School Visits

Feb. 24, 2017

This week gave us another opportunity to spend a day in one of the Districts, this one not far from Kakamega. As part of our visit, the District Officers (DO's) accompanied us to two schools. One was a large Girls School for grades 8-12 (known here as Form 1 - Form 4). This school has an excellent reputation. The students are performing well in their exams, thus the enrollment is increasing. Of the nearly 500 girls attending the school, 450 are boarding. We've come to understand the benefit of boarding schools. School administrators explain that for many students, this environment is better than what they have at home. "The simple meals we provide (mostly maize and beans and some vegetables) is better than no meals at home" the principal says. There may be other family struggles as well so boarding can actually provide a safer and healthier life.

The classrooms in this school are pretty bare and there are not enough of them. Some classes happen outside, which will be a challenge during the rainy season. The Form 3 class uses the Corps Hall next door. Like many schools, the classes are very large.  One of the challenges in this school is that on the same grounds as the High School is a Primary and Nursery School of about 450 young children. We were watching many of the girls write exams outside while trying not to be distracted by the younger children playing in the school yard or inside singing and making their child like noises. The administration has been eager for a long time to have more classrooms constructed but, as goes the common problem, there is no money and no government funding available. They rely mostly on support from parents through school fees and whether the school sponsor can help. This is a huge challenge for The Salvation Army with over 900 schools in the Territory.  We were taken to a site to see that a skeleton of a structure for more classes has commenced. There was a construction crew on hand making small strides to put up brick walls, all manual labor of course - no machines in site. Safety standards are a little different. The crew were all wearing sandals with bare feet. We smiled!

We saw the dormitory where the girls sleep. There are 40-50 bunks in each room with barely enough space to walk between the bunks. A small box locker holding their belongings sits at the foot of most of the bunks. (Very different from what I've seen teen age girls bring to camp in Canada). Everything is kept very clean and tidy here, that was impressive. Water is a challenge too on these grounds, so the girls have a common area to bathe in.

 Form 3 Class using the corps building

From the Girls boarding school, we visited a smaller Special School for children who are deaf and hearing impaired. There are 91 children ranging from 3 - 20 years. The principal explains that getting children to come to this school only happens when the staff go out into the community and look for children who need this facility. There is a stigma for children with any kind of disability (including hearing impairment) that they can't learn so why send them to school. The staff have been diligent in trying to reach and educate families on the value of having their children enrolled here. Some of the children have other disabilities as well, yet the environment is a very happy one. One of the classes communicated their names to us through sign language. It was heart warming to hear names like Purity, Handsome, and Defender. They also signed our names which was fun! Their sign language curriculum is one adapted from American Sign Language and designed specifically for Kenya.

The classes are structured from Pre-primary to Class 8. They also provide some vocational training. There is a tailoring class where the students learn to sew and even make their own school uniforms. Unfortunately there are only four sewing machines operational right now so only three of the students can enroll in this class, one machine is for the instructor. They are hoping for some donations to purchase more sewing machines.

This is another residential school and one of their challenges is sufficient space to house a wing for boys and a separate one for girls. They are also struggling with water issues and need a new water tank.

The end of the day brings Morris and I both joy and heart ache.  Education is so important. The next generation needs opportunity to grow and develop so they can contribute to their world. The obstacles facing the schools are great but they put one foot in front of the other, smile and sing, and live with hope that tomorrow may be a better day.

Mingling with the children in the Special School while they have their lunch.

Some of the Grade 8 students who were signing for us. 

Survivors

February 16.17

When I arrived here in January and began looking at what was on my calendar, I was intrigued to see a monthly event called "Survivors Meetings".  I initially thought this must be a program for widows who have survived the loss of a loved one or maybe for people who have survived serious illnesses (cancer, malaria, HIV, etc.).  But not so. To my surprise, Survivors is a group of young to middle aged women who meet each week because they share one thing in common - they have all 'survived' a life of working in the sex trade.  With the help of this Salvation Army program, they have been freed from the difficulties of prostitution and have found an alternative life style that is healthier and more productive.  To date, I have attended one of their monthly meetings and plan to keep attending as much as my schedule allows me.

