General Report

Seeing for the first time

As this was my first visit to Nakuru, Kenya there was both a lot to take in as well as an opportunity to see things from a visitor’s perspective. Daniel and Fennih Gitau were excellent hosts providing comfortable board and lodging as well as a busy schedule of visiting and speaking engagements.

I spoke at a young people’s leaders conference, two Sunday morning services, and a Nakuru church leaders meeting. I participated in a day of planning of a marriage preparation course with church elders and a pastors meeting of Daniel’s Chrisco churches. I visited the clinic in Dundori, the school in Kamwara and the child support programme in Molo. Amongst this very busy schedule there was just time to visit the park around Lake Nakuru and get to Thompson Falls as a tourist.

Reports

At the meeting with the local pastors in Daniel’s office in Nakuru I heard reports from the three projects. These were presented by Joseph for the medical centre, Michael for the school, and Leonard for child support in Molo. Below is a brief summary, I believe that full reports were emailed to Daniel from the project leaders.

Medical Centre

Recently the Kenyan government has introduced free medical treatment and whilst that is not running smoothly it is expected to continue changing the way in which the local community uses the medical centre. A total of ten staff are involved in running the centre with continual difficulties in raising funds for salaries as well as medicines.

Half of the 200 strong congregation of the Dundori church were evangelised through the work of the medical centre.

The centre aims to improve facilities to raise income from patients and to provide better care than the government. Obtaining high class dental equipment is seen as the priority and is expected to increase the number of patients who will pay full price for their treatment thus providing funds for those who cannot pay. A second priority is additional laboratory equipment. Some technical tasks are sent away and with better equipment could be done at the centre. In addition a 6 month placement by a self-supporting Western doctor would transform the work of the centre.

Dolphin Academy

Currently 300 pupils, 16 teaching staff and 4 support staff. Permanent structures include a full size computer room, 3 classrooms and office space. There are now 8 new latrines, 5 renovated latrines and 3 staff latrines.

Currently school fees aim to cover the learning expenses whilst donations cover salaries and facilities.

In the 2013 national examinations the top class came 4^th out of 21 local schools and 16^th out of 93 regional schools. Michael expects stronger results for the current year group who have just completed the 2014 exams.

To improve funding the school aims to attract pupils from further afield who can afford to pay fees and thus fund others who cannot. The current minibus makes multiple trips reducing learning time and so the priority is to purchase a 64 seat coach. A second priority is to improve classroom facilities as currently none of the classrooms meet government standards. In addition further links with UK schools would be helpful.

Child Support in Molo

The child feeding programme has changed over the years with growing government care. Currently there is a feeding programme in place during school holidays only. Some children are now adults in their 20’s having come through the support programme and are doing well. Currently 5 children are sponsored for their schooling at a cost of £500/£300 boarding/day per year. (£42/£25 per month)

In Molo the long term plan is to purchase land and build a classroom for secondary level education followed by further teaching facilities in a similar pattern of growth seen at the Dolphin Academy which would be one feeder school. Land is available adjacent to the land already purchased and the site considered ideal. Getting this project going is the priority and requires substantial initial investment but once running is expected to be self-financing. In addition support from the UK is sought to attract additional child sponsors aiming to increase the number of children sponsored by 10 every year.

Visits

These are my personal observations made whilst visiting each of the three projects:

Medical centre

On the day I visited the medical centre 50 patients were treated. Two of the beds in the three bed ward had been used for day patients and the laboratory was testing blood samples but looked like it could benefit from additional equipment. 20 teeth were extracted in the temporary chair. This is no longer a wooden upright dining chair but a reclining seat from a used car.

In talking with Gideon I understood the significant evangelism and medical work that can continue from here for many years.

Dolphin Academy

I had a busy time at the school speaking to the whole school during assembly and then teaching in classes. I had to work hard on my Maths and refused to help with the Swahili lesson I interrupted. The atmosphere of the school was excellent with seemingly happy staff and pupils. I was struck by the easy going nature of the children as they played and moved around the school compound but also by their discipline within the classroom as they studied.

Whilst the school is well established I came away reflecting that the actual facilities do not compare well with those I know from my own school days. There is still a lot to do to improve facilities as there is no purpose built kitchen, water runs through the grounds from the drinking tap and there are no proper footpaths between all the buildings.

Daniel informs me that as a project they are using school fees for the £2000 a month salary bill and they are often behind with salaries. Running costs are £1500 a month and rely on overseas gifts.

At the end of my trip a local Christian business man told me he was very challenged by the visits from UK citizens and Daniel told me that this man and his wife may soon be funding a new classroom.

Child support in Molo

It was a shorter visit to Molo, arriving just before dusk and leaving before 7am, however it was the one that caught my imagination as well as stretching my faith. Leonard and Daniel are very keen to see land bought soon for the construction of a single classroom which will be the beginning of secondary education facilities. It’s best not to think of a secondary school as we might know in the UK but initially more of a school field with a single temporary classroom, a fence around the plot and a security/office room. Listening to Leonard I believe that he could be the person to see this project really get going as he has the Godly leadership and business skills necessary to make things happen if he is resourced with our gifts for the capital expenditure.

Once a school begins to establish itself then adjacent land becomes more valuable and so it is vital to buy the necessary land for the end of the project before any building work commences, even if the initial plan is only to build a single classroom. This means the purchase of 5 acres and complies with government requirements for a secondary school. 2 acres have been purchased for some time and the remaining land is available from someone Leonard referred to as a ‘willing seller’.

I hope to help by raising money through sponsorship when running my first ever marathon in Brighton, April 2015.

I’m also very keen to see the child sponsorship programme increase by 10 children a year until we hit the 100 children that Leonard believes he can easily administer. I hope to encourage Leonard to produce information about children seeking sponsorship for their schooling.

Conclusion

As Christians we know how the teaching of Jesus constantly calls us to care for the poor. All of the projects we have a connection with in Kenya are doing this in a very direct manner. They each do this in a very overt Christian way and currently such evangelism is relatively easy. If in addition to all the other things we are doing we can release funds through the Great Commission Trust UK we can have a great impact on the lives of many.

There is much more that took place during my trip and you only have to ask for more information.

I found it very helpful to talk with those who had visited previously before I left and if you are planning a trip do please get in contact.

Rev. Malcolm Haines

Mdcchaines01@gmail.com

07505118634