Easter Letter from Sr. Mary Owens
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Dear Friends of Nyumbani,
Now that we are three months into 2007, I would like to be in contact with you all again to bring you up to date with life here in Nyumbani. We still greatly miss the presence and inspiration of Fr. DAgostino, also his continuing challenge inviting us beyond where we would like to go. Often I ask myself: What would Fr. Dag have initiated at this moment in time? That leaves me wondering . But we all know that life has to go on.
So, what has happened during the past three months? Here in Nyumbani Home, ÔÇÿBack to SchoolÔÇÖ was the theme at the beginning of January. You can imagine the challenge of ensuring that our 77 children in 4 different Primary Schools and our 9 in 7 different Secondary Schools all have the needed uniform and books, and the arranging transport to take the boarders to school. January also brought Fr. DÔÇÖAgostinoÔÇÖs long-desired guest to Nyumbani, but, sadly too late for him: Baroness Betty Boothroyd, First Madame Speaker of the British House of Commons. Not only did she visit Nyumbani Home, but also the Kibera Lea Toto Site, and insisted on seeing for herself the dreadful conditions in which our HIV+ children live. But she came also to fundraise, which took the form of a talk on her experience as Speaker, delivered in the Muthaiga Club to a packed audience, excellently planned by Joe Seagon , which raised a considerable sum of money.
Early February brought the return of a group of Rotarians from UK, generous as always with donations, and eager to offer their services where ever needed in all three Nyumbani Projects. At the end of February, we welcomed Dickson Mungai and Sr. Julie, our volunteer co-ordinator here in Kenya, back from the States. Mungai, who had lost his hearing two years ago, had a very successful cochlear implant in the ChildrenÔÇÖs Hospital, Philadelphia, thanks to the perseverance of Sr. Julie, the professional services of Dr. Tomi Brown and the generosity of many US donors. He is gradually learning to adjust to the implant and we hope that he will be able to join the regular stream in school next term.
March brought the production of a DVD by our older children, ÔÇ£Just being SassyÔÇØ, with theme an experience of discrimination and stigma that the HIV+ young person can experience in the school situation. We were all in admiration at the giftedness for acting that our children portrayed. We thank Fr. Francis Rodrigues SJ who initiated the production, as well as the publication of a Story Book which contains stories he invited the children to write and which he used in his Homily at our Sunday Masses.
End of January, the second Summit Meeting of Chairs of Nyumbani Boards and representatives took place. Great was Fr. DÔÇÖAgostinoÔÇÖs joy when he finally managed to put this structure in place last year. Having reviewed the year 2006 and proposed forward planning for 2007, the meeting gave serious consideration to the need for putting in place strategies for ongoing fundraising. The day after the meeting, those who could traveled to Nyumbani Village. By then, we had 23 children and 3 grandparents in residence and all enjoyed meeting up with these new members of the Nyumbani Family. Among the last family to join us is a girl who has successful finished High School and has got a place in University. The Summit members were particularly in admiration at the bumper harvest realized this year as a result of great rains, and which is now netting us considerable income. The very generous donation of a Canter Lorry from the Baluch Family in Dubai made possible the transporting of our produce to the markets. At time of writing, we have 65 children and 13 grandparents in the Village, with five more families about to arrive. It is fast becoming a pattern that we welcome approximately 25 members per month.
The Village Clinic is up and running thanks, in particular, to the Australian High Commission here in Kenya, Kenya Orphan Aid in Ireland, and other generous donors who helped us buy the needed equipment. It is serving Nyumbani Village residents and staff and will open its services to the surrounding community once we get registration. All we have to do to get this is to build an incinerator, which we missed out when building! We did not manage to open the Village school, Hotcourses Primary School, in January because of insufficient numbers, but now we are gearing up to open for the Second Term. The School House has been of great use to us during these months as a place for doing homework, having extra classes, pursuing leisure activities especially at the week-end. We have five volunteers on site at the moment and they bring another cultural experience to our children who would not have had much such exposure before.
As time passes, you see the change living in the Village is bringing about in the children. From looking neglected and inhibited, they are blossoming into healthy youngsters full of life and happiness. The grandparents are finding it more challenging to adjust to their new environment, understandably so. They are missing the familiar, but also, deep down, they know that continuing on as they had been was too difficult.
