Issue 2

February 23, 2003

 

Dear Sponsors and Friends,

 

I am pleased to announce that we now have 56 sponsorships:

 

 

Sharing the trip in January 2003 with Cofounder Lisa Stevens and Pat Judy was very exciting. The first face-to-face meeting between Pat and her sponsored girl, Florence Nasoore, was extremely touching.  I hope each of you has the opportunity to visit your sponsored girl and see first hand the positive impact your sponsorship is having.  Pat says, “It is overwhelming and I have not been able to think of anything else since I returned home.”  An article about Pat and Florence will be in the May 2003 issue of ELLE/Canada Magazine.

         


     
      Pat and Florence meet face to face

 


This was Lisa’s second meeting with her sponsored girl, Joy Solo, who is ten years old.  Joy could win anyone’s heart and it is obvious she has won Lisa’s.  Look for Lisa’s upcoming article on our web site – CLICK here.

 


Lisa Stevens with Joy and her mother and grandfather. Lisa received a present from

Joy’s grandfather in appreciation of her sponsorship.

 

Following is a brief description of our major accomplishments this trip.

 

The Amboseli Wildlife Sponsorship Region began with 15 available sponsorships.  We thank Jim and Rosemary Smith for the initial donation, in honor of their son, Eric, which facilitated the startup of this program. In conjunction with the African Wildlife Foundation’s (AWF) Heartland Coordinator, Paul Ntiati, we were searching for the best and brightest girls in the area: girls with the potential to attain a university degree or higher.   Due to the quality of the schools in the region, it was a daunting task. Every student takes the national test earning a maximum of 500 points.  We were looking for girls scoring 350 or higher with little success.  We selected 9 girls in elementary school who have moved to private schools and will repeat a year to improve their national standing. Five girls accepted to secondary school were also selected.  Program assistants, Rukia Kadidi and Patrick Papatiti, a Maasai warrior, have been selected to oversee this sponsorship region in conjunction with the African Wildlife Foundation.

 


Lucy Lashine and her mother are very happy to receive a sponsor.

 


 


Rukia, Patrick and Debby organize the Amboseli Wildlife Sponsorship Region.

Not pictured: Paul Ntiati, AWF’s Heartland Coordinator who is supervisor for the region.

 

Free and compulsory education through 8th grade has been instituted by the new democratic government of Kenya.  This is wonderful news but the infrastructure will need a few years to catch up with the ideal. Since all our sponsorships require a contributory financial payment from the families, we expected many of the girls to move to the public schools.  We were pleased that the quality of a better education at a private school is valued and ALL of our sponsored girls are now enrolled at private elementary schools.

 


Ester Tinayo, her father and his 5th of 6 wives.  Ester is one of 26 children and the first girl in her family to attend school.  Thanks to her sponsor she now attends an excellent boarding school.

 


Dung burning stoves will be available to all Dupoto Women’s Group members who participate in a community service project scheduled for March 5, 2003.  The women have decided to do a town clean up and to promote environmental awareness with the local people. Dung is readily available since the Maasai keep many cows. We hope burning dung will be a short-term solution since it better to use the dung as fertilizer. We are working with forestry experts to develop woodlots for home use and cash crops as a long-term strategy. Stoves will also be available in the Amboseli Wildlife Sponsorship Region where the acacia trees are critical for wildlife.

 


 
        Maasai woman collecting wood.

 


Aids Training - The second Aids workshop for the Dupoto Women’s Group was presented by Peace Corp Volunteer, Paul Poling on February 5, 2003.  The women asked many important questions including whether they should share their sewing needles.  Three of the women have volunteered to train as AIDS trainers and will begin teaching new groups.

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Kenya Wildlife Service outreach program –  Our first environmental awareness program is scheduled during the term one school break for the Nabulu Girls group in Isinya.    The second phase will include a field trip for the Isinya secondary school students and their mothers to Amboseli National Park. The women and girls of Isinya will meet with the newly formed Amboseli  Wildlife Sponsorship groups and  have the opportunity to share their knowledge on environmental awareness, business development and AIDS awareness..

 

Solar lighting installed at Top Ride School where we have 14 sponsored girls. Top Ride is a small private school which ranks 2nd in the district. The unit, which cost about $225, was donated by BEADS Cofounders. Promoting solar power is a special interest of BEADS. Headmaster Peter Waweru said, “Not only can the girls study at night now, but the dangers of fire from kerosene lights has been eliminated. Thank you, BEADS.”

 

Reading glasses were a huge hit! Pat Judy was suddenly inspired to give Florence’s mother, Nasoore, her reading glasses. There was a lovely smile when she picked up her beadwork and could see it. Nasoore is one of the best beaders but was having trouble seeing her work. Everyone in the group has requested reading glasses which are being donated by sponsors Tom and Antonette Boody.

 


 


                    Thrilled to SEE her beadwork!

 

Nabulu Girls Group held their meeting with 39 girls attending. We had a town clean up, a review of their school progress, and a celebration feast.  The opening of their presents was fun and thank you notes are being written.  The next workshop is scheduled for April 5, 2003, and will train girls as AIDS trainers.  Presented by Peace Corp representative, Paul Poling, the girls will learn to present the AIDS information at their respective schools and to new girls’ groups..

 


District Officer Justus and Debby Rooney promote environmental awareness with the Nabulu Girls Group.

 


It was a wonderful, productive and rewarding visit. Thank you for your donations and continued support which make these programs possible.  .

 

Debby Rooney

Cofounder/BEADS