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.

Meet Simon ...

A Day in the Life ...

of some Twiga Children

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.

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

Dare We Hope?

We have just received an enquiry regarding our plans to build a small residential unit at the Twiga Children's Centre, something that has always been on the "To-Do" list, but which has never had the funding.

As we had a change of direction regarding residential care of our children, we now need a lot fewer places than originally envisaged. We are going to offer support to family units where there is a capable adult, rather than just take the children into care automatically. But we still have six children who are either total orphans or totally abandoned by parents. These need residential care that, at present, we cannot offer.

So, last night, I was re-drawing building plans, and sending out requests for costings of materials. I have never constructed a building in my life, not even a garden shed, so I am bound to have forgotten stuff - like window frames and doors, pretty fundamental really!

Luckily, Vincent, the other director has build things in Kenya and is well used to traditional building methods, so I passed my initial workings-out to him.

We are planning on two "huts", each with 4 sets of bunks. The existing hut is split into three rooms, which will become the kitchen, matron's quarters and dining/study area. I have designed in a shower block, but we will need to build toilets. We have already started a deep-pit latrine, so we are wll on the way.

Using traditional building materials should cut costs considerably, but we want concrete floors and corrugated sheet roofing.

Of course, we will need to buy the bunks, a unit for each child to keep clothes and personal belongings, as well as furniture for the matron's quarters.

Then there are the running costs, food, wages for the adult supervisor (or matron), electricity (dare we?), clothing, books, etc.

But I will worry about these costs once the huts have been built. Let's cross one bridge at the time!

Hip, Hip Hooray - I'm On My Way!

After several aborted attempts to arrange my next trip to Kenya, it looks as if I have finally nailed a date to the calendar.

It has been difficult. I have to consider my aged mother, who I look after when I am in the UK. Then, although this is a working trip, I want to be able to see my girlfriend, who is presently abroad in Tanzania on business. Then, of course, I have to make sure I have enough money to do what I want to do when I get to Kenya.

So, Mum is sorted, my girlfriend will have returned home by mid-May and I have an, albeit small, pot of money, which should get me through a month in Kenya as long as I am very careful and don't spoil the kids at the orphanage. But there won't be enough to hire even a small car, so it will be matatu from Nairobi to Kisii, coach from Kisii to Malindi and another coach from Malindi to Nairobi - a nice round trip!

It is a shame, because taking interesting photos en route when using public transport is not easy. they will not stop the bus just so that I can take a picture of a giraffe or something - never mind, this is a working trip.

I hope to spend a few days in Nairobi so that I can visit a client, Rhino Ark, to discuss the way forward for their website, but this is their silly season, with the Rhino Charge taking place at the end of May. Maybe I could get to see that? No, probably not.

I have made many contacts in Kenya on various social networking sites and if I accept all invitations, I will also be visiting Homa Bay, Kisumu, Kericho, Machakos, Mombasa, ... etc.

That should be a lot of fun without a car! Oh well, maybe fate will smile upon me and provide me with one when I get there - somehow.

So, the 2nd weekend of May should find me at JKIA, loaded down with bags of toys, laptops, cameras, oh, and a few clothes, I suppose.