MAJI SAFI PROJECTS
Registered charity no. 1106384
NEWSLETTER March 2005
Linda Greenland & Mike Radford
102 Whitecross Avenue
Whitchurch BRISTOL BS14 9JE
Tel: 01275-834883
Since the last newsletter so much has happened. We now have our charity registration and have sent out forms to claim Gift Aid on your behalf. We had a problem; the post box was set on fire and some letters destroyed, so I have enclosed a copy of the form to those sponsors I haven’t had a reply from in case you didn’t receive the form or forgot to send it back. For every £1 you donate we can increase it by 28p if you are a taxpayer and sign the form.
In the last newsletter you read Bobby & Ken’s account of their trip in July 2004, as promised here is an account of the students trip
Ashton Park School - Kenya Expedition
July 2004 - WHAT WE DID!
By Paul Miller - Teacher
Its hard to believe we actually went to Kenya last July. But looking back at the
3 weeks we spent working with the locals at Inspirations School just south of
Mombassa the hardest thing to believe was how much we achieved in such a short time.
The 15 team members worked fantastically well together to help improve the quality
of life that most children in Kenya do not get.
So what did the team do?
During the 10 days we worked at Inspirations school we managed to spend £3129 –
all raised by our students at Ashton Park School last year. This included painting 2
murals in 2 classrooms as well as buying mosquito nets, uniforms and first aid
equipment for the school.
But by far the biggest contribution made by our students was the playground and
Farm. We used most of the money raised to buy the land, have the Swings, Slides,
Climbing Frame and some See-Saws made and pay for the fencing around the playground.
So what did we do at Inspirations?
I remember thinking Linda had set us a big problem – 10 days to build the playground
and Farm hut, mix with the locals and work with the school children. The team had never
really worked together full on, good team work would be the only way to get everything
done in the short space of time we had- just 10 days!
I also remember the fantastic feeling I had at the end of our first day when we had
managed to put up all the fence posts, cemented in the playground equipment and painted
the most of the first mural ! The team were working really well and we were even finding
time to spend with the children as well as getting to know Linda’s team.
Was it all hard work?
NO! we still managed to fit in a bit of sight seeing, relaxing on the beach, swimming
in the hotel pool and shopping! We even managed a couple of nights at the local disco,
where we learnt about ‘Malias’ and other trades of the night to avoid!
And what did we do after we left Inspirations and Linda?
Our 10 days at Inspirations school was followed by a 6 day Safari through 3 game parks
in Kenya, camping where we wanted, and following the game as it moved about the Savannah.
The joys of living with the locals (The Masai Tribe) was an experience none of will forget,
it was as exciting as watching the newly born Elephant walking for the first time, or baby
Lion Cubs playing in the long grass.
Its hard to convey all the wonderful experiences we had, through a short article like this,
the team that went out from Ashton Park School did have a fantastic time, if you want to read
our day to day account of what went on, contact me at Ashton Park School for a copy.
Find out how we managed to get lost before we even left the UK, or how we lugged 20 bags of
extra kit (Thanks Linda!) all the way to Mombassa, Or you might like to learn about the 12
sets of football kit we gave away and how we almost won the football match we played on the
only pitch I have ever seen with views of the Indian Ocean and 2 palm trees growing on the
pitch (plus the cows that normally live on the pitch!
Was our expedition to Kenya a success?
YES – Not one of us will ever forget the experience we had, the team keep in contact,
meeting and chatting about what we did and how we made a difference. This article could
have been filled with the comments of the students, about the good and bad times, the
hardships and the ‘lush’ times, but that would not give you the flavour of the life changing
experience had by all.
Any complaints?
YES –I have one complaint!
I will have to wait until July 2006 before I meet my friends at Inspirations School again.
That’s how long it will take for our new team of 20 students and 4 staff to raise the
£36500 needed to fly us all out there and build a couple of classrooms – I CAN’T WAIT!!
P.S. Since Paul wrote this the number of students and teachers have increased to 30!
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SPONSORS!
Ashton Park students and teachers plan to return early July 2006; this would be an opportunity for sponsors who expressed a wish to visit and work on the project. They could get together and plan what they would like to do as their "project".
