Visiting and Volunteering - Part 2

Signs of the Times

Next on our list of visits was to catch up with a new FDC student, Alice, at the Karen Technical Training Institute for the Deaf.

We were there to pay her term's fees and were lucky enough to sit in on a class for her food and beverages course - on table setting, presentation and serving. 

She has settled in well and has made a great group of friends, with whom you see her 'signing', in a group of four, above! We hope that she will go on to find a fulfilling job at the end of her course. She deserves to succeed, demonstrating to us and her teachers, huge amounts of cheer and enthusiasm!

Hard workers

Duncan and Dennis were last, but not least! Like Wilberforce, they took their KCSE exams in November and are now working to earn some money for living expenses, to enable them to do their volunteering work at a special needs school in Waithaka. They have 'networked' with friends in the area and found jobs on a building site in the Lavington area - doing 'finishing work' on 'new build' homes.

Dennis, above and right, is hoping to then move on to a catering course for his tertiary education, whilst Duncan, bottom left, is keen on pursuing a career in mechanical engineering and is hoping to either win a place on an internship at a well-known automotive company in Nairobi, or to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. 

Visits and Volunteering - Part 1

This week has been one of visits and volunteering. Catherine, Louise and UK visitor, Kezia, spent a morning out and about in Nairobi visiting four students. Wilberforce, below, sat his KCSE last November and as part of the FDC programme agreement, is now giving back to the community, in a volunteering initiative which is compulsory for all FDC students. Without this voluntary work and the necessary KCSE grades, students will not be considered by FDC for sponsorship of their tertiary education. 

Wilberforce is volunteering at a primary school in Kawangare, which is 15km west of Nairobi City Centre. Below, we see the wonderful and thought provoking tour he gave us:

Above, we see Wilberforce with the headmaster of the primary school, which has been funded by a church group within Kawangare. He was full of praise for Wilberforce's enthusiasm and dedication - which was wonderful to hear. The Wikepedia description of Kawangare is as follows:

"Kawangare is a slum in Kenya with hundreds of thousands of residents, many of whom are children. Water supplied by the city authority is not available every day. Safe drinking water is expensive in Kawangare. Many children in the slum do not attend school. The population is ethnically diverse, and many persons are HIV-positive. Most people live there on less than $1 USD a day."

So these children are relatively lucky - they are being provided with an education up to Year 3 of secondary schooling - but as you can see, their facilities are incredibly basic and teachers have to work with the bare minimum - one text book per class if they are lucky, and the children share exercise books and the rare calculator.

But apparent to us all, was the total enthusiasm of both teachers and students alike - keen to teach and be taught! Well done, Wilberforce, for contributing your time and knowledge!

Thanks must also go to Robert, Wilberforce's old school friend, for enabling Wilberforce to work in Kawangare, by sharing his lodging with him, as pictured below:

FDC AGM

Yesterday we held our AGM at Mahali Pa Watoto School in Karinde. We would like to thank those who came to support us and to hear our annual round up of 'thank yous', news and finances. Katharine Gunson delivered a comprehensive report on our activities over the last twelve months and Gerry Downes summarised our financial position with emphasis, as always, on accountability and transparency. These reports will be circulated shortly to our members, together with the Minutes of the AGM.  

Charlie Taylor, who has been fundraising for us for the last nine months or so, was formally elected onto our committee. It is great to have her on board officially!

We were also joined by two of our post-KCSE students, Duncan Wataka and Hannah Mbugua, who enjoyed meeting some of our sponsors and supporters, as well as chatting to committee members over tea and cake afterwards!

Money in Money out!

Thanks Gerry, FDC treasurer, for helping Catherine with the issuing of school fee cheques for this term. 

Above, Christine Wanjiku, who is in Form 3, receives a cheque to cover her term fees at Njabani Girls' High School. 

Work Experience

Thanks so much to John, Patsy and Derek for taking Hannah Mbugua on for some work experience at the Sercombe Veterinary Practice this week! 

We visited her there yesterday where we found her, all smiles, helping with the various pets and learning all about daily life at a busy vet's practice. Hannah is keen on pursuing a career in animal husbandry or agriculture and this experience is invaluable in giving her a glimpse of working with animals - and their owners too!