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