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.

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.

Twiga Kids Relax ...

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.

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!

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?

The Kids Cook a Meal

It was Sunday. About 15 children were at the Twiga centre, where they were letting off steam and remembering what it was like to be a child for a while.

But they were hungry. They had been given sugar cane, as much to help clean their teeth as to give them the energy from the sugar itself, but they were still hungry.

We were about to find a couple of volunteers to cook a meal when Aloys (13) said that he wanted to cook, as long as someone provided the ingredients. He was despatched to the local shop clutching a Ksh 200 note and soon came back with kale, tomatoes, onions and a bit of meat - probably goat. We already had maize flour in stock and he set about getting a fire going.

Looking for firewood was just the excuse that two of the younger lads to shin up the tall trees on the plot. These trees don't have branches below about 20 feet. They literally shinned up!

Firewood collected, stones placed to make a fireplace, Dennis, kneeling down to blow the flames into life and Aloys started to prepare the Ugali. Meanwhile, some of the girls were in the hut preparing the vegetables. But what was going on outside was far more entertaining!

Aloys had not placed the stones well and as he stirred the ugali, and it thickened, he could not keep the pot still. Dennis, on his knees, cheek on the ground was still blowing on the fire, but had to jump up to grab the pot to steady it, using leaves and bits of card to protect his fingers.

As soon as the ugali was ready, the girls turfed Aloys out of the cooking area. He was not going to get all the credit for the meal.

Soon, sukuma wiki was on the go and not long afterwards, the girls were serving up.

Baba Mzungu is not keen on sukuma wiki and ugali, so was not served. However, as soon as Aloys finished his meal, he shot back outside, fanned the fire and made himself busy. Soon, he presented Baba Mzungu with two hard-boiled eggs and salt.

The boy is very thoughtful. Having asked Vincent if Baba Mzungu took ugali and being told that he didn't, he had made a meal for one. OK, two boiled eggs is not a lot, but with a budget of Ksh 200 and 15 mouths to feed, it was a nice thought.

But then, that's is what we would expect from Aloys.

Swing Low, Swing High

I had thought it a good idea to put up some sort of swing - after all the Twiga Centre is surrounded by trees. A simple rope with a tyre on the end would be simple enough ...

But we don't do simple at Twiga. Vincent's dad, although a farmer, is also an accomplished woodworker, and what he can do with a piece of wood and a panga (machete) is a wonder to see.

He had cleaned of a tree trunk for an upright, another for the crossbar, and shaped the joints using just his panga. He also made the seat from a plank of wood he just happened to have lying around.

All we needed to buy was the rope!


And the kids? We can't keep them off it, although I am happy to say that there have been no arguements as to whose turn it is. They are too good-natured.


So we say a big thank you to Vincent's father, who is always there to help when needed.

When Little Faces Light Up

Without wanting to wish my life away, I am really looking forward to Saturday, when I will be at the Twiga Centre with a majority, if not all the kids on the register.

On my first visit, I took toothbrushes and pencils (with a rubber on the end) for the children, and their were smiles from all of them, so what will the reaction be, especially of the younger ones, when they see cars, dolls and games for them to play with.

There will also be a selection of clothes for the most needy.

But it is the little ones I want to see when they see the toys. Many will not even know what a toy is - they have never had anything other than sticks to play with.

While I am there, and if I can find a suitable tree, we will be putting up a tyre on a rope to swing on, and I think we can also make a see-saw, if the plank I saw last time is still on the plot.

Yes, it may be a bit early for Christmas, but I won't be hearing any complaints, I am certain of that!

Generous People Will Make It Christmas At Twiga

Since the beginning of 2008, I have been collecting old cell phones for sale in Kenya. Last year, this effort raised enough to buy all our kids a new pair of leather schools shoes!

I have continued to collect cell phones, but they are becoming rarer. So I put out a plea for toys and games, as we approach Christmas - and my departure for Kenya.

Orphaned kids in Kenya don't do Christmas. They go to church, but other than that, Christmas Day is just another day to survive.

Anyway, I just want to say a big thank you to Sophie, 10 years old, who lives in Newbury. She has given up her complete collection of Barbie dolls, 15 of them! Her little brothers gave 4 or 5 cars and a few other bits and bobs.

Anne, also from Newbury, gave us a load of cuddly toys, and some games, such as chess, draughts and card games and a junior Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

Mia, a South African, also from Newbury gave us some games and some seed for our vegetable plot.

Our kids at Twiga are going to have one very good Christmas, even if it will be a little early - I will be back in the UK for the day.

But we still need money to feed them (and to build the much needed children's home), so if anyone is feeling generous, or wants to do some fund-raising, please feel free. Donations can be made with the PayPal button in the right margin.

