Help us put shoes on these children.
This child just walked miles to school.
The ground is rough and has thorns.
IT IS SIMPLY NOT OK.
Help Matanya’s Hope transport the
hundreds of shoes donated
and
HELP US HELP THESE KIDS
Donate via pay pal on our blog www.journeytohelpafrica.com
or on our website: www.matanyashope.org
You can send a check to:
Matanya’s HopePO Box 562 Homewood, IL 60430
Thank you.
Become a part of the solution.
Nairutia, Kenya
We’d driven hours to get to this small mountain town of Nairutia, Kenya. Even with windows closed, the dust became so plentiful inside of our car that we could taste the flavor of the earth on our tongues. Not my favorite dish – I might say – but It didn’t matter. We were here for a purpose.
Francis… after running all of the way home from school.
After one more lengthy stretch of desert brush lined – compressed earthen road, we finally reached our destination. Father Maina’s mother greeted us with opened arms. She was happy to see us again. We were happy to see her as well.
Guka’s (grandfather’s) pace was slow but steady as he approached us. He’d been suffering from dementia and I wondered if how our presence on the homestead would feel. HIs warm smile revealed all. I held out my hand and gently welcomed his in a greeting that remains memorable in my heart. What a joy it was to be in this place again – with the people we’ve come to know.
Father Maina’s mother (mama Maina) worked side by side with Peris, her helping hands, to prepare a lovely meal for us. We were honored by their efforts. Chapati (circular shaped soft, flat bread), vegetables and a plentiful dish of chicken protein were served to all. Wow! Our hungry bodies reveled in the presentation. Guka joined us, first with his heaping bowl of maize and beans and then again (I think he forgot that he just ate) for chicken, potatoes, greens, rice and chapati. It was a joy to see him eat. (I know they’ve been having some difficulties getting him to take food).
But we were not there for food.
We came for a purpose today.
Like so many other regions in Kenya, this place too is remote and filled with great need.
The children filed in – one by one – with their hopeful mums in tow.
Child and adult garments alike were tattered and torn. The boys were adorned in pants, too big or too small and the girls were graced by dresses that had probably seen better days long ago. The sitting room that comfortably fit our mission team and Father Maina’s family soon welcomed every guest that entered that compound. Tables became chairs and it all worked very well.
Francis and Faith were newly accepted into our program and were amongst the many others who were still yearning for a chance: A chance to be sponsored. A chance to go to boarding school.
Thoughts began flooding my mind. I could hardly register them at the speed by which they arrived.
This precious child is Faith, 20011. Today she and her brother Francis are sponsored by Matanya’s Hope and is thriving in school.
That’s when I saw her.
The cracks in her feet have healed as parched craters and crevices. They’ve been there for too long for the skin to ever reunite as before, on the other side. I notice her toughened soles. She comes to us barefooted…. her young boy in tow. She has no money to get his report form from the school and quietly, almost shamefully asks: “what shall I do?”
Thought: my thought: Sponsorship needs to occur.
They smell like sweet earth. So little. At 10, she looks like 6. Her nose is running – clear but steady. The same with Francis. At first glance, her clothes look bright and new, but as she drew near, it only took a moment to register the tattered pullover and frayed skirt. The truth I already knew was now portrayed in such visual clarity; I could hardly remain composed. Her tiny feet touch the earth. I wonder what shoes they’ve ever known.
Dear readers.
Thank you for being here with me.
I wish we could all reach out and touch these beautiful children.
Next year I promise myself: I will bring more shoes. More blankets. More school supplies.
And I pray, God will provide more sponsors and the children who may feel forgotten can still have hope.
To Gretchen, Erika, Tina and Lisa….thank you all.
If this earth really has angels… you are surely some!
Until next time,
Michelle
Anita picks tea on a neighbor’s farm. She must carefully select the top 3 tea leaves from each matured branch. This work helps send her to school.
Anita’s mother loves her, but she is rarely home to give her daughter that reassurance she needs. When Anita and her sister Winnie recounted their story to me, tears streaked little Anita’s face. “Our mother works four hours away” Winnie told me, “in (the over crowded city of) Nairobi. Her job is cleaning public toilets.” All I can say is, these public toilets make most of our public washrooms look – and smell – good (if not great)! The city of Nairobi routinely faces a shortage of water. When this happens, washrooms become collection tanks for waste: waste that is not always carried away. My heart bleeds for Anita’s mother. I keep thinking about the risk of disease in these dirty surroundings and I pray that she will be able to do her job and stay unaffected by the conditions she works in. She seems so brave; forsaking her own comforts in an effort to do everything to help her children. I don’t know if she even earns the equivalent of $1 a day, but she is doing all she can to help her children.
