The choir welcome the friends from overseas
Marlies Huber-Boch and Birgit Stolz-Hoffmann were warmly welcomed during their most recent visit to Mbale, Kenya. The local women’s support groups, the pastor, the village eldest as well as of course plenty of children and – where there were any – their relatives prepared a wonderful reception for their “friends from overseas”. Wearing home-sewn clothes, the choir composed of members of the support groups proudly presented songs in their native tribal language and also, to honour their guests, in English.
During the welcome speeches, hope was emphatically thanked for the projects initiated. In her speech, Marlies Huber-Boch clearly expressed that hope only provided help to those who helped themselves. She added that every locality was responsible for actively undertaking the measures necessary to improve the extremely bad living conditions.
Subsequently, the women involved in the sewing project presented their finished work with great delight.
Purchasing the sewing machines has clearly been a worthwhile investment!
A further 40 women are currently being trained (through financing provided by hope) by a Kenyan Fair Trade organisation on how to make paper out of banana leaves, which in turn can be turned into greeting cards.
Birgit Stolz-Hoffmann shows the women from Mbale how to make the new design
In addition to this, the highly motivated members of the support group are also learning how to turn recycling materials into jewellery. The results produced are evidence of enormous amounts of creativity.
The people are high motivated
All in all, it is possible to perceive a positive and hopeful sense of excitement in Mbale – a region which, up until 2010, was one of the most neglected areas of Kenya.
This necklaces got the two hope members as a gift from the women of Mbale.
The visitors had the greatest delight in finding the children’s nursery in good general condition. The children’s faces, which had been apathetic and sad a year ago, were barely recognisable.
The children were so happy that day.
The members of hope were able to look into the children’s bright, radiant eyes. They could hardly wait to be given their presents.
The sponsors of the nursery children will receive new photos of “their children” from hope in the next few days.
Due to an urgent request made by the pastor, the village eldest and the chairpersons of the support groups, hope would also like to admit disadvantaged schoolchildren into the aid programmes in future.
We are therefore looking for a further 50 sponsors for these children. If you are interested in sponsoring a child, please send an e-mail to