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Report on visit to Kenya – August 2008.

Martin and Mary Print, Footsteps International.

We visited Kenya for 3 weeks in August. We thank God for a safe visit which was simultaneously encouraging, challenging, busy and restful! The violence following the election has ceased, but the legacy includes inflation, increased unemployment, a drop in tourism, and many thousands still unwilling to return to their homes for fear of persecution.

Church on the Rock School and Sewing Project, Kware
We met Bernard and Ruth and spent the morning with them in the Kware slum, Nairobi. They were well, and bright and optimistic as always. Ruth’s father had been killed recently – mown down by a vehicle while walking along the road.
Many of the classes at the school were being taught, even though it was holiday time. Some were doing revision; some may have come in just because we were visiting! The sewing project was ‘on holiday.’
We spent time talking (and videoing) a pupil called Janet, and subsequently visited her home – a one room tin shack which she shared with her parents and 4 siblings. It was pitch black inside until Janet lit a flickering paraffin lamp. Cooking took place over a charcoal stove (jiko) in the corner of the room.
Inflation has dramatically increased the costs of foodstuffs. Specific items that Bernard and Ruth requested (in addition to general prayer for continued success in what they are doing) were:
• Money to provide a fifth day of school lunches
• Money for revision books for the school (£240)
• Money to repair the school toilets which were blocked (£500)

Naivasha – Sunshine Rehabilitation Centre
Progress on the construction of the new buildings has slowed dramatically, with a dormitory, staff accommodation and a dining hall still to be built. The accommodation they have provided is of good quality.
We are now looking after 75 boys, around 20 having joined over recent months to replace the older boys who have moved on (and some children who have returned to the streets). One long-standing staff member (Grace) has just resigned, leaving Simon’s wife Rebecca ( ‘Mama Chege’) very short-handed. On one day she had to work on her own cooking for the boys – the other staff being sick or on holiday.

We had great fun with the boys – taking them for a long walk to Lake Naivasha (about 9 miles return) which ended up with most of them swimming in the lake. We also organised a mini-Olympics for them, plus the inevitable games of football!

We met about a dozen of the older boys who are now out ‘at work.’ This was simultaneously very encouraging and very sad. Most of the boys are working, with varying degrees of success. However, they were all struggling. In October last year, many of them had been earning good money helping build the new Sunshine Home. Since then, the work has dried up, and many have used up their savings to support families during the troubles earlier in the year. We spent time with them, encouraging them, praying with them, and offering to make a loan fund available to help them buy items needed to run their businesses. Several of them have now submitted business plans which we are evaluating.

Kamau and Jennifer (who married last summer) now have a lovely daughter called Veronica, and, Mark and Naomi (who married in February) are expecting their first baby soon (it arrived on 13th September – a baby girl; they are all well).

Specific items we were asked to help and pray for included:
• Financial resources to continue the work. We have simultaneously been affected by inflation (30%+), and adverse exchange rates (down 15%) having a combined impact of over 40% on budgeted costs.
• Establishment of a small business loan fund to help the older boys set up sustainable businesses.
• Water conservation measures which seem ever more critical if we are to offset the effects of the variable rainfall.

Naivasha Polytechnic
Although it was officially holiday time, there was a lot of activity at the Polytechnic. Simon had offered 40 young people from the nearby refugee camp places on training courses. Tearfund (Holland) agreed to fund these, and Footsteps put in the money to pay for their lunches as it was too far for them to go ‘home’ each day. This influx of trainees has to some extent offset the drop in recruitment that followed the violence at the turn of the year.
We met the young ‘Internally Displaced People’ (or IDPs as they are called) at the Polytechnic, and then went with two of them to visit their ‘homes’ in the camp. They are living in tents provided by the UN, with food being provided by the Red Cross. We met and talked to the mothers of a boy called Jackson, and a girl called Dorcas. It was a very moving experience. Although the camp was well organised, the people had only the possessions that they had been able to carry with them as they fled. However, they were all full of trust that God would provide for them, having saved them from being killed in the violence.
Francis Kagotho, one of the Sunshine Boys who is orphaned and tends to run back to the streets, has now enrolled on a welding course and is doing well.

