Insurance for students from www.buy.at/AVIF

Insurance for students from Endsleigh Student contents insurance from Endsleigh can be tailored to cover all the items that students have taken to university. You can build a policy that insures just one item, or a policy that covers bikes, laptops, iPods, cameras, DVDs and much more. Get laptop cover and insure the rest of the room from just £8 Cover mobile phones for just £3.33 per month Cover bikes at university from just £30 a year Why Endsleigh? Endsleigh is approved by the NUS They insure loads of students - that means big discounts They have been insuring students for 40 years so they know what students need   Visit www.buy.at/AVIF for more great offers from over 150 top retailers.

Forward this mail on to help AVIF raise funds. Please forward this mail on if you think that you know people who would like to receive it. Responsible emailing Remember if someone receives this mail from you, then tells you they don't want to receive a similar one again you must not send them future messages. If you are considering forwarding it on you must do so only to people who you consider would like to receive it and to whom the content is relevant. If you have a formally-managed list you must only send it to those who have expressed that they wish to receive such mail from you. Purchases made through www.buy.at/AVIF are made according to the information and terms provided by the company making the sale to you. Further details on using the buy.at shop are provided on the site.

Thanksgiving

The LLK children in the Rhonda slums of Nakuru celebrated the German Thanksgiving celebration yesterday with an abundance of food and a visit from some of their german sponsors.



We all have good reason to be thankful!


AVIF hope to send more volunteers in 2009 to assist with the fantastic work carried out by LLK.

thanksgiving, kenya, AVIF, LLK

Things just get easier

FaceBook ~ Skype ~ the internet in general but most importantly OpenSource all help to make life easier to do some good. eBay, the worlds online marketplace just helped too. We currently have our own little website, ADUPO, to sell small amounts of locally-sourced Kenyan goods but AVIF is also an eBay for Charity, listed organisation so we put the odd product on there to utilise eBay's massive marketing power.

Christmas is around the corner, take a look at the listing via Ebay To Go's fabulous new widget :

christmas, Kenya, Maasai, eBAY

I love a success story

My good friend, Brique, just emailed me about her organisation's fantastic achievements.

Despite a traumatic fight against corruption, Leben und Lernen in Kenia e.V. (Live & Learn in Kenya) are now shining in the glow of smiling faces around the communities they're helping.

Here are the children at a party arranged by LLK after funding was secured for 490 warm, waterproof jackets for all of the children and the staff. Kenya does get seasonally cold & wet enough to cause pneumonia.

Not only have almost all (but 9) of the children gained foster parents, they also now have a plot of farm land each to grow their own food on (LLK rent the land, initially provide seeds and fertilizer then 1/4 of the harvest goes into the collective to feed the children).


LLK's Girl's club is also a huge success. Vocational as well as sexual health training is being provided. Here is Lucy, now a fully-fledged hairdresser with her own salon, provided by her very generous sponsors who not only paid for her training, but also salon equipment and a few month's rent.



To celebrate World Peace Day a huge celebration was organised where all of the children, their siblings and parents/guardians were invited. They all cooked and ate together. Different tribes singing peace songs
to each other & dancing their own tribal dances .. a video is coming soon once Ken finishes editing.
Soul-warming success - something I hope AVIF can aspire to achieve.

LLK, AVIF, Kenya, sustainable development, volunteer

Christmas is just around the corner

Extremely low-priced gifts from Kenya for all your friends and family. Get Christmas organised early and visit the ADUPO site now.



An alternative gift idea is to buy the welfare of a needy child for someone.
This is Esther.

She is one of four children living in a vulnerable home (they spend most of their nights in the cold due to their father’s heavy drinking taking up funds). Many children are housed in badly-named "orphanages" in Kenya while parents are still alive .. reality is simply that the parents cannot afford to look after their children due to the ravages of illness and poverty. Both parents are jobless and Esthers mother struggles really hard to maintain the family despite physical abuse from her husband. In addition to love and constant care, Esther requires assistance to continue learning, her Mother has asked for help from our good friend Wangechi in Nyahururu.