Our latest venture in the Village Sustainability Program is moving into livestock. We now have chickens and goats, and five heifers in calf are about to arrive. Knowing that we cannot expect rains like last year, we have installed a solar pump on one of the five shallow wells and we are getting almost 4,000 litres of water each day free! This is irrigating our Jatropha plantation and other crops interplanted. We plan to install 4 more in the near future. Our Essential Oils factory is now complete and we are producing Zanzzyx for sale, an oil used in mosquito repellant lotions, both locally and abroad.
Our community-based care Programme, Lea Toto continues to expand. We now care for over 2,400 children. Since we began in 1998, we have touched the lives of 0ver 3,600 HIV+ children living in the resource-poor communities surrounding Nairobi. Sadly the shortfall of 1,200 means that hundreds have died, others have been admitted to ChildrenÔÇÖs Homes and the rest have migrated and so are lost to follow-up. We continue to admit approximately 120 per month. But there is one piece of good news: We now have access to the PCR test for infants which determines the true status of the baby from soon after birth. Recently, we had 144 of these tests done. The result: Out of 144, only 26 tested positive. We are hoping that this indicates that the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission is having effect. Another great support is starting in April when the World Food Programme will increase the number of families receiving food support through us from 300 to 900. Sadly, access to food continues to be a crippling challenge for a great number of the families in Lea Toto. For the child on ART, adequate nutrition is vital. This increased food support is truly a great gift.
As we approach the Easter Celebrations, we pray that the Light of the Risen Lord may fill you with Peace and Joy, Peace and Joy that no one can take from you. We cannot thank enough our International Boards and thousands of generous donors throughout the world who continue to support us, many without recognition. We know you all and we keep you in our prayer. Every two weeks, I receive the list of donations received here in Kenya, and regularly lists of donations received on our behalf by our Sister Nyumbanis abroad. As I read each name, my heart fills with deep gratitude and I whisper a prayer for you to God.
From all of us in Nyumbani, Kenya,
Sister Mary Owens I.B.V.M.
Executive Director, COGRI
Bookmark :
Dear Friends of Nyumbani,
Now that we are three months into 2007, I would like to be in contact with you all again to bring you up to date with life here in Nyumbani. We still greatly miss the presence and inspiration of Fr. DAgostino, also his continuing challenge inviting us beyond where we would like to go. Often I ask myself: What would Fr. Dag have initiated at this moment in time? That leaves me wondering . But we all know that life has to go on.
So, what has happened during the past three months? Here in Nyumbani Home, ÔÇÿBack to SchoolÔÇÖ was the theme at the beginning of January. You can imagine the challenge of ensuring that our 77 children in 4 different Primary Schools and our 9 in 7 different Secondary Schools all have the needed uniform and books, and the arranging transport to take the boarders to school. January also brought Fr. DÔÇÖAgostinoÔÇÖs long-desired guest to Nyumbani, but, sadly too late for him: Baroness Betty Boothroyd, First Madame Speaker of the British House of Commons. Not only did she visit Nyumbani Home, but also the Kibera Lea Toto Site, and insisted on seeing for herself the dreadful conditions in which our HIV+ children live. But she came also to fundraise, which took the form of a talk on her experience as Speaker, delivered in the Muthaiga Club to a packed audience, excellently planned by Joe Seagon , which raised a considerable sum of money.
Early February brought the return of a group of Rotarians from UK, generous as always with donations, and eager to offer their services where ever needed in all three Nyumbani Projects. At the end of February, we welcomed Dickson Mungai and Sr. Julie, our volunteer co-ordinator here in Kenya, back from the States. Mungai, who had lost his hearing two years ago, had a very successful cochlear implant in the ChildrenÔÇÖs Hospital, Philadelphia, thanks to the perseverance of Sr. Julie, the professional services of Dr. Tomi Brown and the generosity of many US donors. He is gradually learning to adjust to the implant and we hope that he will be able to join the regular stream in school next term.
