MAY NEWSLETTER - HOT OFF THE PRESS

We hope that you will all enjoy reading our May newsletter. This issue highlights the achievements of three students who are now out in the workplace - two on internships and one on a contract basis.

You will note that our AGM is on Tuesday 16th May at 2.30pm at Mahalai Pa Watoto School and we would encourage any of you who are free, to come along and meet us. Tea and refreshments will be served afterwards and if you need directions, please drop us an email on: frodach@gmail.com

Another date for the diary is the SAWA "Blue Moon Ball" on Saturday 24th June at Muthaiga Country Club. Contact details are on page two of our newsletter - we are hugely appreciative that they are donating the funds raised at the Ball this year to FDC. 

Friends of Dagoretti Children - Notice of AGM - Tuesday 16th May at 2.30pm

We would like to announce that our AGM will be held on Tuesday 16th May at Mahali Pa Watoto School, Karinde (off Dagoretti Road) at 2.30pm. Refreshments will be served afterwards.

We do hope that those of you in Nairobi will be able to attend. RSVP by email to frodach@gmail.com by 1st May and we will send out directions, if required, and the agenda. This will be an excellent opportunity to meet the committee and to find out more about us and our students!

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter

The FDC committee

Jane Wanjiru - working hard for a good outcome

It is always such a pleasure to report back on success stories and particularly when a student's hard work has paid dividends! 

Jane Wanjiru has been standing in for Catherine, our social worker, during Catherine's maternity leave. She has been covering the FDC office to meet parents and students alike, offer sound advice and and help the committee, in all sorts of ways, to provide a constant presence until Catherine returns.

Jane Wanjiru

In between all of this she has been looking for permanent employment in the environmental sector and we are pleased to report that following an interview in Kitui with a company called Machine Centre Ltd, she has now secured a job on a contract basis - working one week in every month. 

Machine Centre Ltd is running a very interesting sounding project, contracted to them by the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development through the Kenya Informal Settlement Improvement Program (KISIP). The project will encompass the improvement of Informal Settlement infrastructure in Kitui - including roads, sewer systems, water connection, installation of street lights and solid waste management.

Jane will be working on the following:

• helping the youth in these informal settlements to form a community based organisation (CBO).
• training the youth how to run these CBOs, highlighting the opportunities and challenges.
• training them in solid waste management
• training them on how they can earn a living from waste collection

Jane will also be in charge of occupational health and safety issues for the project.

She will be busy - but we have every confidence that she will do an excellent job and be a credit to herself, FDC, her educational institutions and last but not least, to her family! 

Good luck Jane! 

Jane shows round a visitor from Scotland while manning the FDC office

Aiming for the top with Summit Recruitment and Search

Last week, two of our post-tertiary students, Festus Wachira and Nixon Lihanda, who are now both looking for permanent positions, were lucky enough to attend a Careers Advisory Clinic at our sponsor Summit Recruitment and Search. Here, they were able to access help from Summit consultants and received a great deal of advice on possible jobs and careers. The day started off with some tests, as shown below. We would like to thank Summit for their support - not only as a financial sponsor, but in giving valuable time and advice as well. Next up will be an Interview Techniques training half day course. Thank you to Sue and the Summit team! This type of help is immeasurable and vital in helping our students find the right jobs for the future.

Festus, left, and Nixon work on a number of tests at Summit Recruitment and Search

Prizes, Peter and Principles

A great believer in the adage "better late than never" it is a huge pleasure to now be able to put up a few photos to go with our list of 2016 prize winners, who were announced and congratulated at our end of year party. Our congratulations went to:

John Kibue receives the top academic prize

Academic - No. 1
John Kibue: John, despite missing school for a month and then transferring to a new school, managed to achieve an overall B+ grade and was among the top ten students in his new school.
Academic - No. 2
Solomon Muriithi: Solomon achieved a B grade and is mentioned again below.
Academic - No. 3
Centrine Wairimu: Centrine achieved a C+ grade. 
Most Improved Student
David Maina
Most Helpful Student
Solomon Murithi: Solomon coordinated holiday activities during the year, took charge of the kitchen and always volunteered to do the jobs that no-one else was prepared to do!
Recognition for Hard Work
Esther Wahu had promised us that she would catch up having missed quite a large chunk of the school year due to poor health. She did just that and managed a respectable C+ grade and came top in History! 

Well done to them all! 

Centrine receives third prize for academics

Esther receives her prize from Pop

Gerry Downes gives Solomon one of his two prizes

FDC prize winners at the 2016 Christmas party

FDC tertiary student, Duncan Wataka, addresses the guests

Apart from the giving and receiving of prizes, all of our students were able to mingle, and share experiences at the end of year Christmas party. A highlight was having Peter Ouko come to speak. Peter Ouko was released from Kenya’s notorious Kamiti Prison in October 2016, having served 18 years there for a crime he did not commit. He cautioned that a large percentage of prisoners are young people and most of the crimes that they commit are as a result of intoxication. He warned about the dangers of drug abuse and peer pressure and spoke of the importance of honesty, integrity and good principles. Boys, he mentioned, are particularly at risk as they are often overlooked during their childhood and he kindly offered to return at some point to counsel our cohort of boys. His talk was inspiring and we hope that his first hand experience and cautionary words will have made each and every student sit up and think! 

The Senior Chief of Mutuini also came to speak and was particularly interested in meeting students from his area. He counseled the students on the importance of good discipline and of conducting themselves well in their holidays, not just when they are under the eye of school authorities.

The party definitely served up 'food for thought' as well as for normal enjoyment!

Peter Ouko

The Senior Chief - Mutuiini

Wishing Heather and Henry "Health, Wealth and Much Happiness"

All of us at FDC would like to wish Heather Cuthbert and Henry Davis all the very best this Saturday as they 'tie the knot'! We would also like to thank them for their huge kindness in asking for donations to be sent to FDC in lieu of wedding gifts. We are all so touched and enormously grateful for this spontaneous and generous gesture! 

May Saturday be the beginning of a long, happy life together!

Happy New Year and Many Congratulations!

FDC would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year!

The new year has started on such a happy note for all of us with the wonderful news that Catherine, our social worker, and her husband Nick are now the parents of three - with the safe and happy arrival of Elsa! Catherine is now home from hospital and we wish her and Nick, and siblings - Adrian and Tessy - much love, as their new year starts with such a precious gift!

We have also been assessing prospective Form 1 students and look forward to announcing which lucky individuals will be joining our cohort in the next week or so, once home visits have been undertaken and needs assessed and prioritised. This is never an easy process as there are so many worthy individuals to choose from. 

We look forward to the year ahead and thank all of you whose loyal support and interest keeps us going year in, year out!