If you would like more information please contact AVIF. There are currently 18 children needing financial assistance at Wangechi's "Merryland" Children's Home.

christmas, kenya, gifts

Love it when a plan comes together

Ben & Katalin are settled into their new home on the shores of Lake Victoria now, I'm awaiting an update from them. In the meantime the remainder of the glyconutrients are being taken over to Nairobi by a wonderful young man, aided by British Airways who've kindly offered him free excess baggage, in fact they've tripled his allowance. The MannaBears will then be picked up and transported over to the girls at the Jehovah Nissi Mercy Childrens Centre (Mercy Home) .. photos here.



Our thanks go to Mr Madden Jnr !.. and Mary at BA Waterside, Harmondsworth.

AVIF, BA charity, glyconutrients, kenya, poverty, health, volunteering

New videos of JNMCC dormitory

Many thanks to Nick & Charlie and so great to *see* everyone again.
Visit the main site for more videos.

New photos on FaceBook

Visit here for the Summer 08 photos in Maseno & Yala, etc.
(Need to join the FaceBook group).
Many thanks to Nick & Charlie and so great to *see* everyone again.

Tribulations & frustrations

Having spent a year designing and then producing the outcomes from the Visualising Issues in Pharmacy (VIP) Project, 64 "Stop HIV" soccer outfits were recently sent as a charity donation to the people of Winam in Kenya. HIV/AIDS is cited as one of the major causes of child abandonment in hospitals in and around the Kisumu district. Unfortunately, sent through Australia Post and DHL couriers the outfits arrived only for Kenyan customs to impose import duties at a cost of $1300.00 !!

Despite formal submissions to declare them as a non-profit gift to the people as genuine aid donation, the fees would not be waived and customs informed us the items may be destroyed. As of today, Omnium has now paid the charges and we are promised the items should be released within three days.



The VIP project collectively links together 300 global participants, including 105 students from developing countries, through online technology. Coordinated between the Universities of Auckland & of New South Wales, Sydney, it was the first fully-online global initiative joining Pharmacy and Graphic Design with local community representatives to raise public awareness of critical health issues in Kenya, including HIV/AIDS and malaria. VIP project conveners (Nataly Martini and Rick Bennett), Nabuur representative (Raul Caceres) and AVIF, in collaboration with local community leaders, identified the following areas where VIP project materials (interventions) will be implemented:

• Winam, Kisumu district, Nyanza Province, Kenya
• Asato, Volta region, Ghana
• Busukuma, Wakiso district, Uganda
• Kyomya, Kagoma County, Jinja District, Uganda
• Nyalebe, Mahagi Territory, Ituri Province, DRC
• Bukavu, South Kivu province, DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo)
• Kiliba, South Kivu province, DRC

The project is still positively seeking funding. Potential sponsors are kindly asked to contact AVIF.

Results from James

We visited the Rotary Club Kisumu... Any donations that Edward raises, either from AVIF or elsewhere, the Rotary Club will operate a policy of matched donations. ...I gave a short five minute presention to the members here in Kisumu, and I'm working on a powerpoint presentation to give to the Birmingham members next week. Even if AVIF can only provide half of the funds, 17,500 KSh, Rotary Club could provide the other half.



..re. how much the power connection will cost. The power line is already on the Mercy Home property. It just needs to be dropped into the building. This will cost 35,000 KSh. The internal wiring has already been done, though Edward owes 38,000 KSh for the job. The electrician was happy to wait for the money, and he's not charging interest, so only 35,000 KSh is needed for now.

At present Edward spends 6000 KSh on the kerosene and petrol needed for the generator, each month, which only provides power for two hours a day. With the power line connection, the supply will cost 1000 KSh each month, for 24 hour power. This will save 60,000 KSh a year, and is therefore of paramount importance. It will mean the girls will not have to strain their eyes using the oil lamps, and will save many of them needing glasses at an early age.

.. re. tailoring course, which Jessica is currently taking, ..it is important for the girls to choose a realistic profession, and although tailoring is not particularly aspirational, it will be a living, regardless of the abundance of second-hand cloth in the Kenyan market. Women will always want new clothes of good first-hand quality, and everyone needs clothing repaired.