The program began three years ago and currently more than 50 women are enrolled (with an average monthly attendance of about 40). The program provides social, psychological, and spiritual support for the women. They are all single mothers who have now built friendships with each other as well as a meaningful relationship with the leader of the group, currently Captain Leah Kitaa, a member of the Territorial Women's Ministry Department.  They share their stories with one another, they pray for each other, they sing and worship as well as learn life skills together. The group meetings provide guidance and education for the women on how to start and sustain their own small businesses which many of them are doing.  There is also an opportunity for financial support through their own table banking. Each week they are invited to contribute shares (small amounts of money) and they can actually borrow money to help them with their business ventures. They are now discovering new ways of caring for themselves and their children.

I find this program to be an excellent example of the value of ministry to women and look forward to being more familiar with its impact. Here is a story from one of the women involved. This article is about to be published in their War Cry.

 SUCCESS STORY OF MISS. HELLEN MAKOKHA – SURVIVOR.

I am Hellen Makokha and I am twenty three years old.  I come from a family of seven and I being the only daughter. I was  brought up by a single mother who used to wash peoples clothes, sometimes do work in peoples gardens and also do some small business in order to get something on the table and raise our school fees.

Life was very tough and it led me to academic failure though I finished my form four (high school) but the results were not admirable. However because of confidentiality and trust, I looked for something to believe in and pin my hopes on. I came to realize being a commercial sex worker can help me more.

I started practicing this behavior for some years and at first I thought this to be one way of gaining some source of comfort, wealth and protection from danger. It was a low preference and all was in vain, life became more miserable, police harassment, mosquitoes bites etc. When things started going horrible wrong, people urged me to seek the Survivors’ Women Group at the Salvation Army Church whereby I accepted to join the group.

My life started changing slowly by slowly and at the moment I sell fruits in the market. I spend most of the time in my business and I have no time to interact with failures that can make me feel like going back to the streets.

During our monthly meetings at the Salvation Army, we get Biblical teachings and this makes me feel like I am wonderfully made and my body is the Temple of God. I respect myself, protect myself because I am worthy of it. Because of my total change, many women, girls and neighbors’ come to seek some advice on how they can maintain themselves and start running small businesses as I do.

Some of the sex workers have infection of different diseases but thank God through the Salvation Army, I am safe and healthy.

Through the help and care of the Salvation Army, during our monthly meeting, we do table banking whereby all survivors contribute monthly shares and  small loaning is encouraged to all members to enable everybody to boost her business for better living.  This has helped me expand my small business of selling fruits like Mangoes as seen in the photograph above, Director of Specialized programs Captain Leah Kitaa who is the leader of the Survivor women group encourages all the women to start small business that will sustain themselves and their children.  Captain Leah paid a visit to Miss. Hellene Makokha in her business work place.  Blessings to the Salvation Army at large.

Report Compiled by:

Director of Specialized Programs- THQ

Captain Leah Kitaa.

What's New?

February 01, 2017

I have often been casually asked, "What's new with you?"  Many times I respond, "not much", indicating no or minimal changes in my life. This is not my response now. As a matter of fact, someone asked me that question last week and my response was "Everything!" Okay, so that is a little exaggeration.  Maybe I should say "Oh, there's lots new".

In reflecting on this recently, I decided to make a quick list of what has been new for Morris and I in the last four weeks. Here is my list - which is not exhaustive.

Boiling water to brush our teeth and buying all our drinking water. 

Being greeted by guards at the super market for a quick scan before shopping.  

Hanging all my clothes to dry - I am very fortunate to be among the very few here who have a machine for washing. 

Wearing my hat with my uniform. 

Wearing skirt and panti-hose every day. 

Seeing lots of cows and goats along the road wherever we drive. And seeing baboons occasionally.
Waking to the sound of crowing roosters.

Seeing motor cycles and bicycles lining the streets as taxis. And watching them carry all kinds of cargo - including mattresses, coffins, and live stock. 

Women carrying huge loads on their heads - including piles of wood. 

Learning Swahili words and phrases.
Preaching through a translator.

Having someone carry our bags (brief case and purse) - they insist. 

Me being called 'mama' by everyone. It is a term of endearment and respect.

Watching children go to school at 6:00 am. And seeing them go to school on Saturdays and Sundays.

Using Kenyan shillings and getting used to the large denominations. 

30+ degrees temperatures in January.

Sleeping under a mosquito net.
Smiling up at small lizards that come in and out of our house but only presence themselves at the very top of our walls - well, one did get in the bathtub one day! :) They are completely harmless and mind their own business. 

So... what's new with you?