Specific items we were asked to help and pray for included:
• Financial resources to continue the work. The same factors mentioned above apply to the Polytechnic.
• Prayer that Tearfund (Holland) will continue to support the project. They supply around 40% of the funding needed to keep the project viable.

Global Intercessory Prayer Group
Joseph Sundra, the chairman of the Polytechnic board of Governors, has been inspired to start a multi-denominational prayer group in Naivasha. It started meeting a couple of weeks before we arrived, but the occasion of our visit was an opportunity for a formal launch, complete with a parade in the streets (which we did not attend) then an afternoon of speeches and prayer, plus cutting of cake.
Please pray that the group will help unite the various churches and tribes in the Naivasha area.

Tumaini Children’s Home and schools, Mombasa
The ‘TKs’ are doing well. The next big step for Jael and Vivian is where next after school finishes this December? Jael is not very academic; Vivian seems to have given up the idea of being a doctor (probably she won’t get the very high grades needed), and was talking of accountancy instead. She still writes and sings lovely songs, and was talking of learning the keyboard so she can accompany herself.

We met Bernard Mwangangi, the son of one of the guards at Tumaini who has really enjoyed his motor mechanics course (which Footsteps sponsored). He is now doing an industrial attachment at the police garage, and we gave him money to start a driving course. A mechanic who can drive has the potential to secure a good job in Kenya.

Mwinyi, the disabled boy for whom we bought a tricycle, had stopped coming to school. We found out that his mother had moved to the other end of the village (about 1 mile from the school) to live with (yet another) new man. We tracked them down, and encouraged him to come back to school.

Finally, the remaining three classrooms at the high school are nearly complete; construction had to cease as Education for Life ran out of funds, but they will re-commence shortly as they have now received a donation from a UK church.

Port Reitz Clinic, Mombasa
We visited Port Reitz Clinic and toured the hospital for disabled children. We took books into the wards and spoke to the staff. The books were a great hit with the young children, especially the bored children who are confined to their beds!

Bombolulu Wheelchair Centre, Mombasa
We visited the APDK wheelchair centre at Bombolulu and met old friends such as Paul, Lucy, Matthew Lukindo, and the disabled workers in the workshop. Things have been very tough because tourism has fallen away sharply as a result of the violence. We bought two wheelchairs, leaving Matthew to decide who should receive them!

Hope for the Hopeless
We met Moses and Lillian Otieno while we were in Mombasa. Moses manages the support we give to orphans and poor families in Lake Victoria. The support is providing vital help at very difficult times for these families, especially as the harvest has been poor.

Refugee children secure training places (and free lunches)!

During the post-election violence, thousands left their homes and became refugees. Around 3,000 people arrived in Naivasha and are living in tents and being supported by the Red Cross.

40 young refugees have been offered places on courses at the Naivasha Polytechnic. Footsteps has agreed to provide them with lunches during their training in welding, tailoring and motor vehicle mechanics.

Violence simmers again

After nearly six weeks of relative calm, there is growing tension in Kenya again as the political process stumbles.

Inflation is very high in Kenya. At the same time, the exchange rate against sterling has worsened, making a donation of £1 in the UK worth substantially less in Kenya. This is affecting all the work that Footsteps is involved with. Please help as generously as you can.

Together we are making a difference.

We heard recently from a Kenyan girl called Julliana whose education was sponsored by a Footsteps supporter. She writes:

“The slums where we used to live were burned down with people inside. When you sent the money it improved our lives and we were able to move from the slums to better rooms. Your support has saved our lives.”

Together we are making a difference.

Peace talks progress, but Kenyans are still suffering

We thank God that there has been progress in the talks aimed at resolving political Kenya’s political crisis. Although a degree of normality has returned, there are still many thousands of people displaced from their homes, and the drop in tourism has resulted in thousands of redundancies.

