2021 – 2nd Quarter Update
2021 - 2nd Quarter Update
LOOKING AHEAD
In our last newsletter, we talked about how "Unexpected" defined 2020. And while we experienced many unexpected difficulties and limitations, we were also blessed with many unexpected gifts. As we look ahead, we still face some challenges. To be sure, many things that lie ahead will be unexpected this year too, and yet, we are so excited to see what God has in store for us.
The kids are back in school, and to their delight, have resumed their regular activities - scouts, choir, soccer, hobbies, and clubs. Our school received several donations of laptops and hands-on STEM activities to learn about solar energy. We're excited that our kids have these learning experiences and are being exposed to 21st century skills.
Shadrack joins high school (boarding) this year, so we now have three high schoolers. This is an important milestone for Kenyan youth, especially since only about half of them make it past grade 8. Next year, four more kids move on to high school. Our kids are growing up!
We had hoped to go to Kenya in July, but that didn't work out. Now our plan is to visit the kids in October. We have missed them so much and imagine that some have grown beyond recognition. New pictures and stories are coming!
THE GIFT OF EDUCATION
School is a privilege that the developed world has come to consider as a right. Sometimes, even as a burden. In the developing world the chance to go school is a gift, high school a major achievement, and college an absolute dream come true.
What does the opportunity to receive a quality education mean to those struggling just to get by in the developing world?The gift of education is invaluable to a child living in extreme poverty; in fact, the gift of education is truly the gift of hope for a brighter future. With the support of our generous donors and sponsors, Kenya's Kidz ensures that our children are able to attend both primary level (grades 1-8) private school and secondary level (grades 9-12) boarding schools across Kenya. College and vocational school will also be available for each child. We truly believe that a quality education is the best way to end the cycle of poverty and empower our children to live happy, successful, and fulfilling lives. We have been working diligently to build our scholarship program to ensure that all our children receive the education that meets their potential.
CHANGING LIVES...
Meet Samson. (pictured below) He came to Namayiana about 7 years ago. He was approximately three years old, malnourished, sickly, scared, and lonely. His grandmother reluctantly left him in our care, not because she didn't want him, but because she was too old and poor to care for him any longer. She had been the only provider he had known after his mother died of tuberculosis when he was an infant. His father had died before he was born.
At Namayiana, Samson continued to be sickly for the first year or so, and when he got sick, he got very sick. But the Namayiana family loved on him and doted on him, as he was the youngest at the time and the baby of the family. In time, he overcame his tendency to get sick and has been a very healthy and active boy.
Samson will always be short in stature, probably because he lacked sufficient nutrition in his early years, but he has become a good-natured, fun-loving boy who is loved by all. He is an amazing soccer player and all things "boy". Samson and his best friend, Timothy, are never far from each other. Now in grade 4, he excels in the classroom, often at the top of his class. On school holidays, he still visits his grandmother.
...ONE CHILD AT A TIME
Samson received a sponsor family soon after he arrived at Namayiana and looks forward to hearing from them and writing back. Some of our children do not yet have sponsors, but you can make a difference in their lives. Let us know if you'd like to discover the incredible and mutual benefits of sponsoring a child and empowering him/her to excel and realize their potential!
$40 a month is all it takes to ensure that a child's needs are met. Donate today.
