Update

As you will have read in the previous post, on 7 July 2010, David and Vincent were involved in a serious road traffic accident. Vincent suffered serious injuries to both legs and David sustained injuries to both wrists and shoulders.
To date, Vincent's legs are healing but he still has to attend hospital.
David returned to the UK, where he is undergoing treatment for a broken wrist, involving a bone graft and a screw. The injury to the shoulder has yet to be dealt with. treatment is due in early January 2011.
Until at least one of them is fit, any new activity with K-CSI is suspended.
This does not mean that donations will not be collected for any of the ongoing or future projects.

Merry Christmas to all.

Krismasi Njema

Registration of KCSI

Vincent and David were involved in a serious road accident on 7th July. This means that all work at KCSI, including the registration as an NGO, has been suspended for the time being, until Vincent is fit enough to work again.

Name Change

During the process of registering KCIS as a Kenyan NGO, we were "asked" to change our name to Kenyan Community Support Initiative [KCSI], which we have done although the logos and other image banners etc. will have to wait a while.

So are we now the Kenyan CSI?

Twiga Rules Cricket

A cricket set was delivered to Twiga last weekend and the boys fell on it like a swarm of locusts, despite the fact that they had never seen the game before.

The basic rules were explained ... and ignored to a large extent and a new set of rules were made up as the "game" progressed.

• Firstly, there are as many bowlers as there are balls (in this case, three). The bowler who gets the batsman out becomes the batsman. 
• There are only two ways to get out, bowling or catching. If the batsman is caught out, the catcher becomes the batsman.
• Although there me be three bowlers, rarely are all three balls bowled at the same time, although this sometimes happens.
• The game ends when all three balls are lost down the pit latrine (which is out of bounds to all children) or a heavy downpour stops play.

That just about covers it. More rules will be added as necessary and when new balls have been acquired.

Surprisingly (or perhaps not) one of the best batsmen is Simon, our deaf child. His hand-eye coordination is very good and he can hit a ball as good as any of the older boys.

When the boys gave up and retreated to a game of Connect Four, the girls had a go and they weren't bad either.

So it was not exactly what you would expect to see at Lords, or even on the village green, but the kids had a lot of fun, which is all that matters.

More Donations

I have today collected a load of clothes to fit a 12-13 year-old boy and also a bag of young teenage girls clothes. On top of this we have received a bag full of Bratz dolls and accessories.

Thanks a lot Linda. They will be very much appreciated.

Update on: 3 year-old seriously ill

The youngest child at Twiga, who is HIV+ was diagnosed with malaria. This combination could have been fatal but we managed to find the hospital fees and she is now now responding to treatment.

Meet Simon ...

Twiga Kids Relax ...

A Day in the Life ...

of some Twiga Children

3 year-old seriously ill

Twiga Children's Centre

We have a 3 year-old, HIV+ child on our register. We have just received a report from Kenya that the child is seriously ill and needs medical attention.

This is a preliminary report and we are awaiting further details.

No treatment can be administered until we have the money to pay for it. Presently, we do not have any funds available.

If there is some kind person out there who would like to help this child by helping to pay for her treatment, please contact us.

More details will be posted as soon as we have them.

Brothers Donate Board Games

In Wash Common, near Newbury, two brothers, 9 & 13, have cleared out their rooms and donated several board games and educational games to KCIS, to be forwarded to the Twiga Children's Centre.

Thank you, boys. I know that your games will give more pleasure than you can imagine.

Esther - a further update.

Esther, the girl who was "rescued" (see previous posts) from an orphanage miles away from her homeland is now in Kisii.

She has settled in and is attending school, where she is doing well.

It is so nice to have a success story to report on.

Update on Esther

It looks as if the young Gusii girl lodged at an orphanage in Kajiado will be moving back to her homeland.

We have had an offer of sponsorship from a family in the USA which will cover her daily needs and schooling.

This is indeed good news and we are very happy of the outcome. The authorities at Kajiado have been informed, so we are hoping that Esther will be repatriated very soon.

Update on the Update: Esther will be taking the bus on Monday morning to be returned to her homeland of Kisii. By all accounts, she is very excited!

Update 15/3/2010: Esther has arrived in Kisii and is settling in well.

Let's Make It Clear ...

In our last post, we made an appeal for a girl, Esther, who is stuck miles from her homeland after being abused by her employer.

Now, there seems to be some confusion about the meaning of the word abused.

Let me make it clear. I am English and I write in GB English. The word abuse means "maltreatment: cruel or inhumane treatment". This could mean sexual abuse but not exclusively so. There are many types of abuse, sexual, physical, mental ...

I used the word abuse to mean mistreatment. The girl in question had been beaten by her employer and no mention has been made about her having been sexually abused. If she had and I wanted to publish the fact, I would have said that "she had been sexually abused by her employer". Obviously, if she had been sexually abused, I would not have published her name and photograph, any more than I would if the child were HIV positive.

Apparently, abuse has a different meaning in Kenya. This is not surprising. Lots of "English" words take on a new meaning in other English-speaking countries. We often say that the UK and USA are two countries divided by a common language.

So, repeat after me: when reading a blog, or news article, one should remember that it may not have been written in your country, in your version of the language. And you should not jump to conclusions.