The situation as far as Footsteps’ projects is concerned is that things re getting back to normal, but food price rises are causing real hardship. Martin and Mary Print plan to travel to Kenya at the end of February to see first-hand what impact the troubles have had, and what help is needed. While in Kenya they can be contacted on +254 722 537 205.

Kenya calmer and more hopeful

General situation:

The talks between Kenya’s political leaders facilitated by UN envoy Kofi Annan continue. There is encouraging new of a possible breakthrough, and conditions in Kenya are calmer.

Naivasha

The town has been relatively quiet for the past 10 days. Construction of the new Sunshine Home (funded by our partner Mission Care) continues to provide jobs for many of the ex-street boys.

Mark (an ex-street boy who now works as a motor-cycle taxi) plans to marry his fiancée Naomi later this month.

Recruitment has started for the Polytechnic, but is delayed because of the troubles.

Mombasa

Glyn and Jane have returned to Mombasa. The new classrooms at the high school are progressing well (the roof is due to go on).

Hubert Seifert (Director of APDK) reports that he has had to put workers on short-time working because of a drop in workload. There are many requests outstanding for mobility aids for people injured in the fighting.

Kware slum, Nairobi

Bernard and Ruth are OK, and the school has re-started. Pastor Brown is recovering after was mugged as he travelled in the slums.

Naivasha still tense

The situation in Naivasha is still tense with many non-indigenous people trying to leave for their homelands, and an influx of refugees from other parts of Kenya.

All our boys and the staff are OK. Recruitment of trainees at the Polytechnic has halted due to the troubles.

Food prices have increased substantially.

Moses, or project officer in Lake Victoria region, has been organising the burial of his grandmother. He will be travelling back to Mombasa this weekend. Pray for a safe journey.

Urgent requests for funds

We have received many urgent requests for funds following the violence in Kenya. We need £500 to help disabled people who have lost their businesses (and their livelihoods), and £2,000 for mobility aids for people injured in the fighting in the Kitale area.
Please help if you can by going to the donation page of the Footsteps website.

Sunshine Workshops attacked

Last night three men got into the Sunshine Workshops which were built to provide a place for street boys to work. Fortunately all that was stolen before the police arrived was a mobile phone. However, this incident was obviously deeply unsettling for the Sunshine Boys who were sleeping at the workshops.

The general situation remains very tense. Please pray for peace and calm to be restored.

Naivasha violence increases

The violence that affected Naivasha on Saturday spread further today. A gang of machete-wielding youths came close to the Sunshine Home, but did not try to enter. Please continue to pray for peace, and God’s protection for everyone we know.

Violence spreads to Naivasha

The violence in Kenya spread to Naivasha on Saturday. The BBC reported that at least nineteen people were killed in the town after gangs of youths blocked the main road.

Simon Kinyanjui has told us that none of the Sunshine Boys have been affected, and that the town is now calm.

Some hope, but still tense

General situation

UN envoy Kofi Annan has held talks between the president and opposition leaders which has resulted in them shaking hands for the first time since the election. We pray more progress will follow. Meanwhile, there has been a continued undercurrent of tension and periodic outbreaks of violence in various parts of the country. The troubles are now having a huge knock-on effect on tourism, which is resulting in job lay-offs and hotel closures.

Bombolulu

Hubert Seifert, Director of APDK which runs the Bombolulu wheelchair centre and Port Reitz School and Clinic, writes: “100 disabled people in our programmes have been directly affected through looting or burning of their houses or businesses or displacement. About 2,000 of our disabled clients have been indirectly affected through closure of their businesses, loss of income and increased cost of living.

One of our employees in the Nairobi branch lost all his property through looting in one of the slums and he was severely injured on the head by attacking gangs. He attributes it to Gods protection that his life was spared but he is very disturbed and feels insecure.

