The children closed school at the beginning of April and were excited to spend time at the Centre for the first time especially for the boarders. They only came home for a week; the home was so lightened up with excitement. A week seemed too short but they had to go back for April tuition. We had a chance to go for swimming during the weekend and it was so much fun. One of the girls Margaret learnt how to swim and also the matron.
Their performance in school was encouraging; those kids are realizing their potential with time. They opened school and Jane Moraa, the class four girl joined the boarders because her performance was not so good. She now has enough time to study and promised to improve her grades.
Joyce Mwikali, Josephine Kanyiva’s sister was admitted to the centre on the 27th of March, 2010. When we went for the home visit to Kitui, we met her there, the primary school teachers who were taking care of the grandmother told us that she was being sexually abused by the men around that place, even the relatives sometimes for small money for food for the family. Even if the grandmother was aware, according to their customs and her generation, she is proud if the grand daughter can get a man no matter the age. We later on decided that she joined us. She was in class eight but she had to repeat classes back to seven when she was admitted at Jitegemea Schools. Now she is in the same class with Margaret Njeri. She has fit in so well in school and looks very settled.
The day scholars have also opened school. Usual routine, waking up at six o’clock in the morning for preparation to school, they leave at 6:45am. The children are always smartly dressed to start the day. In the evening they are brought back at around 5.30pm, take a bath, take some porridge, and enter into class to do their homework with the help of the women. They later eat their food and go for evening devotion then they retire to bed at 8.00pm.
Transport has been troublesome during the current heavy rains. The road gets too muddy for the vehicles to pass. Most of them get stuck at some point, so the children have to walk for some distance sometimes.
The counselors who were volunteering at the former home have expressed interest in continuing and following upon the girls at the home and in school. They had their first visit to school recently and the talked to all the girls but time was really short but they were able to solve and sort some of the difficulties the girls were going through. They are scheduled to visit the women at the centre on the 22nd of April, 2010. We hope for their continued support and commitment.
Back at the center, our kitchen garden is coming up very well, the maize, potatoes, beans, spinach, amaranth (terere), Kales, onions, beetroots. However Kales and other vegetables are not doing so well in the area, we have replanted a couple of times but in vain, the neighbors are also complaining of the same. Luckily, our next plot neighbor plants vegetable for export and his are doing well but in a greenhouse and those outside are covered by nets to avoid infections. One of the workers there is to volunteer to teach us the technology.
Bead Art, there is a group that is willing to teach the women how to make quality necklaces, bracelets, key chains, earrings, etc. we will have a display of the necklaces during the June mission trip so that it can help us sort for market locally and internationally. This business will be beneficial to the girls and their children directly and indirectly.
We have received a generous donation of furniture from two families locally, we are grateful to them that our sitting room is not that empty anymore and the women and the children and our visitors have some where they can rest and chat.
The general physical health of the women and children is good, apart from the clinics they attend, serious illnesses are rare. Since we acquired mosquito nets, and the house is warm enough, hygiene level is high; the environment is conducive for healthy growth.
Generally, the program has been going on positively.
We have had two new admissions, Josephine Kaveza, 21 year old female, once a student at the PCEA Training Centre, was tricked into a relationship by a man who promised to marry her. On the realization that she was pregnant, the guy forced her into abortion but she resisted. The guy disappeared with no where to be found. She was left stranded on her on. When she turned to the mum, who is a farmer for help, she turned her down because she is also struggling. This girl had come from home in search of a job, she took jobs as a house help for sometime while paying for her training fee in tailoring and dressmaking. As she struggled on is when she met the guy she thought was Mr. Right. She has just finished her training and is seven months pregnant, no job, no one to help. We came in and took her in; in turn she is to volunteer to teach the other girls tailoring and dressmaking once we acquire sewing machines.She is very grateful that her child will be born in a safe environment before she stabilizes herself.
Nelius Wairimu, 22 year old girl, came into the home as a volunteer; a friend of the home had referred her to us. She was to stay for a week; she was very dull at first, she was reluctant to leave after the one week and when we followed up the mother told us that when she came to us she was at her breaking point, torn, depressed, name them. The stepfather had frustrated her so much for the four years of high school education, refusing to pay her school fees, he was in and out of school, mistreating them at home, going hungry most of the time. When she was through with high school, there was no hope of going on to college, she tried odd jobs and teaching in a school which was closed down. Since she is the only child born out of wedlock, she thought maybe she was the reason the step father mistreated her and the mum. She felt neglected and not loved cared for. That is why she was referred to us, away from home to unwind and think.
Here she met other young women with bigger problems than hers and that naturally heals her wounds slowly and she has been an asset to the women and the children since she has been a teacher to the adults and tuition and Sunday school for the kids. She is very hard working all rounds, very helpful to the matron and some one to be emulated by the other women.
The women at the centre have grown and healed just by sharing and learning with one another through support groups, devotions, responsibilities and duties. The integration of street women and vulnerable women is a great idea since the balance strikes in behavior and character. The way they relate to each other in meaningful relationships, strengthening each other in their own way is amazing to witness. All the women participate in different chores like cooking, washing, wiping, etc. The young woman in the picture below is preparing food for her baby and the child insisted to help the mum in gardening, she practically was crying to be let to take up the digging, it was actually a funny sight to watch her struggle with the Hoe twice her size, she digs too well for her age though!
