Familia Moja Newsletter - Mar to May 2011
by Wambui Muiru, Founder/Director
ACHIEVEMENTS
by Wambui Muiru, Founder/Director
ACHIEVEMENTS
Government funding. The most incredible thing happened to Familia, we received funding from the government that will enable us to purchase clothing cabinets for our children. Most of the children have been putting their clothes in sacks / tattered boxes which have been making their clothes dirty. We are also going to purchase a filing cabinet, an extra study table for the kids, and if the money remains we buy a bookshelf.
This is the most amazing gesture that our government has accorded us during our three and half years of operation. This grant is distributed to the two most credible homes in our province. So you can see how Familia is ranking and being recognised by the government!
Architect Plans. My brother Ndung’u kindly offered his services to Familia Moja and drafted architectural plans for our permanent home. These drawings will accommodate 40 children and our full time staff.
Group volunteer project. Familia Moja will be hosting it’s first ever group volunteer project in January 2012, when we commence building out permanent home. Please check out our website for details on how you can be a part of this project.
ACTIVITIES
Children’s rights forum in Kiambu. Familia Moja was asked to send one of our children to a children’s rights forum, which ran for 3 days during the Easter holidays. As our oldest children were busy with their studies, so we sent Ken Karuu who is 13 years old and in Standard Eight. Upon returning from the forum, Ken shared what he had learnt on children’s rights to the other children at Familia Moja
Ken sharing his experiences with the other children of Familia Moja.
EASTER
Jess our co-founder and development partner from Australia was here for Easter, he arranged for people to sponsor our celebrations. They travelled from all over Kenya (Migori, Sori, Kangema, Busyani, and Kirere) to celebrate with Familia Moja. Our celebrations included feasting on a goat, eating chapati and singing & dancing with the children. It was a very happy moment as you can see from the photos.
Elizabeth our matron preparing Chapati with the older girls of Familia Moja
Chapati
The food was prepared at Familia Moja and then transported to my parents. After loading the food onto the car to take to my parents’ house where everyone was waiting, the car refused to start forcing us to push it home….fun, wouldn’t you say Jess?
The children of Familia Moja dancing and singing.
One of the children’s guardians dancing up to the children.
One of boys Bonfas’s uncle (leather cap) and my parents dancing.
Njeri our youngest girl and me.
Jess playing ring-a-ring-a-rosie with the kids.
DONATIONS
A big thank you to Candice and her friends for the donation of children’s clothing she bought over with her when she came to volunteer at Familia Moja.
Another big thank you goes to Joanne Ludbrook who arrange for the Quicksilver Foundation to donate baseball caps to the children.
A big thankyou to the sponsors who sponsored wishlist items through Jess during April/May.
Our youngest child, little Njeri in front of newly purchased tools that we can use to farm the land.
HARVEST
Our first harvest of maize and beans our land purchased in June 2010. Being able to use the land to grow our own fruit and vegetables will help reduce our reliance on donors.
The boys from Familia Moja preparing the maize.
NEW VEGGIE GARDEN AT MY PARENTS
My parents were generous enough to lend Familia Moja a part of their land to plant vegetables. We planted kales, spinach, capsicum and zucchini. We hope they will do well to keep our veggie budget down.
The older children along with Timothy our housekeeper digging holes to plant the vegetables.
The older children digging holes to plant the vegetables.
VOLUNTEERS
In April/May, we hosted Candice Harber (above) and Joanne Ludbrook (below) from Melbourne. We thank them for helping weed our land, make gift cards with the children and help clean up our filing system.
In May/June, we hosted volunteers Lyndsay, Chad and Joanne from America. We thank them for helping Familia Moja secure donations of foodstuff from local companies.
EDUCATION
All of our younger children are now being educated at St Stephen’s Catholic School i.e. from Baby Class to Standard Six. Our Standard Seven and Eight students are going to Kamwangi and Rokwani Morning Acadamy.
Star of the month for May is Purity Njoki. Mr Yassim the Deputy Mayor of Thika Municipal is sponsoring her.
CHALLENGES
Lack of funds to take children to hospital
Lack of education sponsors
Lack of play space for the children
Water storage challenge. We definitely need an extra tank in the future.
Power blackouts especially when it rains, we are investigating the costs of a generator.
EDUCATION SPONSORSHIP CHALLENGES
We are facing a major challenge on getting enough education sponsors for the children: this is an ongoing challenge. As of June 2011, 15 of our 31 children require sponsors.
FAMILIA MOJA INFORMATION
31 children living permanently at Familia Moja
10 children at the outreach program
Elizabeth – matron/chef
Beatrice – social worker/assistant matron
Timothy– farmer/housekeeper
Virginia – laundry/general cleanliness
IN OTHER NEWS
A local NGO has been setup in the name of Familia Moja Support Initiative this NGO will govern Familia Moja Children’s Home and also work within the community to alleviate poverty.
FMSI held seminars during the Easter holidays for secondary school aged teenagers. We had speakers who motivated them and were guided on; self-acceptance and positive values, relationships and career choice. They were very eager to share the problems they undergo and there were experts who were answering their questions.
Asante Sana
Wambui Muiru
Founder/Director
Familia Moja Children’s Home
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