Busy Summer: Chrissie returned to Kenya from the UK in July and was immediately immersed in building work and organising visitors to the Resource Centre site. Since her return the grills and window frames have been repaired, glass fitted in most windows in Kisimani House and 8 doors remade.
Mazera stones were laid to the kitchen and in front of the Prayer House, the kitchen was repainted and cabinets repaired/replaced. The fire damaged internal walls have been cleaned and painted white. The plumbing is almost complete, with all materials purchased and phase-1 of the electrics and other maintenance work done.
Visitors from UK: included Toni (a teacher at Ardeley School) and husband Aaron Minson who stayed a week. Aaron worked on mapping the site using Google and planning for the future restaurant and costing’s for a cyber café, which is hoped to start next year. Aaron also knew, being a surfer, how to clean the bath with wet and dry sandpaper and Vim.
Sandra Colman stayed for two and half weeks and helped with computer work, planning, sorting, cleaning and of course art classes!
Funds Used All the £2210 raised for specified uses and collected from donations by a very energetic Chrissie during her home visit have been put to good use. In addition to the above work to KIsimani House, the cooker and other kitchen equipment has been provided. The £500 raised at the Mohan restaurant get together in June and the £470 raised at the open day at Brenda’s in July have gone into general funds for the local community, buying materials and maintenance of the Resource Centre.
School Sponsors Individual sponsors are supporting the handicapped and destitute children at the local Junior and Secondary Schools by the payment of boarding fees and provision of a ‘starter pack’. This includes the basics i.e. pens, pencils, toothbrush/paste, soap, Vaseline as a moisturiser and a calculator for the older students.
TWAM A UK organisation which provides second hand tools restored to new has recently provided two sewing machines, a carpenter’s kit and a leather worker’s kit which Chrissie collected after a 10 hour drive to the Kenyan border. We only pay transport costs. The tools were excellent.
Please advise Brenda of any thoughts or ideas you may have. All donations and funds raised are welcome. We have minimal overheads since all the team members are volunteers.
Gift Aid: It is of great advantage to Peacemakers if donations can be gift-aided. You need to be a UK taxpayer, see HERE for details.
Funding Needs: Significant funding is still needed to restore Kisimani House and toilets and we are seeking help from Kenyan Business Houses I.e. Kenya Power, Sarfaricom etc. Help is sought from UK sponsors and individuals to build the restaurant, cyber café, bakery and clinic. This will help create more income on-site. Chrissie’s car needs a lot of maintenance work i.e. welding etc. and new tyres. This vehicle is a very essential part in the running of the site, being a work horse to transport people, the hiring out of chairs and other equipment to different venues from our site plus the delivery of building materials.
Meanwhile all building work will have to cease while funds are being raised.
The Kitchen Table Trust is being approached for support for HIV Women’s Group and their work with widows.
Shopping List: The particular needs at the moment are, water filters £45.00 each (to provide clean water to homes and schools). School starter packs £20.00. Mosquito nets £5.00 each (Malaria is still the highest killer in Kenya). Flip flops to provide protection from ‘jiggers’ (a Chigoe flea that lives in the soil) (£10 for 3 pairs)
“Jigger” a flea with awful consequences!
young or old, bare feet makes you vulnerable.
What “Jiggers” can do and more!
Breaking News: Sadly we have just heard of the death of Samson Musyoka, one of our sponsored students. He died of cerebral malaria last week at the age of 19. After not treating his incessant headache he was in agony by week 2 and felt his head was bursting with pain, turning him delirious. He was a bright student and had all sorts of plans for the future and wanted to study law. Deaths like this could be avoided if only there was free medication. It is therefore appropriate to add to our shopping list the following:
Malaria medicine: 1 dose £2.00, Cerebral Malaria pills- £18.00. This is the reason we wish to build a Clinic in the next building phase and hopefully hold an emergency stock of medicines run by a qualified pharmacist.
Samson’s funeral was on the 19th October, any contribution to the cost of this would ease the financial burden on the family as his only close surviving relative is his disabled sister.