I recently asked the girls to write me an essay entitled, 'The Purpose of My Life.' I noticed that almost all mentioned becoming doctors, lawyers, or ministers. Having dreams and goals is essential to a child's happiness, but these dreams need to be within their grasp. I reckon only 5% of graduates in the UK become doctors, lawyers or ministers; the brightest of the bright. The girls all said things like 'I will put my faith in God, and my dreams will happen' as if by magic. I think only Leo realises it takes six to eight years of degree level study to become a doctor in Kenya. Praying to God keeps these girls going, but they must 'keep their powder dry' as well. As Edward says, they just need to earn their daily bread. Anything else is a bonus.
I visited St. Bakhita's Rescue Centre in Eldoret, run by Gilbert Arap Bor and Father Martin of the Slovakian Catholic Church, last weekend. They have a tailoring unit, a hairdressing unit, and a computer unit. They realise that most of the girls will end up in these three professions. What's more, the girls there are happy with these careers. I wouldn't dare stop the Mercy Home girls from fulfilling their potentials. But I don't want to see them over-reach themselves either. What a person can be, they must be.....Any less than that is a waste of talent, any more is not possible.

Inspirational words from an AVIF volunteer, inspired by his hosts in Kenya.

Solar cooking

We have more volunteers visiting the west of Kenya and are organizing another demonstration by Solar Cookers International (SCI) for the incredible invention that is SOLAR COOKING.



SCI has expanded its Kenya projects to two new communities: Kadibo, on the outskirts of Kisumu City, and Kajiado, to the south near the Kenya-Tanzania border.

Incredibly 20 local women have received training on how to make, use and sell solar CooKits (the cookers marketing name). During the first year of the project, SCI's John Amayo and others have conducted 69 public solar cooking demonstrations, 209 group demonstrations, and six radio broadcasts. The women have earned income from over 230 CooKits sold thus far. Adjacent communities have begun requesting demonstrations, including Kibos, Vihiga, Maseno, Ahero, Kano, Machakos, Makueni, Magadi, Ngong’, and Namanga.

Requests for group demonstrations can be directed via AVIF or directly; Eastern Kenya and northern Tanzania Stella Odaba Tel: 0723 274870; Western Kenya John Amayo Tel: 0733 756568

Love it when a plan comes together

Yesterday I spoke with some of the volunteers, in Kenya & here in the UK. Some personal items were needed by the girls at the Jehovah Nissi Mercy Childrens Centre. We decided how much was needed and with James overseeing the collection of funds and buying of goods the job is done!

This is what AVIF is all about. With limited resources we've become efficient and able to act concisely and accurately. In fact the whole exercise only cost £10 to MoneyGram [and the fuel cost from Maseno to Kisumu].

Sharon & I would like to thank the volunteers of the Mercy Home Foundation, also James, currently in Kenya, for publicising his visit and already achieving a donation towards our work.
RESULT!



Art class

Kayole

The Summer's moving on rapidly and the Manx Grand Prix begins in less than 3 weeks, after which the medical supplies donations will be ready from the Marshals med boxes, going to the ArrowWeb Hospital in Kayole-Soweto, Nairobi, Kenya.

Administrator, Raul, was visiting the project, Bramuel has sent this photo



The project is fully managed online using the NABUUR wiki management system and is currently looking for medical volunteers who wish to spend time with them and help with raising awareness. Contact AVIF or direct through the project site for further information.

Update from Pat

Fantastic results .. Pats been visiting Brique's organization, LLK, on the stop-over to Nyahururu, Merryland Kindergarten .. and given a van full of jackets to the children & a meal party .. take a look





I'd also like to thank Roland W and the entire high school in Hof, Germany for their generous donations towards the children's food.

Merryland Kindergarten

Pat Jones just arrived in Kenya with 6 suitcases of clothes and toys for the children of Merryland Kindergarten, located in Ndaragwa, Nyandarua district, approx 6 km from Nyahururu town.

Pat is 75 and quite clearly has the heart and bravery of a Superhero!



The Kindergarten started in the year 2005, on the initiative of Lydiah Wangechi Gichane (known as Wangechi, below, left) after losing her husband in an accident. Initially trained as an early childhood teacher, she intended to provide the best development for children between two and seven years. 90% of the parents are casual labourers, earning only 100 KSh per day, which just about covers food, house rent and very basic needs for their families. The area also has a large population of children who need special care like orphans, mentally and physically challenged children and highly neglected children.


Pat & my friend, Danielle, are working hard alongside Wangechi to obtain more space for playgrounds at the nursery & playing and learning materials for the children. They have hopes for improved medical facilities and sponsors to ensure teachers can be paid.

