Good Shepherd Children's Home

This post is a day late, sorry.  I was waiting for pictures to update the blog.  Yesterday, Saturday, was spent in Maai Mahiu and a significant time at the Good Shepherd Children's Home (Orphanage).  The home is in a horrible state and has been forgotten by both the govn't and outside aid.  There are 18 children who call the home home with one adult, Jane as the care taker.  To describe Jane is a saint is an understatement.  It amazes me still how local Kenyans step up and burden massive loads for the community.  She has independently taken on the cause, as she puts it "I have been called to serve and protect these children".  She's the farmer, Mom, school teacher and all around provider for a band of beautiful young ones.  Many were street children before coming to the home and others are simply orphans.   As bad as the conditions are currently there is actually a waiting list for children, but she simply does not have any more room nor funds.  So those children sleep on the streets of Maai Mahiu and every day come for food.  I included a picture of where all the 18 children sleep.  There are not enough beds for everyone so they simply pile next to one another.   Before CTC, the children were sleeping on old foam mattresses with no covers.  

Jane runs a few classrooms at the home.  Simply because the orphans cannot afford regular school with uniforms and fees.  There are no supplies what so ever so Jane uses wheat sacks as wall hangings.  She writes on them the alphabets, pictures and lessons.  Those attending the school are broken down into 18 children of 3-6 yrs, 4 children of 7-10 yrs. and 6 children from 10-12 yrs.   In addition to no funding the children are malnourished.  I have included a picture of the daily meal for the children.  Many look younger than they actually are due to poor nutrition.  There is no water source available so they use rain run-off.  They simply cannot afford to purchase water which is the main source for most of Maai Mahiu residents.  The toilet that all children use daily is nearly to the top.  I don't have a picture of the drop toilet but when I looked in the hole it was maybe 3 feet from the top.  The holes are generally dug 40ft. so you can imagine.  A new toilet needs to be dug ASAP.

The Plan:  This orphanage is in dire need and is an urgent CTC project.  But it's a new project and we are currently researching various ways to fund (it's not in CTC budget currently) and properly improve facilities.  First, we need to create an assessment of how much the orphanage will cost to run.  Right now, it costs Jane $110 a month for rent and food (of which it's not adequate).  We need to get an exact figure to properly fun this facility.   Also, a team of professors from Kansas State Univ. will be at the home this week.  Their expertise is agriculture and nutrition.  The plan is for them to analyse the productivity and recommend improvements for the 1 acre  plot to grow food. We need to make Good Shepherd more self-sufficient.  This group also has nutritionists who will work to recommend a proper "local"diet so that the children are adequately fed.  Lastly , we need to look at the costs of improving the toilet, living quarters, food preparation area etc.

Alison and I will be running these efforts over the next few months.  For now the funds come out of our pockets.   If any of you are interested in getting involved with this project please let me know.  CTC simply cannot do this on our own and we need your contributions.   Any assistance directly goes to help these children.  We need all the help we can get :)

I miss you all and thanks for taking the time to stay in touch.......