Also posted on Baba Mzungu's blog

On the BBC - again

I have been asked to "appear" as a guest on Sarah Walker's afternoon programme on BBC Radio Berkshire to talk about Kenya and what I am trying to do there.

Sarah has a slot which her version of Desert Island Disks. But on the dates she proposed, I will actually be in Kenya. So we have fixed the date as the first weekday after my return to the UK - 14th December.

At least everything will be fresh in my mind, although, judging from previous returns from Kenya, everything will still be a jumble in my head - no change there then!

Oh well, at least I will be able to promote KCIS and the Twiga Children's Centre, and all publicity is good publicity, as they say, although I have my reservations about that.

Next Visit to Kenya

Here we go again

The weather may be the best we have had in England for a few months, but I am forsaking it for the sun (and rain?) of the Kisii Highlands ... again.

I have found in the past that in order to get to Kenya, I have to set a date and then raise the money. If I just wait until I have the money, I would never get there. It is rather like starting a family. If you wait until you can afford to have children, you will never have them!

So, I have set my leaving date, 10th November, so I will be in Kisii by the afternoon of 11th - whoopee!

There is a lot to do when I get there. First, we have the KCIS projects to start of continue, then I have to resurrect my business there. It is not dead, but rather comatose and needs and injection of enthusiasm - at least enthusiasm doesn't cost anything.

I would have liked to have the money to hire a vehicle while I am out there. A lot of people have asked me to visit their projects, in Kisumu, Kericho, Nakuru, but I suppose I will have to put up with matatu trips, unless someone coughs up a few quid before I leave. I also wanted to take some of the Twiga kids to see Lake Victoria.

Oh well, when in Rome ...

BBC Feature

I am happy to report that although the broadcast was some time ago, by broadcasting standards, KCIS is still featured on the BBC Radio Berkshire website under the 'Faith' section.

There is still the audio slide show, narrated by Nejra Cehic, as well as the two features that were broadcast on 9th and 16th of August, featuring the voices of some of our children, notably Aloys, Edwin, Esther and Dennis, and of course, our local director, Vincent.

In the broadcasts, Nejra visits the home of Aloys and Nyachuba to see just how primitive their living conditions are. She also visits the site of the Twiga Centre where she sees the children's efforts to grow their own vegetables. The children can be heard playing and singing in the background.

These broadcasts give a very good audio idea of life for orphans and needy children in rural Kenya.

It is really worth a listen.

KCIS on the BBC, Part 2

Last Sunday saw the second and last feature by BBC Radio Berkshire on KCIS and theTwiga Children's Centre in Kisii on the Clare Catford show. It can be heard on iPlayer here, rolling it forward to about 2:37:00

It featured the voices of some of the children, Aloys, Dennis, Edwin and Esther, as well as a group of the children singing.

The BBC Radio Berkshire website also features an audio slideshow and a short writeup about KCIS.

KCIS on the BBC - Part 1

It didn't last long, about 4½ minutes, but it was very good - the first broadcast about our organisation.

The recordings were made, edited and put together by Nejra Cehic, a BBC researcher, and I think she has done a first class job. The only let-down was me, reading from a script - well judge for yourselves. Click on the link below and foward the player to 2:44:00 or thereabouts.

Clare Catford

The next episode will be next Sunday (16th August) at about 8:40, although this could change. Watch this space for an update.!

A Plug on the BBC

We at KCIS have had a bit of luck (and let's face it, we need some!)

A researcher at our local BBC radio station travels to different parts of Africa with a charitable organisation during her main holiday, and this year, she was sent to ... Kisii.

A colleague of hers at the radio station had been following the blog or Twitter and pointed this out to the researcher, who then contacted David and a meeting was set up before she left.

Once there, she met up with Vincent and Abigael as well as many of the Twiga kids. She recorded, interviewed and observed. The kids sang and Aloys recited a poem in Swahili. or the rest, we will have to wait until the transmission.

The feature will be broadcast in two parts on the Theological programme, this Sunday (10th August) and next. The first will be cut and edited sound bites, and the following week David will be speaking about the ongoing and future KCIS projects including, of course, the Twiga Children's Centre - if he doesn't dry up. What do they call it? Corpsing?

Of course, the other possible problem is David's potential for verbosity. Maybe corpsing would be a better option.

Oh well we will see - or hear - next week.

They Don't Just Work Hard ...

They play hard too.

I have just posted a slide show of the Twiga kids having a couple of hours play time. Just look at how they are enjoying themselves!

Video on YouTube

One of our many projects in Kenya was to make a vegetable plot for the Twiga kids (orphaned and abandoned children). This we have now done, or rather, the kids did it under our supervision, and to find more enthusiasm would be difficult!

Many photos and some video were taken and have been compiled into a video, posted on YouTube.

Take a look here