We would all be grateful for any form of help or donation you can make.

Please contact either AVIF or Lydia Wangechi Gichane directly; P.O. Box 595 - 20300, Nyahururu Kenya
Cell phone: +254-722-780529



This is little James, age 4. He is his family’s only child. The family is poor and his mother makes a living selling potatoes at a nearby market but is not in good health. She uses the unsold potatoes to feed James and is unable to adequately meet all of his needs. James has a problem with speech and cannot express himself properly.Yes, he's scared & traumatised but we hope Merryland will allow him to play & learn & smile more. James doesn't yet have a sponsor, if you'd like to help please get in touch.
Asante & salamu x

Solar Aid

This is just a fantastic idea and one we're happy to be associated with. My wish now is to get solar kits to each of our hosts, as well as the ArrowWeb Community Hospital, currently supported as an online-managed NABUUR village.


As written on Solar-Aid's website, here's a few things you might not know:

1. The
   earth receives more energy from the sun in just one hour than the world
   uses in a whole year.
   
2. Two billion people in the world
   have no access to electricity.
   
3. Building a small solar charger for a radio can
   cost around £5 and can sell for three times the price in Africa .. Solar Aid help to set up small solar
   businesses so people can earn a living.
4. Most
   rural poor in Africa use kerosene lamps, which are heavily polluting in
   CO2 and bad for their health, but a solar lamp would be cheaper and
   better for the environment.
5. Solar panels are guaranteed typically for 25 years and have a life expectancy of at least 50 years.
6. Africa has the
   lowest fossil energy use of any world region, yet the continent is the
   most vulnerable to climate change. Signs of a changing climate have
   already emerged there: disease and melting glaciers in the mountains,
   rising temperatures in drought-prone areas, and sea-level rise and
   coral bleaching along the coastlines.
7. Respiratory diseases
   caused by toxic smoke from cooking fires kill 1.5 million women and
   children each year. Yet a solar cooker, which is much safer, can be
   easily built from cardboard and waste reflective material.

Visit the website for further info.

Road racing for AVIF

I have a massive thank you to give to Shaun K, a good friend from marshalling motorbike racing, after he RAN a road race of his own. 5 miles in 34 minutes, all in aid of AVIF. Here's the man himself handing over a cheque at Olivers Mount, Scarborough,host to the Cock o'the North Road Racing event.

Massive thanks to the UK weather system too for seriously holding off on all the predicted rain.



[Asante sana]

Safari Options with GDS

Image via Wikipedia

Game Drivers Safaris have uploaded their itinerary for you, should you wish to join them. This is the third consecutive year that GDS have offered a Maasai Mara safari to AVIF Volunteers, ran virtually at cost and our way of saying thank you for your efforts during your time in Kenya. Your safari payment also helps to support the local Maasai Community that we work with in the Maasai Mara.



GDS cater for all & pride themselves on offering a welcoming, diverse experience.



Jacob & Sambarap, 2 of the guides at Sokonoi Camp, with GDS.Technorati Tags: safari, maasai mara, experience, volunteer, AVIF, Game Drivers

Suncookers

In March 2008 Catherine Scott’s documentary film SUNCOOKERS, about Solar Cookers International’s efforts to spread solar cooking and solar water pasteurization in Kenya, won the alternative energy category at the 2008 EarthVision International Environmental Film Festival in Santa Cruz, California.

AVIF have been promoting solar cooking to all hosts since 2006 and this video is a fantastic way of spreading the word. Asante sana, Catherine & SCI.

To arrange a demonstration of the cookers, please contact us by email.

Suncookers

The advantages of solar cooking are numerous, since they dramatically reduce :

- POVERTY - by educating and empowering communities, creating opportunities for them to earn extra money and even start their own business supplying or baking

- POLLUTION - by introducing more sustainable technologies and clean renewable energies for daily use

- DEFORESTATION - by lessening the need firewood

- DESERTIFICATION / LANDSLIDES - caused by clearing of trees and plants for firewood

- ILLNESSES CAUSED BY INDOOR AIR POLLUTION such as eye and lung diseases - by far more efficient stoves creating NO smoke

- ILLNESSES CAUSED BY CONTAMINATED WATER such as diarrhoea, parasites, cholera - by allowing simple water purification through solar heat

- HIGH FUEL COSTS FOR COOKING - therefore making income available for other foodstuffs or education