Anita’s father left years ago. He pours his earnings into illicit brew and shows no care for his children. He doesn’t offer a coin for their welfare or education. When Winifred speaks of him, she shutters at the thought and quietly surrenders to the all too common hurt by bowing her head in remorse. Tears come – again. How many times will these children have to cry? How many nights will they sleep with a longing for a hug from mom and dad?
Anita washes clothing in order to help her grandmother. Today, she is washing her school uniform in preparation for her return to school.
Anita’s adoring grandparents opened their home to the three girls. Her aging grandfather has no savings; he spent the last of it raising his 3 grandchildren. “I have no regrets”, he tells me during a mission interview, “but it is a challenge to provide all they need. Even school fees are a big challenge and sometimes Anita is sent home for fees. We don’t usually have them; she must remain home for weeks and we work to raise what we can. This happens many times each term but Anita is a very clever and disciplined girl. She is a top performer.”
“We thank God for all you have done to help Winifred”, Anita’s grandfather tells me during this intimate visit. He bends over and carefully places 10 eggs into a small, clear plastic bag. Oh my gosh! “I can’t do this“, I think; “I know what he is going to do.” My heart is aching at the thought. I know I can’t say a thing. He also must feel that he can give. I try to hide my own pain.
I tell him that we are going to look for a sponsor for Anita and “I am glad that we came to visit.”
I thank him for having such a kind heart. I know all too well that in Kenya, it is frequently the case that children left behind by misfortune are often left to face life on their own. Children are left to care for children. In Anita’s case, I know one thing for sure. She and her sisters are loved.
Anita shows me how she cracks macadamia nuts from her grandparent’s farm – using a large stone as the base and a smaller one as the cracking tool. As I watched her chew the nut, I was filled with joy. She was getting some great nutrition!
The mission ended but Anita’s case was far from over. Just weeks after our return to the USA, Matanya’s Hope held our first golf outing. Anita was sponsored! She will now be able to go to school, fully uniformed and equipped with books, supplies and 3 hot meals every day! Through this kind act, Anita was given the gift of hope. And that, in a nut shell, is what it takes – hearing a story like Anita’s and doing something to change it.
For stories about more children who need sponsorship, please go to our website: www.matanyashope.org or feel free to call us at 708-822-HOPE (4673).
A while ago, I became a part of Matanya’s Hope. As I became involved with the organization, I began to be immersed in the community as well. From the first time I’d heard of MH, I’d always been in love with its concept and mission, but what’s awesome was how intimately connected we were with the children and teens from a country far away. when Michelle connected me with some of the students involved in the program in Kenya, things really clicked for me. Through chatting with them over the Internet and on Facebook, I began to understand some of their situations they were in–the goals they had, the struggles they faced, and their opinions on certain things in life. I especially had a lovely time chatting with a student named Vincey Kailey who was incredibly smart and completely wowed me with his story. He worked hard as a student, individually and with the help of Matanya’s Hope, and now he’s studying for a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance in the University of Nairobi in Kenya.
–Christina
Vincey Kailey
What’s your story?
“There is a date I remember: January, 2000. It was the year when I started my schooling days at a small public primary school called Kaubau Primary School. I started my formal learning not in my mother tongue language but purely in English and Swahili–I started to pronounce alphabet, words and numbers in English in primary school.
Every day, I had to walk about six miles to school, on a gravel road, from as early as 6.00 a.m. in the morning. I’d return home around five to six in the evening. In the morning I would only have a cup of porridge made of finger millet and maize flour, a rare thing we had in our family and a blessing whenever we had it. I never even dreamt of shoes, because my parents could only afford simple rubber slippers and when the slippers tore apart, then that meant I had to walk barefooted to school. Belts were nice to have but the reality was I never had one. The only belt I knew was to tighten my school shorts in a plastic string, which I also used for my school bag. When I walked to school, I always put my school books in a plastic bag, tuck inside of my at backside of my school white short and tied the end parts of my school tightly
In 2006, I transferred to Nkubu Victory academy, which was about twelve miles away from home. I was happy to be in the academy, but was challenged by the curriculum. I struggled a lot, but after I spoke with the Director, Mr. Gatobu, I manned up and followed his advice to study hard, and sometimes sacrifice some nights of sleep for results. Finally, at the end of the term examination, I realized the results of hard work, I emerged number one at class position and that’s the only way that motivated me to work harder was to maintain the position with stiff competition in our class. I was eventually appointed as class prefect.
