Project 82 Kenya

Wendo Retreat for the Rising High Schoolers

The transition from childhood to adulthood can be a difficult time for many young people, especially if they lack guidance and directions from trusted and wise mentors. We want our students to have every opportunity as they become adults. The graduating eighth graders will be completing important exams that will determine their future careers. Next year, the best students will be able to attend boarding school and earn freedoms and responsibilities of living on campus.

Knowing that the early teenage years- especially when joining high school- are hard, we took some of our class 8 students who will be joining high school next year for a mentorship camp dubbed ‘the Hope’s camp’ that took place at Wendo retreat center. The camp was organized by Christ Is The Answer Ministry (CITAM) Nakuru, who we are partnering with to ensure that the future leaders we are nurturing in Molo get equipped both spiritually and socially. It was a good getaway from Molo and they had an opportunity to interact with their peers from different parts of the country. Our teens enjoyed themselves very much at camp. When Dan emailed the pictures, he said, “The young people were elated and in high spirit when they returned back to Molo, and they promised to positively impact the lives of their peers going forward.”  We are so thankful for community partners like CITAM who will pour love, wisdom, and truth into our teens.

The theme for the camp was: ‘Purpose to stand out’ which was derived from the book of Daniel 1:8. The five day camp was packed with empowering topics that are fundamental as they take their next big step in life. The topics delved deep on: Spiritual formation, sexuality, setting boundaries, goal setting, drug and substance abuse, self-image and self-esteem, media and peer influence and what to expect in high school. We are glad that having insight on these vital areas, they are now ready to transform their peers.

Our prayer is that these young people whom we love and care about have success in their Christian walk, education, social life and in their life careers. We are grateful for those taking their time and resources to equip the next generation. Investing in the lives of these young adults is investing in a bright future for Kenya! Join us in praying for the futures of the rising 8th graders.

“He that is equipped will equip others” – Sunday Adelaja.

PS- We will soon have exam scores of the 8th grade class. We are excited to hear how they did.

Mary’s Story

In 2009, Project 82 Kenya was started to love and care for the orphaned children. We experienced firsthand the abject poverty and lack of family stability. A whole generation of caregivers had been wiped out by HIV/AIDS, tribal conflict and poverty-driven diseases; thus made it a daunting task for the community to take care of the orphans and vulnerable children wallowing in abject poverty.

Despite all the challenges surrounding their lives, these orphaned children were still very hopeful as we could judge from their alluring smile that captured our hearts. It is then that we knew we had to act. We rescued a number of orphans in Molo who had no one to defend their big dreams. Mary was one of the children we rescued in Molo; she is a total orphan.

When Mary joined us, she was sent away from her home by her grandmother who was poverty stricken. She had little means to care for Mary, and so, she wanted Mary to get married at an early age, a common practice for orphans who have no one to defend them from early marriage. Mary refused to get married, and she was kicked out of their home. Living on the streets, Mary experienced depression. At one point she contemplated committing suicide because she couldn’t bear spending any more sleepless nights on the cold streets of Molo.

We rescued Mary after the intervention to counsel her grandmother failed and Mary was totally disowned. Together with her loving sponsors, we were able to walk with Mary until she completed her primary education. Due to her past trauma experience, she did not perform well in her final primary education exams and failed to place in a high school admission. Mary decided to pursue vocational training, and we secured her admission at a hair dressing and beauty college; a course that she is passionate about.

We thank God she has successfully completed and recently graduated. She is now empowered with knowledge and skills which will, to a great extent, enable her to have a self supporting future. We can’t forget to express our gratitude to the sponsors and staff who have walked with her. Through your support Mary will never again sleep hungry or in the cold. You too can be part of righting orphans stories by supporting one orphan child today.

We are thankful for our sponsors who make it possible for Mary to find success.

Empowering The Girl Child

In order to end abject poverty in the world, promoting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be pivotal. The SDGs also known as the ‘Global Goals’ are a universal call to action to end poverty. They tackle the root cause of poverty and unite us together through partnerships to make positive change. There are 17 SDGs goals, but one of the goals that we want to achieve in Molo by 2030 is Goal number 4: To ensure Quality Education. We cannot do this alone; we appreciate our donors, staff, Molo community, guardians, media, and schools within Molo that we are working closely with to empower our girls, so as to ensure that she stays in school with an end goal of her accessing quality education.

“One of the key challenge for the girl child in Molo to be in school and access quality education has been
lack of feminine kits and hygiene education. This leaves them with no option but to engage in early sex
in exchange for sanitary towels. This leads to contraction of diseases, unwanted pregnancies and school
dropouts, thus the dream of quality education for the girl child in Molo remains utopia. This is why
Project 82 had to quickly act” – Peninah, Community health worker and a guardian in our Molo program.

It is sad to see many bright girls opting to be out of school during their monthly cycle to avoid being embarrassed in school because they cannot afford sanitary towels. This leaves them to be vulnerable. They fall behind in school and can fail their exams if they miss too much school.  How can they break out of the cycle of poverty and become independent and successful adults without a solid education? We believe that all children deserve a good education, and we joined hands with our guardians through the sewing program to make sure our girls have a solution that will allow them to attend school.

 

The P82 sewing ladies started working on a Hygiene Kit initiative, and since have sewed many washable sanitary towels to meet the growing need in Molo community. This has turned out a huge success, as it captured the attention of NTV, the biggest media house in Kenya. NTV aired the story during their prime time news.