I estimate the cost of the flight/hotel package for 2/3 weeks at £1200 + approx £200-300
for injections, malaria tablets & visa. Then contributions towards daily transport and food
on the project, which is 1-2 hrs travelling each way daily. This group would have to fund and
organise their own project
"THE DECISION IS YOURS!! YOU ARE WELCOME!!"
We cannot normally accommodate sponsors to "work" on the projects, by all means book a holiday
to Kenya at ANY time and our workers will always meet with you, show you around, you can spend
time with the children at the schools and the villages. Our problem is because of our jobs; we
are tied to UK school holidays (when Kenyan schools are also closed.)
A TYPICAL VISIT for us is: we try to keep our schools open a couple of days to
see the children. The rest of the time is spent at meetings with parents committees; teachers;
district & local government offices/education departments. Also, organising with our workers
the next stage in the projects & sorting out the tons of paperwork that appears in between
each visit. We have commitments with orphans & families in the village, visiting them and
make sure they are ok.
We meet others who have their own projects in Kenya, to exchange news and ideas, so it is not
all sat in the classroom singing with those lovely children!
Last July visit, I was given 2 extra weeks off school to organise the student’s visit. I enjoyed the "fruits of my labour" and spent time at the school with the children. Both schools are flourishing, over 450 children at Maji Safi and 150 at Inspirations. When I remember the children sat around the village looking forlorn in tattered clothes and their faces so sad because they couldn’t go to school; now they have blossomed into happy, positive pupils look forward to a bright future, all thanks to the sponsors and donors.
BOBBY’S BOREHOLE!!
By Nov the digging was completed, the depth was 65 feet and fresh water was in abundance,
the building around was built and just waiting for the pump and generator to be ordered.
After all the earlier fundraising Bobby & Ken organised The HMS HERON NAVY BAND night
which was a great success also Jeannette and Vernon had a coffee morning. So Bobby kept the
promise to ensure this project was complete!! The pump and generator was delivered in January
2005 and clean, fresh water was pumped for the school.
GENERATOR
We had a donation from Norwich Rotary, which purchased tables and benches in the 3rd classroom, and other friends donated the table and benches for the 4th classroom, ready for use in Jan 2005.
Inspirations School has to be registered and the paperwork has been started. This is a very complicated, expensive process but has to be done properly to ensure the future of the school.
CHILDREN WITH NEW BOOKS & NEW DESKS
Mr Josephat (Head teacher Inspirations) completed his first 2 terms at Teacher training thanks
to a donor support and really enjoyed his time, though he keeps saying he can’t wait to get back
to Inspirations. He will complete the course in July 2006. I hope you all enjoyed his letter that
I posted out with the Gift Aid form in Nov 2004
XMAS 2004
MANY THANKS to everyone that sent money to buy their children and families food/clothes and extras for Xmas. Some of this money and extra donations we had bought 9 bundles of clothes to give out to families with children, this is a very economical way to buy them, each bundle containing 150–200 items, so brilliant value for money, and the families got a lot more.
Children love being able to "choose" from the bundles; within minutes they are trying them on, and running around showing their friends. The bundles we buy are clothes that are donated from Canada, America and Holland and are brought in by sea; all we pay is the clearance tax at the port. Bundles are approx £50 each and in future we would like buy bundles to help individuals to start their own little business. There is a good market locally for selling these 2nd hand clothes and some ladies can make enough to feed the family.
A generous donation meant that all the new standard 2 children at Inspirations had a set of textbooks each to start back in January, plus many new story books. Also Maji Safi school had textbooks needed for each class.
Over 60 children had uniform & shoes to start back the New Year thanks to their sponsors.
MAJI SAFI CHILDREN WITH NEW UNIFORM
2004 - a very exciting year, so much happened. I hope you enjoyed reading about the
achievements as much as the people involved enjoyed making them happen.
We are looking forward to the rest of 2005, Bobby, Ken, Vernon and Janette are returning
early July for 4 weeks and have so much already packed and prepared to work with the children
in school. Everyone in Kenya is so excited about their return visit and I am sure you will
look forward to reading what happens. Bobby has promised to write half the next newsletter
for me!!! Thanks BOBBY!!
