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**FEATURE
PROJECT**
Kimbilio Children's Home
The Kamukuywa Lela Children’s Home (featured
below) was originally intended for the older orphan children cared
for by Justus & Annette, especially the older girls who needed
some privacy and security.
However, there is a law in Kenya that older children are not to
go into official orphanages as there are so many younger children
that need the care they are bursting at the seams!
So, Justus & Annette will still have at least 40 children
at their home. These children sleep outside on the ground at night
and it is cold. When we were there in May, the children were sharing
one blanket between 5-6 children.
Agape in Action hopes to build a simple structure for these children,
at the home of Justus and Annette, so they have shelter at night
from the cold and shelter during the day from the burning sun.
This home will be called the Kimbilio Children's Home. Kimbilio
is a Swahili word that means 'refuge or shelter' which is what Justus
and Annette's home has become for these children.
We are currently trying to raise funds so that this shelter can
be built. For more details please contact
us.
Kamukuwya Lela Children's Home -
Kenya
Agape
in Action supports 53 children looked after by a Christadelphian
couple - Justus & Annette in Western Kenya. Most of these are
orphans. In collaboration with the CBM and CMaD, a home is now being
built for 60 of the more than 100 children that come to Justus &
Annette for support. There are on-going running costs to keep this
home functioning which Agape in Action needs sponsors for. Sponsors
for this project will receive regular updates and photos from the
home.
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As of August 7th, 2008, we are still looking for 5
sponsors for this home.
Clean Water
Water quality and quantity are critical issues that
need immediate attention, especially in the coastal region of Kenya.
The immediate priority is to provide clean and adequate water for
drinking and personal hygiene. It is not uncommon for women and
children to walk 6-10kms for water each day, and in one area, the
round trip was some 20kms! While this daily pressure of carrying
heavy loads of water is literally a heavy burdensome, the poor quality
of the water is deadly. The water is so dirty that your hand can’t
be seen a couple of inches below the surface. We encountered many
water related health problems in the children and families that
we visited. The week before we arrived in Godo (a remote village
in the coastal region), a brother and his 16 year old son died within
48 hours of each other to typhoid, leaving behind a widow and several
children While Agape in Action has stepped in to sponsor this family,
interventions are necessary to prevent such a tragedy reoccurring.
We are currently researching the best water solutions in the different
areas. While the necessary partnerships are developed and funds
raised to put in bores, wells and/or rainwater tanks, an interim
measure of providing chlorine tablets is being supported by Agape
in Action.
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Atashinda
Education Fund
Atashinda is a Swahili word meaning ‘he/she will succeed,
he/she will overcome’. This fund has been created to support
sponsored children pursue a trade or complete high school. It is
so important that we not only provide support during times of acute
need, but assist these young people to develop skills to support
themselves and their families in the future. Regular sponsorship
will continue until the completion of a trade or high school. The
child’s sponsor will have the opportunity to up their sponsorship
to enable their child to go through high school or a trade when
the time comes. If they are not able, the additional expenses associated
with this level of training, will be made up by the Atashinda Education
Fund as money is available. The decision to send a child to high
school or to pursue a trade will be left to the guardians. Some
of the trade options include tailoring, hair dressing, child care,
carpentry or farming. IN addition, this fund will also enable the
siblings of sponsored children to attend school.
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Nursery
School Support
In several of the Christadelphian churches in the
coastal region we found nursery schools that had been started. This
was for various reasons, often because the school was too far away
for the young children to walk to (ex: a 4 year old would have to
walk 10 km one way to school in one village), and in one case a
school was started because the majority of the Christadelphian Sunday
School children were attending a school in another church who started
teaching the children to speak in tongues! These schools are accommodating
up to 75 children and are currently being run with virtually no
financial support. As most parents in the rural areas are living
in poverty, most are only able to make the smallest contribution
to the school. The teachers are volunteers and operate without text
books or any school supplies except a piece and chalk and a blackboard.
These nursery schools serve as a wonderful witness to the families
in the village and provide an opportunity to teach sound values
and show warmth and love to these children. We are looking for sponsors
for these schools. With a small infusion of funds, these schools
can be equipped with desks and chairs, blackboards, text books,
basic school supplies and a nutrition program as most of the children
are living in poverty.
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Medical Check-ups
Agape in Action is running a special program to
support medical team visits to Sunday Schools across Kenya and provide
check-ups for the children. This is especially important to identify
and treat chronic and infectious conditions, catch early signs of
malnutrition and ensure childhood vaccinations are up to date. Some
of these children will require follow-on treatment or medication.
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In addition to financial support for these activities, we
are looking for volunteers! Doctors, nurses,
dentists, community health workers – consider a stint, long
or short in Kenya – there is no shortage of work.
Hygiene Kits
Children in Sunday Schools in areas supported by Agape in
Action receive hygiene kits. These consist of a washbowl, face cloth,
bag, bathing soap, clothes washing soap, toothbrush and toothpaste.
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Bukigai Day Nursery School –
Uganda
We have currently filled our quota
for the number of sponsors required to support this school - thanks
to all those who have signed up to sponsor this project!
The Uganda School project is a very exciting opportunity that began
in February 2008. This project was implemented in collaboration
with the Christadelphian Bible Mission (CBM) Uganda team and a local
school committee in Uganda. The government of Uganda has made it
compulsory for any Christian organization operating in their country
to run a charitable activity such as a school or health clinic.
The Ugandan Christadelphians are required to comply if they wish
to keep their halls open. The sponsorship for the school is $30
CAD per month and the funds are used to run a nutrition program,
pay the salary of the teachers, for school supplies, uniforms, shoes,
and medical needs. Sponsors will receive regular class pictures
and updates from the children. The Uganda school makes a great sponsorship
option for Sunday Schools, youth groups, ecclesias, sisters’
classes as well as individuals.
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If you are interested in sponsoring one of these projects click
here. If you are interested in
making a once off donation to these projects click here.
If you would like more information about any of these projects
please email us.
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