Kenya Trip a Success!

Committee Co-Chairs Rose McDowell & Judy Servidio report on their miracle trip! A special thanks to those who contributed funds for the scholarship program and for the women’s project.

August 18, 2008

LifeNets Home
Kenya Home

On July 1, 2008 we left Houston bound for Nairobi, Kenya to oversee the progress of our Kenya LifeNets Girls Scholarship Program. Co-sponsored with LifeNets, this was the program’s first year and our first visit to Kenya. With a shaky beginning during the beginning of school because of post election violence in January and February, our original plans for schooling the girls together had to be quickly revised. Each girl had to stay in her own tribal area and attend schools with admission openings. This trip helped us evaluate each girl’s school situation, her individual needs and make plans for the 2009 school year.

In addition, we were able to start activities for assisting older girls and women with a viable self-help program. A group of women who had already been working together in the Suna-Migori area of the southern Western Rift Valley will function as the main group with outreach projects to assist women in the more rural isolated areas.

With these two objectives central to our trip, we were busy! We returned to Houston July 16 tired and sleep deprived but exhilarated by the success of the trip. From the time we landed in Nairobi, everything had gone so much better than we had planned with items added to our itinerary that we could not have anticipated.

Finding a quality school for 2009

One of our main objectives was visiting and selecting an acceptable Seventh Day Adventist girls’ secondary school for 2009. Our original idea for 2008 was to have all the girls in one SDA school so they could be together, be able to observe the Sabbath, eat the food, and have a good safe environment. We wanted to get back to this idea. After visiting several schools, one stood out from the others. The school lies high above a lush valley. Its sprawling campus has electrical power and a water purification system. Computer classes will be offered in 2009. We visited with school officials and toured the classrooms, kitchen, dining hall and dorms. While it is considered a government school and receives government funding, it is staffed according to SDA requirements. The Sabbath is observed by the whole school with no classes or routine work on Saturday.

Our plan is to have six of our eight girls moved to this school for 2009 with two girls staying where they are currently enrolled. We discussed the move with each of the parents or guardians and the girls affected by this change. They are pleased with this decision as we assured them that they had the final word. The girls are anxious to all be together!

Girls responding well

Several of our older girls had experienced some difficulties with their grades and we were not sure how we would handle things. Would they be better off in a trade school? Before we left we had discussed this issue with our committee. We wanted to be flexible with some alternatives.

What a joyous surprise as we visited these girls and found that they had brought their grades up, had excellent conduct records and were delightful charming young women! Coming from very poor backgrounds, their education had been spotty often in poor quality schools. Given an opportunity in a quality boarding school with a good environment, caring teachers and school officials, they were thriving.

As we met each of our scholarship students, we were amazed how they came from such poor backgrounds, yet responded so quickly to opportunity. We feel so blessed and humble to be a part of their lives. They expressed their appreciation for the scholarship program to us multiple times along with their parents and guardians.

Eunice Mweha, 20, brought her grades up after entering school late. Her principal and teachers had nothing but praise for her. The vice principal, who also teaches her a science course, commented on her excellent conduct record. He said that was rare for a student. Because she is in Form 3 (11^th grade) and doing so well, she will remain at Kagwathi SDA Secondary School.

Nancy Ochieng, 15, is the second of 10 children. She told us she had no hope of continuing her education after primary school but she kept reading and studying. She is the top student in her class of 32 students. Her widowed mother, Grace, invited us to her home. Upon arrival in the late afternoon, we entered the small sparsely furnished dirt floored home lighted by the sun’s shadowy twilight. Gracious and well spoken, she offered us gifts: a bag of about 5 pounds of grain and a live chicken Nancy had selected for us. As we looked at these gifts of food and all her children lined up sitting so quietly to one side of the tiny room, we thanked her kindly but declined. We assured her U.S. Customs would not let us bring them back. Our translator was helping her understand our English; we don’t know what he told her! But she seemed to understand we wanted her to keep them for her family.

Dorcas Kanyingi, 14, is the first girl in her family to attend secondary school. She has three older sisters. Because they did not think they would have a chance to attend school, they did what so many girls in Kenya do: they didn’t study hard. Dorcas is concentrating on her studies and very thankful to have the opportunity of secondary schooling and hopes to attend a university.

Lydia Cherono, 15, is very grateful to be in school. Her father died before she finished primary. The sixth child of seven, she dismissed the idea of continuing school but not of continuing to educate herself. She repeated the 8^th grade so she could stay in school. She is our top student with a solid “A” in a good school.  We applaud her drive and determination.

Cathrine Oguda, 14, is a “total” orphan living with her aunt in Migori. She had no hope of continuing her education as she moved among various relatives. When her aunt heard about our scholarship program, she invited Cathrine to move in with her and apply for a scholarship. Today she is in boarding school with Nancy in the Migori area. She speaks well and is excited and happy with her life.