Well, 6 years has gone since Mike and I first went to Kenya and I got knocked on the head by that falling palm branch!! Which kept me there for another 3 weeks and opened my eyes to the problems. We sometimes pinch ourselves to remember what it was like then and to see the difference in the villages that the schools have made. I know I say the same things; but all the people that have visited agree, that with our help and support the children are enjoying education, the community thriving. When I say "OUR" I don’t mean Mike and I - I am talking about EVERYONE who sponsors, donated and supports in whatever way.
Many of you have told me that you treasure the photos, letters, drawings that you get from your children and you have proved how much you care by the extra help you are always offering. I know some families do not reply to your letters, the problems they have is that they cannot read and write themselves and normally Miriam will read your letters to them. This is the reason we are so determined to help the children to be educated, so that we break the vicious circle of illiteracy and the poverty it brings without chance of employment.
If anyone wishes to send letters etc this July then please make sure I get them BEFORE 14th July.
CEILIDH NIGHT FEB 2005
What another fantastic Ceilidh, last years was amazing but this years even better. A bigger venue, the band Cats Whiskers, the callers & guests put on a brilliant evening of dancing and entertainment. Many sponsors and donors came and our small committee worked flat out on the food, bar etc to make sure the evening ran smoothly. THANKS to EVERYONE and we raised over £2000 on tickets, bar and donations and another £458 on the raffle. The £2000 + enables the building of the 5th classroom at Inspirations this year, ready for the 2006 intake of children. The raffle money will buy over 100 mosquito nets in memory of Humphrey (waiter Shelly Beach hotel, and very good friend) he was buried on the day of the Ceilidh he died of the fatal strain of malaria the week before. This really affected me, most of you know that I also had this fatal strain of Malaria in 1999. Luckily, I had the best medical treatment available and money was not an issue, sadly, this was not the case for Humphrey. I am even more determined to supply mosquito nets to as many children/families as possible; we have proved that a net can reduce the occurrence of malaria by at least 50% .
CHILDREN WITH THEIR NETS
Prevention is better than cure, we are hoping in 5-6 years there will be a vaccine for malaria, until
then we have to ensure the children get nets.
WHAT DO WE NEED IN 2005/2006?
We are on target for the building of new classrooms at Inspirations, with the Ceilidh night funds, and the proposed 2006 visit from Ashton Park school.
They’ve arranged an abseil down the Avon Gorge on 17th April to raise funds to buy the piece of land needed at Inspirations to build their 2 classes and provide a football pitch. Mike and others on the committee are also taking part so anyone wishing to sponsor him are welcome! (This is 3 days before Mikes 58th birthday; he says you are never too old!!)
Tables and benches will be needed for the new classroom later this year & we always need to buy uniform/shoes etc etc as the children are growing so fast. New textbooks are required yearly.
An office/storeroom is needed in the near future.
WE NEED MORE SPONSORS!!
Its a struggle to fund the wages etc at the projects with the increasing number of children and staff. The extra costs of equipment etc to enable the teachers to deliver the curriculum is high. We desperately need more sponsors for children. An idea was given that maybe a company/school/organisation could sponsor a teacher’s wages? A primary teachers earns approx £1000 a year and a nursery teacher £600, so if anyone can promote this idea to work colleagues etc or even organise a fundraising event this would be fantastic. We were hoping the government were going to supply some teachers at Maji Safi which would take the pressure off our teachers wages bill, but they are saying "MAYBE" next year, but they have been saying that for the last 2 years!!
This little girl and many more like her need sponsors like you!!! Please ask
around your family and friends to see if anyone is interested.
There are 250 children sponsored at Maji Safi, but the rest of the 200 children attend school almost "free" (we just ask the parents to make a small donation if they can afford it to help towards costs) But we are aware that when some of our sponsored children go on to Secondary education in 2007 that the sponsor money goes with them, leaving even less for the remaining teachers at the school. We hope by then to have more support by the government, we have told them that we built the school but this does not mean we commit to fund the running costs forever.
We are still collecting 5’ps - so keep them coming!
PLUS WE STILL NEED MOBILE PHONES!!
ONCE AGAIN A HUGE BIG THANKS to Andy Kybert – M-D of The Woodside Press Ltd – Bristol by printing the paper version of this newsletter, saving me hours and hours of work!! AND it looks so professional!