Update (Feb. 19, 8:00 PM Central time USA):After much deliberation and weighing of options, we have decided to change the focus of Tenderfeet to the Riruta area. This is the safer area that the school has been relocated to after Mama Margaret had to flee Kibera. As mentioned before, Riruta is about 5 miles from Kibera. It is still quite a poor area, but not on the massive scale of Kibera.
Therefore, starting immediately, Margaret will begin working in the community to find needy children who have no opportunity to go to school. The new building is slightly smaller, so we will have about 50 kids for 2008.
One of the big concerns was the 60 or so students we are unfortunately having to leave behind in Kibera. Since January marks the beginning of the new school year, there were about 20 of the previous 60 students that have now moved on to the next level of school.
So that leaves 40 of the 60 that would be attending Tenderfeet if it was still in Kibera. Of these remaining 40, Margaret has identified about 20 who are extremely poor and vulnerable and would not be able to afford school. The other 20 are in a slightly better position and will have other options.
For the month of February, we have paid for the transportation of many of these 20 (see picture below), but it is too expensive long-term.
Therefore, going forward in the months of March and beyond, for the 20 most vulnerable, we will offer scholarships so they can attend a school in Kibera. It's much, much cheaper than busing them to the new school site. In fact, a good school has opened in a church near the old Tenderfeet site. The school charges school fees of 200 Kenyan shillings per month (about $3), plus 100 shillings for the child to be in the feeding program.
Sadly, this is too much for these very poor children, so for these kids, we will pay their fees at least through the remainder of 2008 (10 months - 2 vacation months). After 2008, some will go on to the next level, and the remainder we will deal with on a case-by-case basis.
So in the next two weeks, we are focused on the children that are riding the bus to the school as well as finding deserving children from the Riruta area to attend the school from March onward.
Update (Feb. 14, 9:00 AM Central time USA):
We received updates and photos of the relief effort in action. Please see this post for more details.
Update (Feb. 7, 9:00 PM Central time USA):
Today Mama Margaret signed a lease agreement with the landlord for a new school building (see pictures, top is Margaret in the front, bottom is Margaret's sister Mary arranging desks). The building is nicer (brick vs. iron sheet) than the previous school building in Kibera. Unfortunately, though, it is no longer easily accessible for the children. The new location is in Riruta, near the area where Margaret has relocated for safety. Riruta is west of Kibera, near Dagoretti.
Earlier this week, the items in the school were transported by Frank out of Kibera on hand carts (similar to this photo). This was done in response to threats that the school would be burned by a gang of thugs.
Everything in the school -- desks, supplies, cupboards, and so on -- was moved except for a few desks that were in bad shape anyway. Moving the items with handcarts was dangerous, tense, and exhausting. Margaret paid for a security escort, but it was still a scary experience. Handcarts were used because trucks refused to enter Kibera for fear of being burned, as several had been in the last month.
The handcarts were pulled 15 minutes away to the Jamuhuri Showgrounds, a safe area being used for refugees and a transportation hub. When all the items were moved, the items could then be loaded onto a truck which took them 3-4 miles to Riruta and the new school building.
Today, the leader of the Luo thugs called Margaret and threatened to cut her head off if she came into Kibera again since she is a Kikuyu. The same group looted a school near Tenderfeet operated by a Kikuyu under the auspices of the Methodist Church.
Now Margaret is investigating options for transporting the children from Kibera to Riruta, such as renting a school bus. In the meantime, school will have to be suspended.
Update (Feb. 3, 9:00 PM Central time USA):
At Tenderfeet, school has been open and closed, open and closed in reaction to events in the country.
For instance, two members of parliament from the opposition party were killed last week, causing flare-ups of violence. In response, the school closed. During pockets of calm, the school has been open.
Now a gang of thugs is threatening to burn the school down. Mama Margaret is responding with a plan to relocate the items within the school to a safer area. We are hoping to have this complete in the next few days.
In the midst of all this horrible news, there are a few bright spots. For example, even as the threats were made to burn the school, Margaret was en route to taking Shadrack to a special boarding school in northern Nairobi called The Treeside School.
Treeside is aimed at educating children like Shadrack who have special challenges. Due to setbacks caused by his brain abscess, doctors have recommended Shadrack go to a school like Treeside to help him make the best progress with respect to his developmental needs. The school is a bit expensive, but thanks to the wonderful Christian youth group "Corby's Castle", the fees can be paid. Please see the photo of Shadrack in his new school uniform.
In Eldoret, Lahash is seeking to assist the the clients remaining in the Munyaka area as well as some that have relocated, including Lucy and Emily in Nyahururu.
Please note: previous updates can be found here and here.
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