We visited a school in Soweto slum today. The school is called Saint Arnold Janssen. He is a German Catholic saint. We are going to look him up and find out more about him. We met the headmaster of the school. His name is Charles. This school has a pre-school, primary, and they are starting a secondary school there.
The kids were at recess when we arrived. There are more than 500 children at the school and they all wanted to ask us, "How are you?" and shake our hands or touch our hair. They wear school uniforms - sweater, shorts, pants or skirt and black shoes. Some of the kids were in blue and others in green or pink. We think it depends on the grade level. Also, the headmaster told us that some of the kids can't buy the uniforms. They may just wear whatever color they can get. One child only had one shoe. We don't know if he had another shoe somewhere or only had one to wear. We talked to the headmaster about the school and the feeding program they have there. They try to cook lunch for the kids each day. The children have to pay 250 Kenyan shillings each month for lunch. But, if they cannot pay for food, the school takes them and tries to feed them anyway. Most days, they get lunch there. But, the headmaster told us that sometimes the school doesn't have food to cook to feed the kids. They worry about the children because they know that some of them will not have food at home. They want to feed them once a day so that they know the kids get at least one meal a day. This also helps make sure that the kids keep coming to school and can learn because they have food and do not have to spend time in the streets looking for it.
We found out that many schools release the kids (even the little ones) at lunchtime to go home to eat. But, mommy and the headmaster told us that this is a problem because those kids who don't have food at home will stay in the street and beg for food or money. Kids can be hurt that way. So, this school stopped releasing the kids at lunch and tries to feed them.
We talked to the headmaster about how much food it takes to feed more than 500 kids each day and how much that food costs. We made plans with Bwana Charles to come back to his school on September 11th. On that day, we are going to use some of the money we raised to buy enough food for 1 or 2 weeks for those kids. We will go with them there in the slum to buy the food and help transport it back to the school. We will also visit the classrooms that we would be in for our grade on that day and tell the kids about our school and find out about theirs.
Also, we found out about a little girl at that school whose family has had bad trouble and can't pay the school fees for the next term (Sept-Dec). The fees are 1500 Kenyan shillings for the next term and 750 for lunch fees. We are going to sponsor this child and pay her fees for that term. It will give her mom a chance to save the money and be able to pay the fees in Jan.
We rode a matatu for the first time to get there. It was as crazy as mommy said it was! We walked through part of the slum. It was really dirty and there was sewage. In some places, there was a lot of plastic bags/garbage. There isn't any electricity or running water. The buildings are mostly made out of a small wood frame and covered in tin. Some of the buildings were covered in plastic instead of tin. We don't think it would be good to live there. I (Forest) don't think I could live like that.
When we left, there were many children around from the schools that release kids for lunch. They talked to us and followed us around as walked through people selling fruits, vegetables, and many other things.
We didn't take many pictures today, but we will when we go back. We think it was a good thing that we went. Mommy says that more than half the people in Nairobi live in places like that. We will be glad to help them and learn from them. Oh, there were goats, chickens, sheep, ducks, and people all walking around. Some of them were in the garbage. Others were in the streets and just around.
It was a lot to see and take in in one day. We will let you know how it goes when we go back.
We love you all!
Forest and River
Caring Across Continents
Caring Across Continents is the May service project for the Capitol School.
This is an amazing opportunity to help children at a school in Kenya!
The children need the basics:
Food, water, shoes, paper, pencils…
We can help!
Most people (>80%) in slums around Nairobi live in extreme poverty. This means that they earn less than a dollar a day—less than the minimum required for shelter, food, and clean water. Schools try to meet the needs of the children (many of which are AIDS orphans). Schools try to feed the children once a day. Oftentimes, this is the only meal these children have each day. The children are surrounded by poverty, AIDS, malaria, drugs and alcohol, and yes, death.
Miraculously, these children are filled with hope! They are beautiful kids.
We can help to make a difference in their lives and learn about their culture in the process!
We can help to make a difference in their lives and learn about their culture in the process!
We will be able to reach out to children in need across oceans and continents! We will also bring their stories (and pictures, too) back to share with everyone in the fall! We are asking only for money because it is so very expensive and unreliable to ship packages to Kenya. We will be able to purchase more there with less money and no shipping charges.
Please help us make this project a success! Some of you probably saw the American Idol Gives Back special. This is another way we can help people stricken by disease and poverty. Please consider making a donation today.
Will you make a donation?
Forest and River will visit with the children at the school to share stories of their home and learn stories from the students. They will also be able to find out what the school needs most—food, water, paper, shoes for the children, etc.
100% of all donations go to supplying the children with what they need.
As many of you know, Toni Copeland is working on her Ph.D. in Medical Anthropology. Her focus is on HIV / AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, especially among poverty stricken women. We (Chris, Forest, River, and Toni) will be leaving on the last day of school to go to Nairobi, Kenya for 5 months for her dissertation research.
Unlike most other aid programs, we are traveling to Kenya anyway, so NONE of your donations are being spent on our travel or lodging for the trip. Everything we collect for Caring Across Continents goes from our children to help buy much needed supplies for the children of a school in a slum around Nairobi, Kenya.
Will you reach out to the children?
Take a few moments to look over The Project in more detail and some Photos taken three years ago when Toni last visited Nairobi.
Will you make a difference? |  |
Albert Schweitzer:
"I have always held firmly to the thought that each one of us can do a little to bring some portion of misery to an end."
Margaret Mead:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
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