Friends of the Mwokoeni Children - News
Newsletter - autumn 2008
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What a difference a year makes!
We were due to make a charity visit to Mombasa in early January this year but, because of the post-election troubles when all the airlines stopped flights to Kenya, we had to postpone it. Our second attempt was on 22nd February when, due to further threats of another uprising from Opposition supporters, we postponed it yet again.
Setting up medical help
We eventually made it on the 21st April where we arrived to find Mombasa much the same as usual apart from a 200% increase in the price of food and a lot of unemployment due to the impact of the troubles on the tourism industry. However, our trip was more than worthwhile and we achieved everything on our very busy schedule, including setting up medical help with a local doctor and catching up with the children we are sponsoring into higher education.
We were able to set up a meeting with Dr Luke (a local doctor), and arrange for him to be available for pupils who need medical help, other than the usual bruises and cuts that are still administered at the school. Dr Luke is the doctor that our own groups use when we need medical help, and we have been liaising with him by email for quite a while.
During the summer trip of 2007, we met Beth and Amy two volunteers from the 'Travellers Worldwide' organisation, who spent two months at Mwokoeni. They have both been fundraising since their return, and they wanted this money to go to our new medical project, and so with their partnership we are now in a position to start up this much needed medical care.
Below is an extract from Dr Luke's recent update:-
"Dear Friends of Mwokoeni, I hope you and everybody else is fine, we are okay, Mombasa is now quite cold and wet. It is one month since we started the programme and we are running well. So far we have seen one hundred and eleven (111) pupils including a few repeat consultations, and they are well now. Most of the pupils are being treated for acute malaria, diarrhea and vomiting, upper and lower respiratory tract infections and skin manifestations. We have one pupil whom we found to be HIV positive and had actually developed AIDS. He is now under Anti-retroviral therapy in one of the more efficient comprehensive care centres in Mombasa. We also have one pupil whom is hemophiliac and shows signs of possible heart valve inadequacy; he needs an echocardiogram to delineate this. We are doing our best to assist them and the parents are very appreciative of the services. For most of the children, this is their first time they are accessing proper medical care. Thank you and God bless. Sincerely Yours, Dr. Luke Odiero"We will keep everyone posted through Seasight of this new medical project.
Higher education
As our visit tied in with half-term, we were able to have a meeting with all the 14 boys and 3 girls who we are sponsoring onto higher education boarding schools, and it was great to see how they had grown both educationally and physically in the last year. They left the Mwokoeni School as older children and they are now young adults working hard to make the best of themselves in the hope that this chance of education will help them into better lives.
Like a lot of things in Africa, the schools do leave a lot to be desired in the facilities they offer to the pupils, such as lack of text books, crowded accommodation and class sizes. However, the boys and girls are so very grateful for the opportunity they have been given - particularly the orphaned children who, if we had not been able to organise this extended education for them, would now be on the streets.
So, as our heading says What a Difference a Year makes!
Carol Groves and Shirley Fisher
Hope for the future, People who make a difference
Alan Webster, former Dean of St Paul's, took a lively interest in people who were making a difference to the world and to the Church, particularly in his contributions to the 'Credo' series in The Times.
A great family man, father of four and with several grandchildren, he was especially interested in the way in which young people expressed their faith in their lives by helping those less fortunate than themselves.
The reference to the work done by young people from Rustington at the Mwokoeni School in Kenya was part of one of his Credo articles.
We are mentioned in page 129.
Hope for the future, People who make a difference by author alan Webster
Publisher SPCK
Published in Great Britain in 2008
Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge
Paul Harris Fellow Award
Carol Groves being presented the Paul Harris Fellow award by David Cross
Our Chairman Carol has been awarded the Paul Harris Fellow Award by Littlehampton Rotary.
David Cross, the President of Littlehampton Rotary, presented this award.
They have been a supporter of our charity for a number of years, and have provided finances to help buy equipment for the feeding programme. The Rotary also sponsors a pupil at Mwokoeni.
Carol recently attended one of the Rotary's weekly meetings to give an update on the Mwokoeni School, and to her surprise at the end of the evening was awarded this special award.
The Paul Harris Fellow is promoted by "The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International", and is in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world.
We are very appreciative to all Littlehampton Rotarians for their continued support, and especially for their recognition of Carol's hard work with Friends of the Mwokoeni Children.
Many thanks to Bishop Luffa School
Our Chairman Carol was invited recently to give a talk at Bishop Luffa School, in Chichester.
It's great to have the opportunity to return and give Wilson House pupils an update of the charity.
The pupils had collected five big bags of medical supplies, such as plasters, vitamin tables, protective gloves and bandages etc, as well as presenting Carol with a cheque for £400 towards our funds.
Thank you so much Wilson House for your continued support, and also for your concern and prayers during the recent difficult times in Kenya.
Latest news - Situation at Mwokoeni
Update - January 2008
These last few weeks have been a tense and sad time for 'Friends of the Mwokoeni Children' because of the political unrest and general turmoil in Kenya. We have been in close contact with the Mwokoeni School, and thankfully there haven't been any riots near the school.
The main problems for them have been lack of food, and the food that is available has now gone up 200% in some cases.
The school opened on 7 January, only 2 days later than anticipated. In Mombasa itself, there are many police and armed forces around, and we have been told that the atmosphere is 'very tense'.
Two of the teachers, Norbert and Humphrey, whom we are sponsoring to finish their teaching degree at Kampala University in Uganda, had arrived back in Kenya to spend the Christmas break with their families. This was 40 miles from Kisumu and right in the heart of the rioting area. They were due to travel on to Mombasa by bus after the elections. Owing to the violence and rioting, they could not safely leave their houses. When after several days they did venture out to try and buy some food, they were both shot at, and narrowly escaped with their lives. Eventually, because of lack of food, they took a chance and managed, with the help of the armed forces, to reach the centre of Kisumu. From there they managed to get back to the border of Uganda, where hundreds of Kenyans were trying to get to Uganda. As they both had passports and proof that they were pupils at Kampala University, they were allowed through the border and eventually arrived safely back at university.
During this time, we were able to keep in contact through text messages and a few short telephone calls to them. We could not speak for long for fear of their mobiles running out of battery, as there was nowhere with electricity they could be charged up.
We would like to thank everyone for their prayers for the pupils and staff at Mwokoeni, and for all those suffering in Kenya at this time.
We know there has been much suffering in Kenya, but amidst all that, we thank God for Norbert and Humphrey's safety, for the technology of mobile phones, for the love and support that the teachers give to the children, and for the many friendships we have made. Most of all, we thank God for the wisdom He has given us in finding the right way to help our Kenyan brothers and sisters.
Thank you for your continued help and support.
Amani ya Bwana (The Peace of the Lord)
The Trustees of Friends of the Mwokoeni Children Charity
Latest Newsletter
January 2008 Newsletter.
Our latest charity newsletter is available to download.
The newsletter contains news from our recent trip to Kenya and more.
Annual Report
Annual report 2006-2007
Here is Annual report for 2006 - 2007
Both The newsletter and Annual report are in PDF. If you need an adobe reader click the image below.
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