Back to Newsletter Archives

February 2006

Dear friends,

Harvesting Hope News

The women of Yote Yawezekana along with FSD Special Project Coordinator, Peter Ingosi, have updated me on the progress of the Harvesting Hope: Maize Growing & Capacity Building Initiative. The 7 acres of land have been leased and the seed and fertilizer purchased. The unexpected challenge is that the acreage is located some distance apart (instead of next to each other) due to high land demand. The capacity building training to teach the women the necessary skills to be successful in the Maize Growing Initiative also went very well. Five of the women are in special need of your prayers because “they are getting weaker and weaker and their contribution and participation is greatly missed” (Harvesting Hope Grant Report 2/3/06). These strong and courageous women give a face to how HIV is affecting individuals and families in Kenya. I will continue to share with you news from Yote Yawezekana and the grant progress reports.

Fair Trade Chocolate Fundraiser

The second news is that fundraising continues to send 21 children to school. For Valentine’s Day and during the month of February we are holding a special fair trade chocolate sale with all the proceeds going towards the school fees project. 10 amazing volunteers and organizations have stepped up to sell chocolates. (If you are interested in joining this volunteer group send me an e-mail). All proceeds from the chocolate sale will be used to send a child to school. The delicious chocolate bars come from the Kuapa Kokoo farmer's cooperative in Ghana. The farmers are paid a fair price for their cocoa with an additional social premium which is used by the farmers to improve their living and working conditions.

About the School Fee Project

The children of Shikokho village in Kenya are living in poverty and would love the opportunity to attend school. Those we are helping are children of widows in Yote Yawezekana Women's Group, all the women in this group are in some way affected by HIV/AIDS. The group has written a comprehensive grant proposal outlining their aims. I’ve included a few excerpts to share with you.

“The first objective is to create a source of fees through the establishing a scholarship fund for the children of the widows. Raising of school fees in this region is a major problem to many of the people who live on a dollar a day. This becomes more of a problem for the widows who have no source of livelihood and no incomes at all, having lost their breadwinners. Another objective is to strengthen and utilize the community initiative, which already exists in this community in communal implementation of the project. The fund will see the kids in these families have an opportunity like other kids in the whole nation, while creating confidence in their families and in themselves. These regions have experienced prolonged economic stagnation and decline in very many years. Such circumstances tend to create a vicious circle – as the government of Kenya finds it harder to raise revenues and are more likely to resort to fees out of reduced household incomes. In such case will result in dropout and will in turn contribute to reduced economic productivity over time. This itself reduces the confidence of the kids. It is said that education is the key and with education given to the kids whose families are in such situations, will come great opportunities.”

I thank all of you for helping the beautiful children of Kenya, through your prayers, support, networking, and for creating awareness amongst your family and friends.

With love, Shanna