Update and Sponsorship Opportunities

December 26, 2008

Dear Kids for Kenya Supporters,

Happy Holidays to you all. We hope this letter finds you safe, warm, and healthy this holiday season. We are excited to be able to relay some of the news and updates from Kids from Kenya and our sister community in Nairobi, Humble Hearts and Angel Cottage.

Trillium was delighted to host Beatrice Anunda, founder and director of Humble Hearts, for 4 weeks earlier this fall. Kids for Kenya raised funds to sponsor Beatrice’s visit. The leader of a progressive program that integrates deaf and hearing students, Beatrice was able to visit schools that serve deaf children in many parts of the United States. The Kids for Kenya students, past and present, were thrilled to meet Beatrice in person. A number of the founding members of the group, who were not able to go on our earlier service trip, were particularly touched to meet Beatrice, seeing her visit to the United States as the realization of their hard work and vision. We look forward to continuing this exchange in the years to come, hoping to sponsor other teachers, and students, from the HH community to live and study here in the United States.

Trillium Kids for Kenya have been preparing for our upcoming trip to Nairobi in March. The twelve students who will take part in our biannual service trip (three of them trip veterans) have been attending a twice-weekly early morning class focusing on the history and culture of Kenya, and the realities of international travel and service. On top of each student’s work to raise money for his/her own travel expenses, students are working to raise money for the projects we will undertake while we are in Kenya.

To that end, the Shop Africa drive has brought in over $1000 in two weeks, despite Trillium being closed for the three days just before holiday break due to snowy weather. Shop Africa allows Kids for Kenya supporters to purchase hand-made Kenyan crafts such as scarves, jewelry, and dolls with one hundred percent of the proceeds going directly back to Humble Hearts and Angel Cottage. Despite some logistical difficulties in getting the operation running this year, the Kids for Kenya Coffee Cart has brought in about $150 as of the beginning of December. Our largest fund-raiser, Africa Night, features performances, speakers, and food and will be held at Trillium in mid-February.

During Beatrice’s visit, we were fortunate to be able to spend many hours discussing the goals and future of Humble Hearts, Angel Cottage, and Kids for Kenya. Beatrice laid out the current state of her home community and helped us design the goals for our upcoming service trip. (A letter directly from Beatrice is posted below.) Beatrice helped us to understand some of the new obstacles her community is facing, including water shortages which frequently leave residents without access to water for three to four days at time. The high cost of food continues to be a challenge in providing proper nutrition for the students. The construction of the new school building and orphanage has come to a halt as the cost of supplies, particularly concrete and steel, has dramatically increased in the past year. Completion of the new building is crucial for Humble Hearts. The property has already been purchased and the structure is over fifty percent finished. Beatrice’s plan for creating a lasting, sustainable program depend entirely on being able to move into this terrific new space.

Beatrice, Polly, and Ken have designed several programs that we believe will help address a number of these issues. Trillium students are currently working on models for water collection systems that would be inexpensive and sustainable for the HH community. We look forward to implementing such a system during our upcoming service trip. We will also work with our HH community members to design and install a garden, chicken coop, and housing for a cow. These resources will help provide needed nutrients for the community as well as generate a small income. We hope to support HH in developing a solar water heating system for purposes of health and sanitation in serving such a large population of young people.

With the help of Kids for Kenya, and other international supporters, HH will be able to complete their new building to provide a safer, drier, more reliable facility that can accommodate many more students, and allow for such facilities as the garden and farm. Currently the orphanage sleeps three children in beds designed for only one, with a total of 40 boys and girls in cramped quarters. The new building will have space for 120 beds, a kitchen with electricity, and room for the kids to play outdoors. Angel Cottage is the only orphanage in all of Kenya that serves deaf children. Abandoned and living in the slums, from toddlers to teens, deaf Kenyan youth find nourishment, safety, and hope in this compassionate institution.

Our work in Africa relies on donations from our supporters. Please consider giving to Kids for Kenya in order for us to continue our work in Nairobi. Below is a list of ways in which supporters can sponsor our sister community in Kenya. All donations are tax-deductible and contributions of any amount are sincerely appreciated. Whether you choose to contribute $8 to purchase a warm blanket for the orphanage, or $3000 to finance the cow project, your generosity means a great deal to the people we are able to help.

As always, please feel free to contact us with questions or comments. Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous new year.

Warm regards,

Polly Christopher, Ken Gadbow, and the Kids for Kenya

Polly@TrilliumCharterSchool.org, Ken@TrilliumCharterSchool.org

Kids for Kenya
Trillium Charter School
5420 North Interstate Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97217