- TIME CONSUMING DAILY TASKS such as fetching wood for cooking

Technorati Tags: solar cooking, alternative energy, sustainable development, Kenya, SCI, AVIF

Chain Reaction

Over the past few years I've watched as, Harrogate especially & the corporate world go expo & conference mad. Going to a meeting isn't the same as it was 10 years ago. Nowadays you don a suit, book into a hotel and spend the day wading through stalls and networking with similar-industry people. You share and compare ideas, then go back to your office and try to get a result from the business cards and bags of goodies you acquired. Networking online is a whole lot easier; instant, far less expensive and more personally direct but here's a new idea that caught my attention:



"Chain Reaction is about one talent, experience or idea unlocking another, creating a powerful chain of energy that will build a better world."
Uniquely Chain Reaction will "champion the voice of those under 25 years of age - our future global leaders .. those with power will meet those whose only power is their own actions; world
leaders will work with children; business leaders with micro enterprises."

Thats a Great idea ! Its also backed fully by the UK government.
Chain Reaction is about bringing people together to:

• Connect
  
• Collaborate &
  
• Commit
  

Speakers already committed include Community Links Founder, David Robinson OBE, co-Founder of Comic Relief, Jane Tewson CBE, Tim Smit of The Eden Project & John Bird of The Big Issue.

The inaugural Chain Reaction event is 17th—18th November 2008 on London's South Bank.
For further info and tickets click here. Entry is being ran by Community Links who do not want to exclude anyone from the event. Please contact them if you think you may have difficulty affording the rates, they WILL help. Technorati Tags: chain reaction, network, AVIF, action

Mercy Home Foundation

At the beginning of the year Kenya and the world watched in horror as the violence erupted. Unfortunately there are still victims, especially the children and communities trying to repair their lives. The tourism industry and economy have been damaged and one consequence is a dramatic fall in interest to visit by volunteers. This is totally understandable but the vicious circle MUST be broken in order to get people to come back to a beautiful country full of unquestionably kind people.

The most enigmaticly crazy person in my life, Matt McDonald just emailed to update me on the progress made by the Mercy Home Foundation. Co-Founders; Nick Kempson, Charlie Wright, along with many others set up the foundation after volunteering with AVIF, Summer 2007, staying at the JNMCC (Jehovah Nissi Mercy Childrens Centre).



Nick & Charlie are currently in Kenya visiting various places and delivering various goods, which is fantastic in itself, but Matt's update just makes me realise why AVIF exists. Prior to the Summer Program 2007, Matt's School, Campsmount Technical College, where Matt is a Learning Mentor amongst other roles, contributed hugely to AVIF. The students filled shoeboxes with items like pens, pencils & toothpaste & posted them over. The College, backed by Head, Andy Sprakes, provided materials and equipment for the orphans at JNMCC, which Matt fantasticly carried over to Kenya himself, as do all the AVIF volunteers.


Matt has organised a charity day at a very large primary school, this Friday, and will then be "giving an assembly to over 400 kids ! eeeak" he says! The last week of term at Campsmount College is dedicated to raising funds for the Mercy Home & "its turning out that the whole pyramid of schools want to be involved so its a sustained link".

Wow .. totally unbelievable result from the 2007 Summer Program Volunteers .. you Guys rock ! ...I'd like to wish Nick & Charlie a continued & safe trip with our friends in Kenya.

Related articles

• Tourism in Kenya down 44% [via Zemanta]

Update on Summer Programme

Please confirm your places ASAP.


Please contact GDS safari directly via the website if you wish to book a safari after the Programme ends, from 25 August.

Internet access can be found in local towns at Ksh60 (approx $1) an hour but mobile communications are much easier, esp. if you can access the internet too. Please remember internet access in rural locations is by poor satellite bandwidth only. A prepaid Kenya SIM card with a GSM international cell phone is the most convenient and economical solution while you travel in Kenya. All incoming calls while in Kenya, regardless of where they originate, are FREE! Pay the local rate for local calls and use a cellular phone in Kenya like you do at home. And unlike home, your Kenya SIM card and cell phone service is prepaid so there is no need for a contract. You can send an SMS & people can call you back or SMS you back. If you want to make international calls you will need an international SIM, again, you can get these in Nairobi.