I received a request for four wheelchairs for people in Eldoret whose legs had been chopped off. We have decided to assist the desperate cases immediately incl. food, mobility aids and restocking of looted and burnt businesses.

The impact on our Bombolulu project with 190 mostly disabled employees and casual workers is devastating since there are hardly any tourists to buy the crafts made by them, and this will lead to substantial deficits and endanger many of the jobs.”

Sunshine Home Naivasha.

Currently quiet, with people going about there business more or less as normal.

Tumaini Children’s Home, Mombasa

The area is still uneasy following death threats in the past week, but he situation is calm, if tense.

Lake Victoria

Moses Otieno has travelled back to Lake Victoria from Mombasa following the death of his grandmother. He reports that there is a lot of tension and killings are continuing.

Kware slum, Nairobi

Bernard writes: "We are doing well and God has protected us all through despite the difficult times in our nation. We reopened the school and all is well. The pupils have reported apart from a few from western Kenya who had travelled home over the Christmas holiday with their parents and were caught up by the chaos upcountry. We've already started studies and the feeding programme as well."

A nervous but peaceful night!

The death threats issued to people in Timbwani village, Mombasa were not carried out. We have had reports that people slept poorly, and that many children had nightmares, but, we thank God that the area remained peaceful.

Please keep praying for peace in Kenya as Kofi Annan arrives for talks with the political leaders.

Death threats in Timbwani village

We have just heard via our friends in Mombasa that some people living in Timbwani village have had leaflets put through their doors saying if they don’t leave their houses by next Tuesday (22 January) they will be killed. This includes some of the people in houses around the Tumaini Children's Home and schools.

Kenya: current position with Footsteps projects

18 January 2008.

General:

There have been three more days of disturbances as opposition leaders in Kenya called for protests. Violence has flared up again in Mombasa, Nairobi and the Lake Victoria area.

Sunshine Boys – Naivasha

Naivasha is now ‘back to normal’ (ie relatively quiet, but you wouldn’t want to walk the streets at night!). The shops are open, and fuel is available. However, there has been an influx of refugees into the town following the troubles elsewhere in Kenya. Simon has travelled with 3 others to Uganda to Africamp.

The Sunshine Boys are all OK. Those that visited their homes over Christmas are back. Specific news about some of the boys:

• Daniel and Juma continue to work at the Sunshine Workshops and are OK. Karanja is labouring at the new Sunshine Home which is progressing well, with Daniel and Juma making the doors and window frames for it.
• Mark Wakunene has bought a motorcycle which he is hiring out, and doing well. He aims to get married at the end of January. His fiancée’s parents have said they can’t have a church wedding as Mark can’t pay a dowry, so they are going to be married in the church office!
• Moses Maina is still at the Sunshine Home, and wants to take a Grade 2 tailoring course at the Polytechnic.

Tumaini Kids – Mombasa

The situation is very tense again in Mombasa and there are reports of at least two people shot dead (one is a young boy). The city alternates between normality and rioting. Food is still very expensive.

Three children failed to get the marks needed to progress to High School. We are assessing the options for them.

Moses and Lillian – Lake Victoria

Moses and Lillian managed to get back from Lake Victoria, the 3 hour journey taking 3 days! They are now caught up in the violence in Mombasa!

Hubert Seifert – Mombasa (Bombolulu)

The town of Bombolulu was badly hit last week and again today, with burning tyres in the main road, and looters looting shops. Hubert reported that some of the shops run by disabled people were broken into in Mombasa and that, although no-one was injured, these disabled people had lost their means of earning a living, temporarily at least. The number of tourists visiting the Centre at Bombolulu had dried up, with no-one visiting at the moment. If visitors don’t return soon, staff such as our friends Paul and Lucy who work there will be laid off.

Ruth and Bernard – Nairobi slums

We received a text message a couple of weeks ago to say that Bernard and Ruth are OK. We have had no further news from them.

You can email us on martin.print@footstepsinternational.org