<Editors note: the following are excerpts from Regina’s weekly update, edited only for brevity and clarity. In summary, here is her list of current top needs:
- Increase in food budget to support variety required to minimize ulcers.
- Budget for preventative medical checkups.
- Furniture and paper for classroom.
- Tailoring and beauty school equipment.
- Cows.
- Christmas gifts for the girls and their children.>
How is every one? Pass our greetings to everyone from the team. Thanks to Kim and Zach for the pix and photos too.
UPDATES
1. The girls and their children are doing very well in that their progress is very encouraging. Last week, Ann Wanjiru <Ed. pictured below> was terminally ill; she was severely diarrhea and vomiting, her situation was worrying. Their doctor gave her the best attention at the clinic where he was supposed to refer her and thanks to God, she is now totally recovered. She learnt her big lesson and now she started the Anti Retro Viral Therapy finally without much pressure. Hopefully this will be a lesson to the others that are not careful with the doctor’s advice.
Esther Wambui is sick, her chest is not so good and her breast… very bad, lots of pus. She is undergoing tests and hopefully we will know what is wrong. She is still on medication and not doing badly off.
2. The Adult Basic Education (ABE) is working like magic. The girls love their teacher, her name is Luciana and she loves them equally. We have the levels of classes one to seven. Next year we will have candidates for the primary level. We are in the process of registration for Nakuru 3:16 to become an ABE Centre.
We now have six chickens which were donated by a visitor from England. Two of them are already giving us eggs.
3. The biggest interest in Kenya right now is rise of prices of food stuffs. Everything is ridiculously high.
The hotel that had donated space for the feeding program of the girls was demolished following a dispute among the owners and nothing was salvaged. Many people who had rented the building lost their things. <Ed.: this hotel was where Regina’s mother had her shop; she lost her entire restaurant in this dispute; most of the equipment is unrecoverable. With it goes her livelihood. Let me know if you’d like to do anything to help Regina’s mother.>
4. Every girl has a turning point where they do a big mistake and they go through the guilt process and some how there is divine intervention. The girls commit themselves into prayer for forgiveness after realizing that they cannot afford to be thrown out of the centre. Some of them still think it’s their right to be at the center rather than a privilege. Given time, all of them will catch up; every one has their own experiences and pace. They are going places, with God first in their lives He is teaching and transforming their lives step by step.
5. The biggest challenges we are going through right now is food and medical needs. Owing to these girls’ background; the ones living with HIV have special dietary needs and their quantity of food has to be double the normal ration, 75% of all the girls at the centre have been diagnosed to have stomach ulcers and the doctor has advised against ¾ of our menu at the centre. That is beans and kales. Most of our affordable meals include those two.
The proposed new menu is as follows:
…………Breakfast 10.00am Lunch Dinner
Mon Tea/sweet potatoes porridge Maize/peas/potatoes Ugali/managu/matumbo
Tue Tea/Scones/arrow roots “ Rice/green grams/fruits Ugali/kunde/cabbage
Wed Tea/sweet potatoes “ Mokimo/cabbage/fruit Ugali/Cabbage/matumbo
Thu Tea/Scones/arrow roots “ Maize/peas/potatoes Ugali/terere/Spinach
Fri Tea/sweet potatoes “ Rice/green grams Ugali/Saghetti/meat
Sat Tea/scones/arrow roots “ Chapati/green grams Ugali/managu
Sun Tea/sweet potatoes “ Mokimo/cabbage/fruit Ugali/terere/spinach/meat
The budget has increased with Ksh. 10,000 or $142.9
If these girls get full medical checkup, then we would know what we are dealing with rather than shocks in each doctor’s visit.
For the class that is going on for the adult education, we would need furniture and stationery. It is in the same classes they should get the hand skills and most of them show interest in tailoring and hairdressing and beauty therapy. If we could get a few sewing machines and blow-dry, dryer, rollers, steam dryer, and beauty therapy kit, it would help go a mile further in their training.
Self sustaining project, cows would also provide milk for mothers and children and we would sell some, and the money will go back to other needs of the home.
Christmas gifts for the girls and their children.
6. We are coming up with a garden where we will plant different types of greens which will be consumed at the home and for sale.
We have six chickens that were donated by a visitor from England and two of them are already giving us eggs. We hope to expand this project so that we can get enough eggs and meat for the girls and for sales.
We are also looking for part time employment for the girls in restaurants, supermarkets and other business places around Nakuru town. This will occupy them and help in growth of their social skills.
The world AIDS day is coming up and we have been invited by the Badili Mawazo Support Group (for people living positively with HIV/AIDS) to celebrate with them on the 28th November,2008 at PCEA Nakuru West.
7. Our guest writer this week is Lydia Muthoni:
“Jambo! Thank you for the help that you have extended to me. All of you rescued me from the streets. A lot have changed in my life because I am joyful and happy everyday. Health wise, I am now strong, healthy and energetic. I have also stopped sniffing glue and I believe that I will be successful in everything I do and I will also work hard to achieve what I want life. May GOD bless you so much and may he expand your Territory.”