US dollars are acceptable in Kenya but you'll need small local currency in rural locations. You can pay your host for food etc in either currency, they will be able to buy a lot more for their money than you, as locals get much cheaper rates than us "muzungus".

AVIF Volunteers may be assisting with distribution of goods and literature to our hosts in the effort to eliminate Malaria. Working with KeNAAM (part of the RollBackMalaria initiative hosted by the World Health Organisation) simply by passing on information AVIF Volunteers can help prevent, control and reduce the socio-economic burden of malaria. Educational materials and mosquito nets will be passed around at Orientation in Nairobi (TBC).

We have signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with 540 Airlines for all internal flights. 540 allow up to 45kg baggage allowance for AVIF Volunteers. We strongly recommend that volunteers travel up-country by air, a much more convenient, faster and safer method of travel, though this cost must be borne yourselves. .. internal flights take 1 hour rather than 6-9 hours by road and cost around GBP60 return.

Distance-learning for Solar Cookers .. see Plans.pdf here
We need all volunteers to study these plans. A full demonstration will be given to your host and you can assist with training in simple construction and use of the Solar "slow-cookers", under the guidance of SCI (Nairobi). SCI Archive site here

Points to note :

* Woman need to be trained since women do most of the cooking
* We must gain the attention of the elders of each community, for people to follow
* We must be sensitive to how they cook and how solar cooking may affect taste so men need to be involved, since they also may pay for the cooker / build the cooker, and will most definitely eat the food
* For those that rely on gathered firewood instead of purchased wood or charcoal, women and girls usually do most of the fuel collecting. Time saved by women and girls gathering firewood must be given a recognized value, as time to earn money building and re-selling cookers, baking cakes for example.
* Less firewood is needed so solar cooking is saving the forests - Forests mean rain, crops, livestock…money.
* Lack of smoke and soot is essential to lung health for cooks and children.
* Benefits of cookers for pasteurizing milk and water.
* Free to use because the sun's power is great enough to cook their food !
* Women and children can make extra money by using solar cooking to bake birthday cakes.

The Solar Cooking project continues to grow, please read the page on the SCI Wiki dedicated to Kenya. Especially this.

We can pass on details of SafeMed medical insurance. This is a package discounted for AVIF Volunteers though you may find that your travel insurance covers most of this anyway. We also recommend taking out Flying Doctor membership (please see Join Us > Safety section on website).

For all those not already informed please see the website section on Development Education, especially if you are a UK trainee teacher.Preparing for volunteering, volunteering itself and reflecting on the experience on your return are all likely to impact on your teaching.

We are now working with MASTA. They have an online shop for travel goods. MASTA's free travel health guide is available from the website.
Please send in AVIF Medical Forms if you have not already done so. Without these your place is not confirmed.

AVIF are supporting www.mannarelief.org with glyconutrient distribution. Nick & Charlie have just delivered 6 months supply, please help with distribution (i.e. make sure the girls aren't eating the supplements like sweets !) Glyconutrients are not vitamins, minerals, amino acids or enzymes, but are in a class of their own as nutritional supplement "sugars".

Itinerary as per website :

25 July arrival at JKIA, Nairobi & Gracia Guest House

Orientation 26 July with Sharon at the Gracia

Return flights to Kisumu (book through www.fly540.com 8am NBO-KISUMU-NBO) 26/27 July

4 week programme 27 July to 24 August

Return flight to Nairobi / NBO-Mara for Safari rendezvous / own plans/ home 27 Aug

Maasai Mara Safari 25-28/30 Aug

NB. Safari is optional ~ itinerary on JOIN US > Safari section

Please try to contact your respective airlines and ask for a charitable baggage allowance if you are bringing over classroom items. Normally airlines are happy to help. I can provide confirmation if necessary, or else pass on my details. Try to bring only group items to avoid diasppointment e.g. 10 sets of pads and pens cannot be shared around 30 children very fairly.

Sharon or a representative of AVIF will meet you at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. On the occasion of delays, please make a note of the following. Only the most experienced African travellers can resist the temptations of Nairobi's taxi touts !!!

Gracia Guest House address : off Ring Road, Kilimani Road, behind the Ya Ya Centre/ Mall, in Hurlingham area. The Gracia is a very clean, pleasant, quiet place with excellent hospitality.

