Hi there,

This week you can read a couple of updates from Martin and Gerald, two boys at Kandara orphanage. The orphanage used to be a very run down place, was ignored by the community, and children lived in horrific conditions.

Over the last two years a lot of investment has gone into renovating the orphanage, putting good staff and systems in place and the children are now well looked after in a happy peaceful environment.

Strong links have been built with the local community and the strategy is for the Foundation to hand over more and more responsiblity for the orphanage to the community. The Foundation is now looking into setting up a botanics project that ultimately can help sustain the running costs for the orphanage.

Have a read through the lovely letters from Martin (njoka means snake :0)) and Gerald.

Cheers,
Mel

Martin

FIRST DAY AT SECONDARY SCHOOL

At the first day of school it was disgusting, I was over excited I was helped by Thiong’o to pack my belongings And within no time we (I, Auntie Kristy and Mr.Mwangi ) were on our way to school . As we boarded a Nissan, I couldn’t stop imagining how life would be on my first day of school. The Nissan we had boarded didn’t waste any moment coz within no time we had arrived at school.

Adventures started all at once. It all started when one of the school captains called us, “come here you ‘njoka’* (a name given to new comers) things went haywire my stomach gave a painful gulch as if it was going to explode I dragged my feet as a couple of boys following suit, “have you eaten anything!” bellowed one of the captains. We nodded our heads to show we didn’t . the once humble cook turned to be a hostile lady she shouted to some boys who from the way they worked I leant that they had been given a punishment “get ‘em ‘ood in da kitch’n !” she bellowed. After all those threatenings we started our lessons as normally.

Martin

Gerald

I spent my December vacation well though I was busy. I happened to visit some different places and I enjoyed myself very much. During the Christmas celebrations I ate too much for we had our dear visitors from Nduti Tea Factory who had slaughtered five goats and other refreshments. I also helped a friend who had come for attachment at home in tilling the land and in preparing seed and nursery beds for vegetables. We welcomed the new year with a lot of dancing. This year has been good to me although with a lot of activities. This being my first term in form four, I have been busy both in academic and co-curricular activities. I have been participating in handball games and now we are proceeding to divisional competition after winning zonals competition and we are hoping to continue up to provincials.

From

Gerald Thiongo