FEED A CHILD TO STAY IN SCHOOL

COVID-19 pandemic totally disrupted the learning of the pupils and since 15th March 2020, they were sent home. We kept hope alive by provision of food items whenever we could. We kept counselling lessons to avoid pupils particularly girls not to be lured to early marriage or giving in to sex predators.

We also introduced crocheting having used the talent of one of the Sheepcare Alumni to start training girls on crocheting with the hope that it would turn out to be a  means to get a livelihood. 

However on 14th October, the Government of Kenya annoucned that the Candidates classes had to resume school. This caused alot of concerns as we had to ensure our teachers who were involved with the candidates classes had to be recalled. Recalling them without paying them anything was an uphill task but due to commitment to serve the community they agreed to report to continue teaching. We managed to have the grade 4, grade 8 and Form 4 back.

Feeding program being one of the incentive to keep a child in school, had to begin as soon as the pupils and students resumed classes. We have opened with a total of 19 Form 4 students, 2 are yet to report. We have 17 grade 8, only 1 is yet to report. For grade 4, 16 pupils are already in, 4 are yet to report. Currently we have a total of 52 pupils and students with 28 members of our staff back including teachers, other community projects workers and subordinate staff.

During this reporting period we have received only a total of US$ 101 in our FEED A CHILD TO STAY IN SCHOOL (43021). We sincerely request you and our other donors and friends to be our recurring monthly donors targetting a total of US$ 2,000 per month. This will help us go along way in ensuring we keep the feeding program without which many children would drop out of school. If we can get 20 donors giving us US$100 every month, this would be of great significance.

We also need to inform you that the new normal as our Government opens schools gradually have increased our expenses as the requirement of COVID-19 containment must be put in place. We have three hand-washing stations with the liquid soap and sanitizers including thermogun which we realized fail after taking a maximum of 60 people. We are glad that water is available in plenty from our borehole and pupils and staff adhering to wearing masks and social distance in the classes are kept.

Attached are the pictorial evidences of our activities to keep hope alive and ensure our pupils continue staying in school in order to complete their education.

Gratefully Yours,

Luke Jakoywa - Project Leader.

The recent Kenyan Government statistics that almost 200,000 girls had gotten pregnant was the saddest story I have heard arising from the effect of COVID-19 lockdown despite other stories that domestic violence have increased and there has been many unexplained deaths in the families. It is obvious that hopelessness is creeping up in people's lives and majority are in need of dire help.

This is particularly true in the slums where life is about hand to mouth. People get their daily bread from doing hawking business to walking every morning to industries looking for casual jobs. That is not possible now duew to lockdown, our community members are in such desperate situation and no wonder such depressing reports!

It is with this in mind that for the last three months of the reporting period, our concern has been how to get involved to help alleviate this problem. We have provided food items to the community members particularly targetting parents and guardians who are now with our pupils and students. Since all schools were closed it is not possible for our feeding program in school to continue. We have also through the help of other partrner organizations provided our girls with sanitary towels in the hope that they will not be lured into sex as an exchange of such needs and food.

During the reporting period we have achieved the following;

1. Provided food items to 500 households worth US$1,500.
2. Gave washing soap to 1000 households worth US$1,200.
3. Provided masks worth US$500 to 1000 people.
4. Created a vertical kitchen gardens within our compound and right now carrying out training so that the slum dwellers may replicate the same gardens in their compounds to ensure they have enough vegetables
5. Gave free water to 1000 households for drinking and domestic use for the last two months during this reporting period from our borehole.
6. Provided counselling services and training to our pupils particularly girls to caution them against those who would take advantage of them.

All these have been possible through our GlobalGiving donors, well-wishers, local supporters and also through partnership with other organizations without which we would not have achieved much.

Challenges

1. On the GlobalGiving FEED THE CHILD account, it has been almost impossible to get our supporters to give anything. The majority of those supporters are looking to us for provision.
2. We have not succeeded in getting consistent donors who would give every month whether there is GlobalGiving campaign or not.
3. We have not been involved even in the campaign initiated by the GlobalGiving because our donor base has been mostly those who are so affected.

Way Forward

Our desire is to continue mobilizing many donors to join us for these noble purposes of ensuring a future to the poor children and other members of our community. We are even more determined knowing that sometimes calamities beyond our control are bound to happen. We will appeal to our donors to be consistent by giving monthly donations.

We appeal to our donors to continue supporting us and share the same with their friends to enlarge our donor base. In this reporting period we received from GlobalGiving a total of only US$ 891 which include funds from the girlfund cohort where we are among the the eight (8) winners. This alone would not have made us achieve all that we achieved during this reporting period.  With more of your support we will achieve much and help save lives of such vulnerable girls and children whom without our help will be wasted and sadly a bright future totally destroyed. You and we together will achieve much! Welcome.