March brought the production of a DVD by our older children, ÔÇ£Just being SassyÔÇØ, with theme an experience of discrimination and stigma that the HIV+ young person can experience in the school situation. We were all in admiration at the giftedness for acting that our children portrayed. We thank Fr. Francis Rodrigues SJ who initiated the production, as well as the publication of a Story Book which contains stories he invited the children to write and which he used in his Homily at our Sunday Masses.
End of January, the second Summit Meeting of Chairs of Nyumbani Boards and representatives took place. Great was Fr. DÔÇÖAgostinoÔÇÖs joy when he finally managed to put this structure in place last year. Having reviewed the year 2006 and proposed forward planning for 2007, the meeting gave serious consideration to the need for putting in place strategies for ongoing fundraising. The day after the meeting, those who could traveled to Nyumbani Village. By then, we had 23 children and 3 grandparents in residence and all enjoyed meeting up with these new members of the Nyumbani Family. Among the last family to join us is a girl who has successful finished High School and has got a place in University. The Summit members were particularly in admiration at the bumper harvest realized this year as a result of great rains, and which is now netting us considerable income. The very generous donation of a Canter Lorry from the Baluch Family in Dubai made possible the transporting of our produce to the markets. At time of writing, we have 65 children and 13 grandparents in the Village, with five more families about to arrive. It is fast becoming a pattern that we welcome approximately 25 members per month.
The Village Clinic is up and running thanks, in particular, to the Australian High Commission here in Kenya, Kenya Orphan Aid in Ireland, and other generous donors who helped us buy the needed equipment. It is serving Nyumbani Village residents and staff and will open its services to the surrounding community once we get registration. All we have to do to get this is to build an incinerator, which we missed out when building! We did not manage to open the Village school, Hotcourses Primary School, in January because of insufficient numbers, but now we are gearing up to open for the Second Term. The School House has been of great use to us during these months as a place for doing homework, having extra classes, pursuing leisure activities especially at the week-end. We have five volunteers on site at the moment and they bring another cultural experience to our children who would not have had much such exposure before.
As time passes, you see the change living in the Village is bringing about in the children. From looking neglected and inhibited, they are blossoming into healthy youngsters full of life and happiness. The grandparents are finding it more challenging to adjust to their new environment, understandably so. They are missing the familiar, but also, deep down, they know that continuing on as they had been was too difficult.
Our latest venture in the Village Sustainability Program is moving into livestock. We now have chickens and goats, and five heifers in calf are about to arrive. Knowing that we cannot expect rains like last year, we have installed a solar pump on one of the five shallow wells and we are getting almost 4,000 litres of water each day free! This is irrigating our Jatropha plantation and other crops interplanted. We plan to install 4 more in the near future. Our Essential Oils factory is now complete and we are producing Zanzzyx for sale, an oil used in mosquito repellant lotions, both locally and abroad.
Our community-based care Programme, Lea Toto continues to expand. We now care for over 2,400 children. Since we began in 1998, we have touched the lives of 0ver 3,600 HIV+ children living in the resource-poor communities surrounding Nairobi. Sadly the shortfall of 1,200 means that hundreds have died, others have been admitted to ChildrenÔÇÖs Homes and the rest have migrated and so are lost to follow-up. We continue to admit approximately 120 per month. But there is one piece of good news: We now have access to the PCR test for infants which determines the true status of the baby from soon after birth. Recently, we had 144 of these tests done. The result: Out of 144, only 26 tested positive. We are hoping that this indicates that the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission is having effect. Another great support is starting in April when the World Food Programme will increase the number of families receiving food support through us from 300 to 900. Sadly, access to food continues to be a crippling challenge for a great number of the families in Lea Toto. For the child on ART, adequate nutrition is vital. This increased food support is truly a great gift.
As we approach the Easter Celebrations, we pray that the Light of the Risen Lord may fill you with Peace and Joy, Peace and Joy that no one can take from you. We cannot thank enough our International Boards and thousands of generous donors throughout the world who continue to support us, many without recognition. We know you all and we keep you in our prayer. Every two weeks, I receive the list of donations received here in Kenya, and regularly lists of donations received on our behalf by our Sister Nyumbanis abroad. As I read each name, my heart fills with deep gratitude and I whisper a prayer for you to God.
From all of us in Nyumbani, Kenya,
Sister Mary Owens I.B.V.M.
Executive Director, COGRI
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