A lot happened on the Shamba this month! The beans and lentils were harvested, fields were dug up, and the foundations for the water tanks are currently being built. We were even able to sell parts of the yield for the first time. Furthermore, annual plans for the cultivation of the areas were created, and people from the community (“casuals”) are helping Boniface, the farmer, with the work. The jobs created by this provide mutual support for everyone involved!
A project close to our hearts is the “Library” – a library for the children. They love reading and look forward to us giving them books every evening. Our vision: a place where all books are freely accessible, with the option to borrow books for a few days. After extensive discussion, we first designated a room that currently serves as a “store,” or pantry, for the housemother and housefather. We are moving this to a previously unused room, which is being renovated a bit for that purpose. The biggest challenge in this project was surprising: getting the cordless screwdriver repaired to dismantle and set up shelves. Two weeks after the library started running, we already had to move to the old kindergarten building, where the children now snuggle up comfortably with books on the couch in the evenings.
Every Monday, we accompany the children to the primary school, which is a bumpy 15-minute bus ride away, where we take over the “Guidance and Counseling” lessons. We only realized what that meant when 90-125 pairs of students’ eyes looked at us expectantly and we were supposed to teach them ALL ALONE. The art project for the younger classes added a splash of color to the wall. After introducing a few well-known artists and talking about the benefits of painting, the children were allowed to try it out for themselves. The results are beautiful and, above all, colorful!
The older classes had health and sex education at the same time. In small groups, we worked on topics such as the “dangers of drug use,” “changes during puberty,” and “STDs and contraception.” The students were very interested and asked exciting, and sometimes culturally surprising, questions, which led to long, lively discussions.
On Tuesday, the “Guidance and Counseling” lessons take place at the secondary school right next to the MCC. Here, the students are older (16–19 years) and their needs are different. The first topic the students requested was “peer pressure,” which we worked on in small groups of no more than 15.
Joseph and Mercy (the social workers) gave us the valuable experience of accompanying them on “home visits.” Here, the “guardians,” the children’s legal representatives, are visited to check on their current health and financial status. These are usually distant relatives or neighbors. Often these families face difficult challenges, unfortunately also regarding their health. The MCC also supports the guardians to bring long-term stability to the children’s lives. For this purpose, livestock (goats, rabbits, or chickens) is donated, which the families can breed and sell independently.
At the MCC, Emma takes care of the livestock and the “kitchen garden.” We help her as much as we can and learn a lot about field work and handling animals. Julius, our cook, is also happy to have regular help in the kitchen. Tomatoes and onions are chopped, tea or porridge is cooked, and there is almost always something ready to be washed up.
One kitchen project this month was “Fine Dining.” For this event, we first had to buy forks, which no one had missed until now. Also, table decorations are a must for such an event. Our goal here is to teach the children how to behave in a restaurant, for example, during the much-loved trips to the swimming pool. For a change from Kenyan cuisine, we prepared pasta with tomato sauce. Unintentionally, we grabbed a sweet and sour tomato sauce while shopping, which fortunately was just right for the children. So, at least they enjoyed the food. Add a little music, and the Italian flair was complete.
Before meals, it’s noticeable that the “Handwashing Workshop” urgently needs a refresher. Now, colorful, self-painted posters above the sinks remind everyone to use soap and wash their hands thoroughly.
Other projects included sanding, painting, and varnishing doors on the lower floor. We have to admit, we didn’t imagine it would be so much work! In addition, every child is getting a memory envelope where they can keep their photos and little treasures. We’ve already provided pens and erasers.
Thanks to generous donations from Germany, we have already been able to make several purchases. As mentioned, we bought forks, pasta, and sauce for the “fine dining,” and every now and then there is banana milk, cake, or peanut butter for dessert. In addition, there was a toothbrush cup and nail clippers for each child, and a trash can for each room. A major project was replacing worn-out mattresses for both the children and the staff. To visualize the new casual plan for the Shamba, Boniface, our farm manager, is getting a magnetic board with whiteboard markers and magnets. He is also happy about new water hoses. Tables and a sofa have been ordered for the library, where the children can make themselves comfortable. Also, the room urgently needs more light; the lamps are on their way. A new pinboard now shines in the common room, and framed pictures bring coziness to the space. Jackson, our housefather, practices playing the guitar with the children in the evenings. So, we bought a children’s guitar, which they are now happily strumming. Julius, our cook, needs a new saw, as well as an ax and a wedge for splitting wood. Our housemother Susan can also be happy, because in the newly organized store, baskets are now shining to create order.
A big highlight was the “Youth Support Kenya” soccer tournament, where all four pillars of YSK competed ambitiously against each other: the MCC, the primary school, the secondary school, and even the skill center fought for the highly coveted trophies. With over 300 participants and more than 20 games of 15 minutes each, there was plenty of fun and entertainment. To provide enough energy for playing, there was soda, watermelon, and glucose powder for everyone. After an emotional penalty shootout, the Skill Center, the MCC boys, the secondary girls, and the MCC girls won the titles in their age groups.
To wrap things up, the children can look forward to a trip to the outdoor pool, where, in addition to splashing around, their newly learned “fine dining skills” will be put to the test.
Asante Sana for the great time!
Christian, Maria, Antonia, and Anna