Soar Kenya

Ruth Gibb’s hosted a fundraiser breakfast at her church in Pardeeville last Sunday. She along with friends have raised the one thousand dollars needed to do the new kitchen at Hopewell High School. Steve and Patricia Werner gave a very generous donation to this cause also, which will allow for the kitchen to actually have some supplies!!! Soar-Kenya now has the funds t0 build a new kitchen. The kitchen serves a minimum of 800 people per day at Hopewell.  The old kitchen needed some help. It had a tin roof that leaked and open fires with kettles on top to cook. The smoke was so thick you couldn’t see the cooks to talk to them. Don and I , got some stove pipes when we were there which helped a little but to have a complete new kitchen will be wonderful for them. Soar-Kenya is purchasing a very small plot of land in which to relocate this kitchen. Soar raised money for the land in Nov. at the silent auction and dinner.  Steve Werner is working extremely hard to raise funding through Rotaries to fund a water storage tank to be filled from harvested rain water off the roofs of the new library and classrooms. The water tanks will be placed where the current kitchen is now.  Soar is hoping to locate the new kitchen closer to the water ,vegetables, and compost area. It is so exciting to be able to move forward with enough funding to do this project. I will post photos as soon as its built. Thankyou to Steve, Pat Ruth and the wonderfully generous people of Pardeeville Wisconsin. Mary Hoffman-Treasurer

I met with Mary yesterday and she described her experiences in Kenya. One story stood out for me. She was at a gathering and suddenly was poked in the back repeatedly by an elderly woman. Pauline spoke to her and translated. The woman had heard there was a white woman visiting and she walked for two days to meet that white woman (Mary) and ask for a uniform so her grandson could attend school.
For Americans, education is a given. It is available to all, regardless of income. Not so in Kenya.
In Kenya, education is free 1st through the 8th grade. BUT, children cannot attend unless they have uniforms. And before being admitted into first grade, they must first attend 3 years of preschool, which is not free, and for which uniforms are also required. What decision would you make as a parent — to let your already malnourished children starve so you can buy them uniforms, or to feed them as best you can and let them grow up illiterate?

You probably won’t be surprised to know that we are going to try to help children buy uniforms so they can attend school.

Hello Don and Mary

Sorry I didn’t write sooner.We are glad you reached home safe.Thanks a lot for the effective,efficient and quality work you did for the two weeks you spent with us.It looks like a 2 months’ work by Kenyan standards! Landscaping the front of the library,the junior school,building sheds and play stuff for the kids,working on the farm fence and motivating and inspiring our students through your practical hands-on-work approach. We are most grateful and wish you could stay longer.

Telkom who were to deliver the fencing posts confirmed this morning they will bring over the posts this Saturday.Assoon as they bring them,work on the fence will start and should last abot 2 days.You noticed that life is alittle bit slow in Kenya……

We are getting a fund to start on the rabbit cages today.Darleen sent me $200 this morning to start on this.We have also hired 2 boys who are already feeding the rabbits thrice a day, supplying them with water and cleaning the hutches daily including weekends.Samson and his brother Harry live in desperately poor conditions at home and ride boda boda(bicycle taxis) through the night to support themselves at home.Hopewell doesnt charge them fees.So this job is some great thing for them and they are doing it passionately.

Alison and Brittney are starting a complete First Aid course for all students and staff today.They will start with a class of 40(25 students and 15 staff who include teachers,kitchen staff ad Monica).Alison tore up one of her pants yesterday to make bandages she will be using to teach.Mason is teaching Biology and Chemistry in froms 1 and 2.

More later.Pass our warmest regards to your family and our special friends-Ruth,Maryanne,Aileen,Lyn and all those kind supporters.

Next time you visit,stay for a month please.

Vitalice