It was time again for a trip to Kenya. So, from March 30th to April 7th, we (Barbara Krohne and Helen Milkau) once again set off on the familiar journey to Kenya, to the MCC.
This time, too, we thought we were bringing the rain. But as it turned out, it had already rained several times before our arrival, transforming the land into a wonderfully lush green landscape. We have rarely seen the area like this before. To the delight of the local population, who immediately planted everything they could in their fields. Our “new” farmer Boniface, who took over the large farm from our dear Kimeu, is now also diligently at work. Day laborers, the so-called Casual Workers, support him occasionally with the extensive work on the farm, and so one can slowly but surely see its development. He is very keen to learn and implement the newly acquired knowledge about ecological farming, which he received, among others, from former intern David. We are excited to see what the farm will yield for our children in the coming months and whether we can thus counteract the high costs of food. However, one purchase remains unavoidable: an additional 10,000-liter water tank (approx. €1,000), so that we are well-prepared for the next dry season, which is sure to come. For this, we appreciate your donations.
The children at the MCC greeted us with full joy as always and could hardly wait for us to crawl out of bed early. Many of the children we know from previous visits, some children are new to us, and so the fun game of guessing names started all over again. But after a week at the latest, we had all the names down again. On Sunday, all the children in the Maisha Mazuri Partner Program (except those in Senior Secondary) had an athletic afternoon. After a delicious lunch with plenty of fruit for dessert, the children were tested on their athletic talent and clever puzzle-solving skills. There were several groups and stations where volunteers and social workers helped, and in the end, a winning group was crowned. A strenuous but beautiful Sunday that ended with stick bread and sausages around a campfire.
Overall, we were positively surprised by the atmosphere and conditions at the MCC. Of course, one always compares it to previous visits. The resident children (32) seemed very relaxed, and the staff team largely consists of the same people, which is good for the entire team. Communication among them was also good. Only the fact that there has recently been a new house mother was new to us. The MCC and its outdoor facilities are in good condition. Of course, there are still persistent issues such as waste separation & plastic collection, water management & raising water awareness, and the major topic of repairs and maintenance, but work is being done on these as well, thanks to our great volunteers who are once again present in large numbers and supporting the team.
The remaining buildings of the boarding school for the Academy of Maisha Mazuri are largely completed, as is the large outdoor kitchen. What is still missing is the complete interior furnishing of the dormitory buildings, which we need to finance as quickly as possible to reduce the number of students in a dormitory and to attract more students to the secondary school. The sports program is growing; the teams in soccer, volleyball, and also table tennis compete with other schools and are showing initial successes. Furthermore, we are trying to make the school more attractive and generate additional income with two “workshops” (practical training facilities) in Home Science and IT. I held a baking session with the Form 3 and 4 students, which everyone visibly enjoyed and resulted in quite presentable, delicious outcomes. An IT workshop with initial courses in using Microsoft programs is planned for the April holidays.
The kindergarten, which was formerly affiliated with the MCC, has been officially integrated into the Primary School of Maisha Mazuri since 2022. It is temporarily housed in two very small rooms, as the two large rooms must remain empty to be presented as reserved laboratory spaces for the junior secondary school when government inspections occur. This is truly a sad absurdity, but unfortunately, it is the reality. We hope that something will change soon in this regard and that the kindergarten can once again be designed much more according to our ideas; currently, teaching is done strictly by the rules.
All in all, we had a wonderful time at the MCC. It’s always exhausting because we want to pack as much as possible into that one week. But it’s also always so good to speak personally with individual staff members, to hear their wishes & ideas, but also their fears or concerns. Above all, it was exciting to see at the large YSK Meeting (Youth Support Kenya – umbrella organization led by Jimmy Kilonzi) how all projects now interlock like cogs, from kindergarten to the Skills Center. Of course, these cogs still stick here and there, and yes, it will take a lot of time, patience, and money to get everything running smoothly. But we can say with conviction this time that we left the MCC with a positive impression and renewed motivation. We are now looking forward to our Kenyan visitors, our social worker Mercy and the headmaster of the Senior Secondary School Nicholas, who will be visiting us here in Germany for the next 10 days. The association has once again put together a great program for them, including many school visits where they will give presentations, introduce their tasks, and our projects.