Update on Boaz

Boaz Osiebe is the 5 year old Tenderfeet student who has permanently crossed eyes (Strabismus).

Now an operation has been made possible through the fundraising efforts of Kathy Switzer in Canada as well as big help from Cornerstone UMC Vacation Bible School kids in Houston, Texas.

The eye muscle surgery was originally supposed to take place in August, but was delayed due to schedule conflicts on the part of the doctor.

At long last, Boaz was admitted to the Eye Unit of Kikuyu Hospital today. His operation is scheduled for tomorrow. As I'm sure you can understand, he's a little bit nervous and a little bit excited at the same time.

Please keep Boaz in your prayers.

Meet Two Kibera Boys

I'd like to share the stories of two Tenderfeet kids, one a current student and the other a former student who has moved on to the next stage of his education.

Phelix Ondiek (see picture right) is a four year old boy that attends Tenderfeet in Kibera. His family fled and relocated to Riruta after the riots in January, but his mother could not make enough to support the family in the new location. After a few months, they returned to Kibera even though it is not as safe for the family. Phelix's father passed away in 2004 from HIV/AIDS. The mother is HIV positive. Phelix is frequently sick and possibly HIV positive as well, but has not yet been tested. The mother is the sole bread winner in the household from her vegetable vendor business in Kibera.

Phelix has two brothers and two sisters. He is known for cracking jokes and loves singing. He receives assistance through the sponsorship of the Brown Family and the Urban Outreach organization.


Wickliff Wesonga (photo left) was admitted in Tenderfeet in 2001. After completing several years of school at Tendefeet, he was ready for the next level, joining Ayany Primary. He is now twelve years old in class six.

Mama Margaret wishes she could continue the education of children like Wickliff because it's a struggle at Ayany. Classes are overcrowded and school fees are extremely difficult for his family to pay (although Ayany is officially "free", in fact there are many hidden fees). Unfortunately, Tenderfeet doesn't have the staff or facilities to educate older children like Wickliff.

Wickliff is an AIDS orphan, and was born HIV positive, but -- thank heaven -- is able to obtain life saving ARV drugs. He lives with his uncle who is also HIV positive, and has three brothers and two sisters. He loves playing soccer and reading storybooks. Wickliff depends on good samaritans to help with life expenses, and recently has received assistance from the Tenderfeet Orphans Fund.

These two boys have already faced more challenges than many of us see in a lifetime. Thankfully, they are now getting some help which gives them hope for the future.

Emergency and Orphans Funds

Gillian Adhiambo is a young student at Tenderfeet in Kibera. In June, a container of boiling liquid was accidentally spilled on her leg. The burn was severe.



Thanks to the Tenderfeet emergency fund, Mama Margaret was able to get quality medical treatment for the leg. Dressings were applied and tended over a period of many weeks.

The burn has healed up now, though the scars remain. The emergency fund has come to the rescue of many Tenderfeet children. Donations to the Ten for Tenderfeet program allow the emergency fund to exist.

We've also recently set up an orphan's fund to help some of the school's neediest children. Orphans often live with relatives or good samaritans who have difficulty absorbing the extra expense that comes with the orphan child.

Three such children are Fredrick Muchangi (10 yrs), Yvonne Lituiza (5 yrs), and Dickson Mberia (4 yrs). These children were orphans who lived with a good samaritan unable to care for them anymore. They are currently staying with Mama Margaret.


Thanks to a kind sponsor, as well as the orphans fund, we can afford to come to the rescue of children like these and several others who attend school but need extra help outside of the school.

Especially now that food prices are higher than ever, the orphans fund can ensure that a sweet orphan girl like Esther Ngina (see picture) doesn't suffer because of going without meals.


Esther, who lives with an Aunt that struggles to eke out a living, sometimes came to school crying because she was so hungry. Now we are able to help her to get the food she needs. Cornerstone Methodist Church had a generous love offering in September to boost the orphans fund.

May Tenderfeet Updates

We have been blessed to have the former Tenderfeet students sponsored in a school called Perijang. A Perijang teacher is using the old Tenderfeet building to continue the education of these vulnerable children (please see picture). Although the school fees at Perijang are only about $5 per month, it is still too much for these children's families, so scholarships are being covered through the generosity of Tenderfeet friends in California and Rhode Island.

Meanwhile, the children in Kibera who were sponsored previously are still being helped through the sponsorship program. For example, the families of Winslet Auma, Collins Onyango, and Brian Ochoki are receiving assistance in the form of food, rent, and clothing. We still have many especially needy children in need of a sponsor. To find out more, please click here.

An important development in one child's life involves the treatment of an eye problem that Boaz Osiebe has faced for a long time. Last month, Mama Margaret took Boaz to the eye clinic where the doctor identified two different problems.


The first is the left eye being severely crossed (strabismus), which is less urgent and we intend to get treated in due time. The other problem is a complication in his unaffected right eye that could cause blindness if not addressed. Over the past several weeks, he's been taken in once per week for treatment and evaluation.

Please pray for Boaz, that the treatment will be successful and his eyesight won't be damaged. If you would like to assist with the medical costs, we would be deeply grateful. Please click here to make a donation to help out (type "Boaz" in the Donation Destination area).