Gracia Guest House, taxi fare should be absolutely no more than Ksh1200 per person.
The price for a twin room (cost shared between 2 sharing) is Ksh4250 / USD$ 62. A single is Ksh3250 .. these are extremely reasonable prices for central, secure Nairobi. We can arrange budget accommodation elsewhere but cannot guarantee your safety.

Should you require a Letter of Invitation for your TOURIST visas please let me know, they are not essential providing you give your hosts address.

Regarding educational posters, there is an instructions poster here should you wish to take some with you http://www.fourthway.co.uk/posters/pages/cover.html

Can you all please make sure you are subscribed to the Blog as updates are published there and act as an archive for information. If you subscribe (most of you should already be) you will get sent the updates every time I write something.

We were wondering if any of you wanted to plan a classroom painting day with your hosts. Paint is very cheap and as you will see walls can be very bare. Please consider this activity. It would of course involve the children in a fantastic lasting project. You can make arrangements on arrival with your hosts.

Don't forget high-power batteries for digital cameras etc. The standard AA types in Maseno sometimes aren't powerful enough to work with digital cameras.

Update from Nick & Charlie

The Mercy Home Foundation
June 2008 Update



I'm posting this on (summarised) from Nick & Charlie, currently in Kenya :

Hey guys,

Just a quick update from the Mercy Home to fill you all in on our visit and show you how all the money you have donated has helped improve the Mercy Home and provide a better life for all the girls here.

We arrived in Maseno last Monday ... We gave Edward, the director of the Home, a digital camera that had been donated by Simon Gardner through AVIF, and he's not stopped using it! We will show him how to upload the photos this week so he can keep everyone updated about the goings-on at the Mercy Home and show us all how the construction projects are progressing.

We've also been fetching water with the girls as there has been little rain recently and the water supply from Maseno was cut off during the post-election violence in January. Carrying the water is so difficult - we are hopeless and can only carry half a 20 litre tank whereas even the smallest girl can carry a whole one without hands! The girls have to go up to six times a day when they are not at school, and even when they get home from school at 6.30pm they have to go once again.

Sewing and Tailoring

On Thursday, Edward took us to visit two of the girls who finished primary school ... Jesca and Dezemah..are now boarding at a tailoring school ..This is really useful as the Home has been given a sewing machine by the local community which means that the two girls can teach the others basic skills and how to repair clothes. Thanks to Angela's donations, we are going with Edward to buy lots of patterns, threads and material this week, and are arranging for Jesca and Dezmah to come back to the Mercy Home at the weekend to give the other girls an introduction on how to sew.

Building and Construction
The amount of building work that has been done at the Mercy Home since the 2007 volunteers left is amazing! When we left there was a half built dormitory and now the dormitory is roofed and internally plastered ...We will send some photos next week so you can see just how much your donations are helping.


Edward has also begun to construct a permanent chicken coop for the Mercy Home with the money that Marie left with him last year, although this is still in its early stages. It is hoped that the chicken coop will provide the girls with food as well as becoming an income-generating project in the future, through the sale of chickens.

...Furthermore, the local deaf school has secured government funding for electricity to be diverted from the town of Maseno and the pylons will pass right past the Mercy Home and allow the Home to use electricity from the grid. This is great news and will be much cheaper in the long term, as the monthly electricity bill should be about half what the Home currently spends on kerosene and diesel for the generator and lamps. In preparation for this, Edward had the whole house wired last week, which means that the girls now have electric lighting in all rooms (albeit through the generator for now)! Edward has arranged to pay for this wiring in installments, and the some of the Mercy Home Foundation funds will be used to assist Edward in paying for this. It is thought that the pylons will be completed this month so hopefuly we may have 'real' electricity before we leave!

.. the girls are still as amazing as ever - Leo is still a chatterbox, Mary and Phanice still haven't stopped dancing and singing and little Melisa is a sweetheart! We have also bought a video-camera with us to record the girls for you all, we are planning a 'Day in the Life' documentary of some of the girls so everyone can see what life is really like for these girls, and also look out for a Mercy Home Foundation YouTube channel when we get back.

Thanks to you all for your support, it really is making such a difference to these girls.Special thanks to Matt and Mrs. Mcdonald who are organising a school fundraiser as we speak. Please keep on supporting the Foundation in any way you can.

love,

Nick and Charlie xxxx

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