We thank the schools that we partner with, for helping to identify the needy vulnerable girls to be beneficiaries of the feminine kits and also providing some of their staff as volunteers to teach our girls on hygiene education. This is a grandeur step towards empowering our girls in Molo to stay in school. You too can be part of this collective effort to empower vulnerable girls to stay in school and access quality education through purchasing a feminine kit today!

No girl should miss school because she cannot afford sanitary supplies, thus to avoid embarrassment be forced to engage in sex in exchange for one! Together we can put a stop to this cycle plaguing girls.

Call for Prayers over the National Exams

We can never explain how the fervent prayers of our sponsors and staff travel thousands of miles to
Kenya, but one thing we can explain is the impact of those prayers in the lives of our children we
support in Kenya. One thing we can say is that the power of prayer cannot be explained; but the power
of prayer can be strongly experienced! Prayer is indeed the solid foundation that Project 82 stands on.

Amidst the torrent of tension and anxiety currently being witnessed in Kenya our staff, children,
guardians, and the leaders of the local Church we partner with congregated over the weekend at House
of Hope to pray. The congregation fervently prayed for Kenya, our candidates sitting for their national
exams in Primary (K.C.P.E) and Secondary school (K.C.S.E) and Project 82 family– staff, board, sponsors
and partners. The key verse during the prayer day conducted in Molo was from the book of Philippians.

 

 

“Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be known to God”. – Philippians 4:6 (RSV)

 

Join us to pray for our candidates; Shem, John, Kelvin, Mary and Erica as they sit for their national
exams. Our prayer is that God may grant them divine wisdom, knowledge and understanding so that
they may be able to pass with flying colors when the results are released. May success be their portion!

We also humbly urge you to remember Kenya in your prayers as the dark clouds of anxiety and tension
have engulfed many. May there be Peace, Love and Unity as enshrined in Kenya’s national anthem.

 

-Dan, Community Liasion

Igniting Hope With Words

To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere without moving anything but your heart. 
– Phylis Theroux

This quote resonates well with our children in Molo; though none of them has ever visited the States, their engraved fervent prayers, glowing hearts and love through the words that they jot to their sponsors always travel to the States every year bringing joy to those that read the letters.


The children also love to receive and read letters from their sponsors; it is usually a moment that we relish. What we even love more about the letters is the kind words of love and encouragement, which by and large have a unique way of inspiring our children to work hard and to be what they want to become. A case in point is this year, when Shem who is about to sit for his final high school exam received such a letter from his sponsor; he has since exuded confidence that he will excel in the exams.


Kind words can be short while written, but they normally have a big impact in the lives of those it is addressed to! They bring lasting memories to both our children and our sponsors! Ensure that you write your letter to you child. The letters are a unique way to bring hope in their lives everyday!

A letter is neither just words on paper, nor just communication; It is a lasting memory!

– Dan Nyacharo

Building a Healthy Community

One of our goals at P82 is to treat a child holistically, looking at what the child needs now to overcome adversity as well as helping them to becoming strong adults. We focus on the spiritual, educational, developmental, and medical needs of our children. Last weekend, the Kenya Medical Training College, a Molo branch of the medical clinic, partnered with us to serve the needs of the children and to provide training to our Guardians.

Wilson gets weighed

In an effort to give back to the Molo Community, clinic faculty and staff provided Medical check ups for the children and guardians, and nutrition training for our guardians. They even helped out in preparation and serving of lunch during our Saturday program at House of Hope compound. We thank the faculty and staff who participated for their gifts of service!

Josephat seeing the nurse

The Guardians learned about nutrition needs of growing kids, and balanced diets. We know that they gained practical knowledge that will help improve the health of the children. The medical staff explained that balanced diets and good nutrition provide good immune systems for the children so they won’t get sick or have to miss school. This partnership will help our children gain access to healthcare but also the knowledge and understanding of their bodies, so they can make good decisions in their future.

How tall is Faith?

We always seek to partner with pillars of the local community. We want our children to see these young adult students as positive role models. We appreciate the faculty and students for serving our children.

We thank God for such a great milestone in healthcare!

 

2017 Staff Retreat

As we continually try to improve ourselves, the staff enjoyed a 2 day retreat. The time away focused on God’s discernment and wisdom in how P82 can best serve His children in Kenya.  It was a chance to connect together with fellowship and worship.

We prayed over our community, children, guardians, donors, and staff. There were lots of discussions and plans made for next year. And there were many stories about the children and community that we all love so much. We are excited for the direction of P82 in 2018. But mostly, we are so very thankful for this group of dedicated and loving people who care so well for the most vulnerable children that God has given them.

Psalm 119:66 – Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments

Fellowship Night

Working Together

Meet Rhoda!

My name is Rhoda Akech and I am the social worker for Neema House Infant Rescue Centre. I am 37 years old, married and mother to four wonderful children; 3 boys and one girl. My husband and I also care for my sister’s children and we foster one baby. We have 10 children now! I have worked in the ministry of children all my professional life and now spiritually as a Sunday school teacher. My main inspiration is derived from knowing that every day I co-create with God in my service to the weak and the fatherless.

[Read more…]

Laikipia County News: Child Abandonment

Rhoda, a caregiver at Neema House, has been writing articles for the local newspaper in Laikipia County, where the Neema House is located. We are so proud of Rhoda and her heart for these precious little ones. Here is her latest article.

[Read more…]

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.

Psalm 82:3

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