Sunday 19 April 2009

April news

Hello again!!

Well, panic is setting in as funding is within sight of running out again! Anne has been madly writing proposals- and has even had a reply from a few- both negative unfortunately (Shell Kenya, and KCB Bank).



Some positive stuff tho!!


LITTLE HANDS, BIG STEPS..
This is our family reading projec
t! We received a donation of $205 USD from American Friends of Kenya (via funding from Norwich Rotary foundation) to purchase African books. Anne and Patrick went to Westland Sundries here in Kenya and were able to purchase 29 picture books for under 5 year olds for our Little Hands project- at 20% discount! We still need more books for this project, as we plan to offer 5 books in each of - intitially -10 bookbags for Mathare North, and possibly Kawangware.We need board books, and other picture books to encourage our youngest members to use books. We aim to ask 'family' members to sit and use books with their under 5's for at least 5 minutes every daypreferable sitting in warmth and safety on a knee, talking, showing colour and shapes.. not necessarity reading at all! This develops language, and a positive 'feel' for books from a very young age. AFK are also supplying the bookbags, which our hard working trusty Trustee Susan will collect on her visit to the US at the end of April.

Girls United!
Mathare North has started our first Girl child club! Anne Chege - who used to work for SHOFCO in Kibera - has just completed their second meeting. At the first meeting they talked about what issues affected the girls living in Mathare North area 4. These included periods, hygiene, boys and sex, HIV Aids,child labour, and early pregnancy. 20 girls between the ages of 10 and 22 years old came. We plan to have inspirational Kenyan women to come to talk to the girls about what is possible being female! We have a Kenyna psychologist, a lady engineer, a lady lawyer lined up just to mention a few!

New Centres
Still no progress from Ngong Town, Kasarani, or Githurai. Maili Saba should be opening just as soon as the rest of thier furniture arrive (carpet, catalogue drawers, shelves, staff desk, notice boards...)

Safaricom and our pick up!
We are still awaiting the donation of our vehicle from Safaricom! They say by the end of this month...

Duty Exemption???
We are still pursuing duty exemption for KLT. Neil our accountant should have accounts ready for KRA this coming week... then we all cross our fingers!!! Tight!

Tink that it guys!! Talk again soon!!! Send us any comments about the new website too, OK??