Kindergarden

October 2012

Volounteers in kenya

On 1 October 2012, Johanna began her work experience placement at “hope” in our project area in Mbale.

She is therefore our first intern!

After passing her final secondary school exams, Johanna wished to broaden her own personal horizon; therefore she decided to pursue a meaningful and practical activity, and applied to “hope” for a two-month assignment to the project area in Kenya.

She has already accompanied our coordinator, Recky Awino Kyalo, for 14 days. Recky provides her support when it comes to dealing with the situation in Mbale, with which it can sometimes be very difficult to cope. Despite the, at times, incomprehensible fate of the people, there are also many pleasant and positive daily experiences. For example, regularly meeting our nursery school children, with whom Johanna plays, sings and does handicrafts.

Furthermore, her work experience also includes contributing to the planning and organisation of new projects.

Now – after a mere 14 days – Johanna is already able notice that her own personal horizon is being expanded on a daily basis: through saddening twists of fate, stupefying conditions, but also though children’s eyes full of hope, and the many positive encounters with endearing and also thoroughly cheerful people.

October 2012

Renovation of our nursery

The rooms in our nursery school, which have been put at our disposal by the pastor, received a much needed coat of interior paint this summer.

However, for financial reasons, only the two interior rooms were painted with a fresh coat of paint.

In addition to this, “hope” has paid for shelves, on which the play and learning materials can be stacked away in an orderly fashion. A kitchen shelf was also specially manufactured and fitted for the purpose of storing all of the utensils required (pots, plates, cutlery, cups, etc.).

Following the successful “renovation”, enthusiasm poured out of everyone: the children, the qualified pre-school teachers and the pastor.

August 2012

Sweatshirts for our nursery children

 March 2012

Mosquito nets for the nursery children

In the 21^st century, Malaria is still one of the most dangerous infectious diseases, which is responsible for over one million deaths annually. It hits Africa particularly hard – especially children under 5.

Plasmodium falciparum, a parasite which causes the serious form of the disease, is transmitted by the sting of a female Anopheles mosquito from infected to healthy people.

A total of 35 mosquito nets were given to school children. Each child was awarded protection from Malaria.

Malaria is one of the killer disease in the Mbale area and children below 5 years of age are the most affected. The HOPE TEAM recently distributed mosquito nets to protect the children from Malaria.

To the joy of the children, sweets were also distributed.

From now on, every child newly admitted to the nursery will be give a mosquito net – in addition to a nursery uniform and regular meals.

June 2011

The Nursery is open

The children infront their new nursery (from left: Marlies Huber-Boch, Recky Awino Kyalo, Gabi Lingenfelser -Lutz and our new teacher Mable Keya.

With a diary full of appointments, Marlies Huber-Boch and Gabi Lingenfelser-Lutz once again visited our project in the Western Province, Kenya. On each of the 10 days in total, there was always something planned from early in the mornings until the fall of dusk – extremely strenuous work.

A lot could be realised, completed and initiated – thanks mainly to the excellent planning by Recky Awino Kyalo, our on-location coordinator. We are especially proud of the fact that our nursery, with space for a total of 25 children, could be opened. The children will be taught and looked after by a qualified pre-school teacher, two thirds of whose salary will be paid for by “hope”; the other third must be raised by the local support group. The rooms required will be made available by the parish priest. Equipment, such as desks and benches as well as the materials required for pre-school teaching, has been financed by “hope”.

On seeing the children’s poor health (they are mainly undernourished), Marlies Huber-Boch and Gabi Lingenfelser-Lutz spontaneously decided to launch a “Children Feeding Programme”. This means that, from now on, “hope” will pay for the food needed to provide the nursery children with one warm – and above all healthy – meal a day. Women in the support group will take turns in preparing these meals.

Ideally, more than 30 further children should also join our nursery programme – but unfortunately there is currently a lack of funding for the necessary spatial expansion and the “feeding programme”.

At the nursery opening, every nursery child received a starter set, which comprised a small bag (sincere thanks again to Barbara (“Barbarella” children’s fashion, Bruchsal)), filled with colouring books, crayons, erasers, etc., as well as some sweets. Many of the children are ill and require continuous medical care to be provided. Therefore, it is urgently necessary to find sponsors for our nursery children. Just €10 a month will ensure a child’s attendance at the nursery, including meals and the necessary medical care.

At the opening ceremony for our nursery, all of those present (roughly 80 people) received approx. 2kg of maize and 1kg of rice each.

A sewing course is planned for any mothers interested. A qualified seamstress from Kisumu together with another seamstress will hold the course in the Western Province for our project. The sewing machines will be paid for by “hope”.

The amazing visit to “Mama Sarah”, US President Barack Obama’s paternal grandmother, was a very pleasant way to end the stay in Kenya. Marlies Huber-Boch and Gabi Lingenfelser Lutz spent an especially pleasant, interesting and extremely relaxed afternoon together with Sarah Obama.

At 89, Sarah Obama is an awe-inspiring and humorous person, who has maintained a simple and modest lifestyle. She has done and still does charitable work. Approx. 140 orphans in the region are currently being sponsored by her.

As nightfall approached, we had to leave to travel back to Kisumu –not, however, before Mama Sarah invited us to visit her again on our next stay in Kenya.

And we received a bag of fresh mangos to eat on the journey back home, the last of which we ate for breakfast on Sunday in Karlsdorf – absolutely delicious…