was selected to participate because a former WHS alumnus, Leonida, was involved with the program while she was at University.  In Kenya, the challenge is sponsored by Safaricom Telco.

The linked YouTube video is the WHS entry, which describes a mobile shopping app that would allow shoppers to buy groceries online for later pickup or delivery.  The girls featured are (from left to right): Ruth Kavata, Michelle Okatch, Susan Wetendi, Victoria Akinyi, and Faith Mutheu.  The WHS team is coached by Madan Peris and Mr. Joseph.  

Additional information on the Technovation Challenge 2017 is available at www.technovationchallenge.org.  

Curriculum Update

Every few years the Kenyan Ministry of Education updates the books that are included in the curriculum for English and Kiswahili classes throughout Kenya.  Having a thorough knowledge and understanding of these "set books" is critical for Kenyan high school students as they are examined upon their comprehension of these texts on their KCSE examinations.  

Recently, the Ministry announced changes to the "set books" that children will be required to read in 2017.  The new texts adopted by the Ministry include the following:

English Texts:

The Pearl by John Steinbeck

Memories We Lost and Other Stories compiled by Chris Wanjata

Swahili Texts:

Kigogo by Pauline Kyovi

Tumbo Lisiloshiba na Hadithi Nyingine by Ken Walibora and Said A. Mohamed

Competition among publishers to have their books named as one of the "set books" is fierce in Kenya.  Publishers lobby relentlessly for their books because being named a set text guarantees huge book sales and a financial windfall for publishers.  There have even been accusations of corruption from publishers who feel their books were not given due consideration by the Ministry of Education. In recent years, the Ministry has also been under pressure to change set books less frequently in order make the cost of education in Kenya more affordable.

Fortunately for the children at Waddington High School, a donation was recently made which covered approximately half the cost of the required set books.  The teachers determine in which order the books are read, but each student will read all of the required books before they sit for the KCSE.

Sponsors of  high school students in Forms 3 and 4 may wish to ask them about their set book reading in their letters.  The Pearl, in particular, is easily accessible in libraries in English-speaking countries, and there is quite a lot of information available about the book online as well.

GPS Fun Day

Fun Day at Galilee Primary School!

Earlier this week the children at Galilee Primary School experienced a very special event called "Fun Day!"  This is a full day devoted to fun, laughter, and friendship on the Galilee school campus.  This is the second year that the school has done the event, and it is something that the children very much look forward to.  The school brings in a large wading pool, which is filled the evening before Fun Day.  The day also featured a trampoline, bounce house, and face painting.  Fun Day was also filled with music and dancing, with frequent "dance offs" among the children.  To fund the day, parents were asked to contribute 200 Shillings (a bit less than $2USD), but the majority of parents were not able to contribute.  All Galilee students are welcome to attend the event, regardless of whether their parents contributed.  

Alumni Visit Followup

In our last post we described a recent alumni visit in which former students of Waddington High School came back to campus to motivate the students and provide them with information about the best ways to further their education beyond high school and position themselves for good careers.  In addition, the alumni donated 47 textbooks to the school to aid students in achieving their goals.  Fanuel (the school director) had this to say about the alumni event:

I can't say thank you enough for your kindness and spirit.  Your new year gift to Lorna Waddington High School is the best ever.  The textbooks will go a long way in furthering quality education for our students.  My prayers have always been for you, our Alumni, to come together not only helping your young brothers and sisters still learning at our school, but also helping each other.  We have seen how alumni organizations of other institutions have been of immense benefit to the alumni and the institutions (from Alliance, Starehe, Maseno, etc.).  There is a lot of strength in unity, being that the alumni are spread in different spheres of career we can always uplift each other, do business together, do charity together, and always help one another in times of difficulties.  The train has left the station and we would like as many alumni as possible boarding this train, taking on board the old and the young, and leaving no one behind if possible.  The future is bright for all of us.  At least if I die today my dreams are on the path to realization!  Thank you again my sons and daughters who thought about this wonderful idea.  May you all be blessed abundantly.  May the unity spirit continue to grow in you always.

Please visit the His Hands for Kenya website to sponsor the education of a child at Waddington High School.  

WHS Alumni Giving Back

Saturday was a proud and exciting day in the history of Waddington High School and the sponsorship program, as a group of WHS alumni visited the school to mentor students and pass their knowledge and experience on to the next generation of future WHS graduates.  The alumni group came together and organized the visit at their own initiative to give motivational talks and career advice to current WHS students.  They also surprised Fanuel (the school director) with a donation of 47 textbooks!

The alumni advised the students on career choices and the discipline needed in the work industry, what grades are required to get to the positions the alumni have attained, and the other things the students will need to do to follow in the footsteps of the alumni.  "Mostly," said one alumnus, "we wanted to encourage and mentor them, that we are from the same slum, the same environment, and we have made it in life.  We showed them it doesn't matter where you come from, but what you have achieved."

One of the alumni described the event and the advice imparted as follows:

Well, it was a come back event which was organized by Lorna Waddington Alumnus who happen to be led by Boniface Matua (2008 pioneer class/went to University of Nairobi).  Those who came included Lenard Imboyoka Juma (2008/went to KMTC), Billy Omalia (2009/went to Kenyatta University), Edwin Wabwire (2008), Samuel Oketch (2009/went to University of Nairobi), Victor Ochieng (2014), Bosire (2009), and Rebecca Musau (2009/went to Nairobi Institute of Technology). The purpose of this event was to encourage and guide the Form 4 and Form 3 students.  Everyone had a platform to talk to the students where it was evident that working hard towards your exams will liberate you from your poor background.  Choosing a course entails a proper combination of subjects, but whoever has done sciences has never faced the trouble in finding a career path that is sometimes faced by those choosing arts and humanities.  Academic talent remains a highly paid carrier in the world.  However, you need direction and sacrifice for such talent to pop.  Above all, appreciate where you have come from and always say thank you.  God sees you and blessings flow forth with.  Finally, we had brought some textbooks 47 in number which we gave out to the principal who will in turn make available as per needs in the school.  We brought chemistry, maths, and English among others. We did everything unaware by Mr. Okwaro - thanks a bunch to our director.  We will always come back once again.

Our next blog post will include Fanuel's (the school director) reaction to the visit and surprise gift of textbooks.

Please visit the His Hands for Kenya website to sponsor a child at Waddington High School.

Child of the Week Roundup

It is a new year, but many of the Holly House children that were featured in our Child of the Week posts in 2016 are still waiting for sponsors.  Suleiman, Mercy, Wilson, Dorice, Kevin, Ruth, Jackson, Evelyne, and Laura are all patiently waiting, and nothing would thrill them more than to hear that they have been chosen by a sponsor. Each of these children has written a letter to the person who will ultimately be their sponsor.  Please click on the child's name above to see their individual post with their letter.

You can sponsor a Holly House child 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 one of the children featured or for more information, please visit His Hands for Kenya or contact us here. Please sponsor a Kenyan child today!