Abused Kisii Girl Needs Urgent Sponsorship

We have today been informed that if Esther (13), a Gusii girl who is lodged at an orphanage in Kajiado is not taken in by Twiga Children's Centre very soon, she will be taken back to her parents.

This is not good news. Esther's parents sent her out to work as a house girl, where she suffered beatings and other cruelty in the hands of her employer. This will happen again if we do not offer Esther accommodation.

We need a sponsor who can help this girl to lead a normal life, attend school and regain the right to be a child.

3,000 Kenyan shillings (about UK£26.00 or US$40.00) a month will ensure that Esther is placed with a caring family, is fed, clothed and attends school.

Please, is there someone who will help us to rescue this girl from a life of abuse by donating 3,000/- a month?

You can donate through PayPal, or you can contact Vincent at the Twiga Centre in Kisii.

Previous Post:

Twiga Children's Centre has been contacted by an orphanage in Kajiado, asking if we can take one of their children, a girl called Esther.

Esther (13) was transferred to the Kajiado Children's Home from another orphanage, but she is of the Gusii tribe and there is no one in Kajiado who speaks the Abagusii language, and she does not speak the Maasai language. Naturally, Esther is very unhappy and wants to return to her traditional homeland of Kisii.

We would be happy to help and to make this child happy, but we really are stretched financially.

If anyone reading this can help by sponsoring Esther so that she can return to her people, please do not hesitate to contact us at Twiga Children's Centre through our website.

The Hut has a New Stoop

As well as acquiring a new well, the hut has been given a new stoop. It is too small to be called a patio. It is just the area under the roof overhang that has been concreted and painted. But it makes a big difference.

This area is much used when the kids get too hot, or when a shower passes over, this is where they take refuge.

The goats quite like it as well!

Water!

When I was last at the Twiga Centre in Kisii, Vincent proudly showed me a big hole in the ground that he proudly announced would be our borehole.

Well, apart from it looking like a well rather than a borehole, it was very deep - and very dry!

But I was informed this week that it now has water in it - and that it has cost KCIS KSh 6,000.

Ah! I didn't know we were paying for it and I haven't budgeted for it.

And there will be added expense in sealing off the top to prevent the water from being contaminated by things (leaves, small animals, children) falling into it. Then there is the expense of installing a pump, either manual or motorised. Presently, there is a bucket on a length of rope.

So, the Twiga Centre has its own water supply, or it will have when someone gives us the funds to pay the well-digger.

A Gusii in Maasailand

Twiga Children's Centre has been contacted by an orphanage in Kajiado, asking if we can take one of their children, a girl called Esther.

Esther (13) was transferred to the Kajiado Children's Home from another orphanage, but she is of the Gusii tribe and there is no one in Kajiado who speaks the Abagusii language, and she does not speak the Maasai language. Naturally, Esther is very unhappy and wants to return to her traditional homeland of Kisii.

We would be happy to help and to make this child happy, but we really are stretched financially.

If anyone reading this can help by sponsoring Esther so that she can return to her people, please do not hesitate to contact us at Twiga Children's Centre through our website.

Twiga Children's Centre Asks For Advice

Please read this

Stand tall and help a child today

No man stands so tall as when he stoops to help a child. -Abraham Lincoln

• All these children have lost one or both parents, or have been abandoned.
• All these children need the support of Twiga Children's Centre for something - food, clothing, school fees, uniform or books

Aloys & Nyachuba - living alone

Edwin & Dennis - living alone

Eric, Nelson & Henry - living with sick mother

Risper, Brian and Elvin - living with mother

Befone, Cliff and Samwel - living with grandparents

Morfat, Boniface and Shaida - living with sick mother 

Lilian and Vincent - living with grandparents

Dominic, Mary, Osando, Getembe and Kemuma - living with grandparents

Nyang'au and Edwin - living with mother 

Josephat - living at Twiga CC

Benta - living at Twiga CC

Divina - living with mother

Brian - living with mother

Dorothy - living with mother

Davis & Vanessa - living with mother

Target for 2010

Amongst our children, there are a few who live alone with no adult supervision. They muddle along, with help from us, but they are not leading the lives of children.

They have to cook, clean, grow food, wash clothes, collect water as well as go to school and do their homework. It isn't the life a child should lead. Children need to play. They need to be children.

So, for these few, we have planned to build a residential home on our Twiga Children's Centre site. We already have one hut, which will serve as the dining/study area, kitchen/office and matron's room (we intend to have someone on site 24 hours).

So we need to build two more small huts, each containing 4 sets of bunks. We will use traditional materials to keep the cost down, so we need to buy cement for the floor, poles for the support walls, sheet steel for the roof and windows and doors.

We are in the process of getting quantity and cost estimates and when they are set, we will be launching an appeal.

These kids need a home where they feel secure, where they feel looked after, where they can get on with being a child, rather than a small adult.

So, look out for the appeal. We have set up a PayPal account and will soon have Mpesa to make life easier for our benefactors.

If a lot of people give just a few bob, it will soon mount up and you will know that you are helping to look after up to 16 orphans and homeless children.

That is worth a few shillings to you, isn't it?

A Change for the New Year

I thought it was about time to change the template for the New Year.

I hope it pleases and does not put off our regular followers.