Norah Meraba, 15, daughter of UCG Deacon Moses and Rodah Meraba comes from a family that is very solid. Norah is a good student and a good example for the younger girls in her congregation area. Her parents have been very helpful and supportive of the program. With four older children in school and college, they were unable to provide schooling for Norah. After being out for a year, she is now part of our scholarship program.

After visiting with our girls, our hearts were overwhelmed as we began to understand most of our girls’ backgrounds. Yet in a short time they were putting those obstacles behind them and looking forward to bright futures.

Our special thanks to those who helped us visit with the girls and schools: John Owak, West Rift Valley/Migori to Siaya; Simon Nganga, Nairobi area; David Gichuru, North Central Rift Valley; Jerusha Muga, SDA Kenya Women’s Ministries Director and SDA Central Education Director Pastor Kamundi.

Women’s Project Started!

From the time we began the girls’ scholarship program with LifeNets, we knew we had to start a women’s self-help project. Now that project is a reality! Working with an already organized struggling group of women attending United Church of God in Migori and other congregations in the Western Rift Valley, we were able to establish funding for them and establish a functioning structure.

We met with a group of 27 women on Sunday, July 12 to discuss their needs and how we could assist them. We listened and they talked. We were impressed with what we heard. They understand well what they need. They need to be self-sufficient and independent. They are not eager for handouts. Yet they realize they need help in getting to a higher level so that they can be self-supporting.

Some of the women traders, for example, need small amounts of funding so that they can increase their inventory. Women with small plots of ground need help in making better crop selections, the right tools for the right job, and making wise fertilizer and seed purchases. Those with tailoring skills need to purchase treadle sewing machines, fabrics and supplies but also to organize themselves to work together as a “mini-manufacturing” business. Our hair salon women need the training required for a certificate so that they can open a retail shop.

As we discussed the “how-to” aspects of the various needs, together we began to formulate a plan. In summary here is what was decided. Every project, group or individual will submit a basic business plan to a committee from their group. With the UCG Church leaders to assist them, they will carefully develop this plan before submitting it to ensure that it has the best chance of succeeding.

After it has been reviewed and approved, it will be forwarded to our committee in Houston for final approval. Once approved, they will be provided the funding. An accounting and tracking record will be maintained on all projects.

Agricultural Seminars to be held for women

As we toured some of the widows’ and women’s small agriculture plots, it became obvious that they needed special assistance to better utilize their resources of land and water. They were working too hard for too little. Their crop selections were wrong. They had no idea how to rotate fast growing cash crops to maximize their earning potential. Because cash crops can be grown all year, they needed immediate assistance. Looking at their onions planted a foot apart, we smiled as they explained that was all the onions they had!

We made arrangements with a successful farmer from a local congregation to work with the Migori government agriculture agent to conduct agricultural seminars for the women including on-site instructions.

Keeping the programs funded!

Our 2009 scholarship girls will include the eight from this year in addition to those qualified young girls completing primary school in December. We met with seven prospective scholarship recipients and learned of others. Our scholarship rules for acceptance to boarding school will be consistent with federal guidelines. Based on the applications we receive, we may want to consider day schools for those with borderline grades.

Our Kenya LifeNets Girls Scholarship Program funding level will need to be increased to meet the challenge of educating these deserving young girls.

Now we have added the Women’s Self-Help Project. By helping the women, we are helping them to help their sons and daughters. Most of those attending United Church of God in Kenya are women and the majority of those are widows with children. These women are bright, hard working and very grateful and thankful for any help they receive. What they want most is just enough help so that they can be independent by being self-supporting.

Our goal is to help them reach their goal.

Again, our sincere thanks from all of them to all of you who have helped us get this far. We have traveled a long way together in a very short time. Please continue with your support. We invite anyone with a caring heart for helping our girls and women in Kenya to join with us.

Rose McDowell and Judy Servidio

July 25, 2008

Judy Servidio and Rose McDowell arrive in Nairobi, Kenya! Eunice Mweha, 20, our oldest student is doing great! Simon Nganga, Rose, Judy and Jerusha Muga visited Eunice at Kagwathi SDA Secondary School in Saba Saba, about 2 hours drive north of Nairobi. Grace Ochieng, Nancy’s mother with six of her 10 children. We visited with them in their home. Judy Servidio, Jerusha Muga, Rose McDowell and Jacqueline Okoth gather for a farewell dinner before Judy and Rose leave Nairobi for home.

Classrooms on the campus of the SDA girls’ boarding school for 2009 Four of our scholarship girls from the West Rift Valley area (Norah, Nancy, Cathrine and Lydia) with John Owak, Kenya Project Facilitator, and Moses Nyaira, who works with John.   One of several widows’ plots planted with onions and peas. 2009 scholarship recipients and their parents, we were treated to singing from the younger children. We’ll have scholarship girls for many years to come!