Every day, I had to walk about six miles to school, on a gravel road, from as early as 6.00 a.m. in the morning. I’d return home around five to six in the evening.
I met Michelle Stark in 2008, during one of the hard times in Victory academy. We were in a difficult situation, and struggling to make ends meet. l was privileged to be in Matanya’s hope sponsorship program. Matanya’s hope is dedicated and focused on eradicating poverty by educating the needy and bright children, as well as providing other life sustaining programs and opportunities. One thing for sure is that Matanya’s Hope Organization is keenly objective to its mission, purpose and vision; saving the world one child at a time. Through: relieving the heavy burden of school fees, installing storage water tanks, and mentoring and inspiring those with no hope to prosper, hundreds and thousands of needy children their lives was never the same again, including myself.
I’m grateful to Matanya’s hope for very kind donations to less fortunate, less privileged disabled, needy, orphaned and to me. Since I met Matanya’s hope, I have been able to continue with studies all the way from primary school, secondary school and here I am in university pursuing a degree course! This is an achievement that otherwise could never be realized. Besides all that could never be possible without the support of very kind sponsors—I am so privileged and blessed to have them, I have been able to receive school fees, wonderful gifts and packages from Brogan Sienna and Kailey. They took great care and responsibility of my well being,progress and follow-up. Matanya hope has played a huge role of bridging communication between my sponsors, and me. Matanya’s has and still is working really hard with persistently checking in on the progress and wellbeing of children, and offering right advisory to many needy children particularly students. This has greatly enhanced oneness, honesty, accountability, transparency and love among the students and their sponsors.”
What does education mean to you?
“Education means a lot to me. I believe that, it is through it i will make my dreams come to a reality,to live a bright future, lead a happy life and enjoy the good things the world has to offer; a great job, a good social reputation and definitely an ability to keep up with world and become an active member of the society and participate in the ongoing changes and developments.
When Mr. Gabotu appointed me as the class prefect back in Victory Academy, it changed my life. It was a responsibility, a privilege and an honour as it paved way to be a leader. That’s the reality of my primary school life. I’m always grateful for what I have and I treasured it most. I learned a lot from this simple way of acquiring a formal education with family problems, struggling with school fees and anxiety of what will happen next. Education is a blessing. For me, education is a must for a promising and secure future and a stable life.”
Wilfed Mutegi Mworia. Poverty tried to swaddle him like a black cloak on the wings of a storm. From the get go, Wilfred wanted education. He wanted to learn, to become someone useful and to lift his family out of the abject poverty the faced every day.
Once Wilfred reached high school, the cost of education was too much for his family to bare. The choice became clear. Either Wilfred’s family would buy him a single pencil or they would provide a simple meal of cooked maize flour and water for the family. There were no other options. Wilfred prayed for a way to free himself from the oppression that was suffocating his dreams. He knew he had to find a job.
With no skills beyond a rural 8th grade education, Wilfred took a job in a rock quarry. There, casual laborers hand carved 2 foot long bricks from the stone surrounding them. Their only tools were chisel and mallet. They did all of this for less than $1 a day. Wilfred joined others in carrying the heavy carved building rocks 3 stories up to the quarry’s surface, using hand made steep ladders. One slip could end his life.
3 of these rocks equal the size of one brick carried by Wilfred to the quarry surface.
Wilfred revisits the quarry and shows Matanya’s Hope what his work entailed.
Donations “Save and Change my Life” by Wilfred Mutegi Mworia
“I’m very grateful for your unselfish donations you have ever made to save and change my life. You have really played a great role in my education more so, by financing my studies. May almighty GOD bless you. Actually, you came into my life at the right time. Before I met Michelle, my life was miserable and hopeless where poverty hindered me to think about a future. My dad was a drunkard who neither bothered nor cared about anything but getting a penny for his illicit beer.”
“Afterwards, my lovely mum took the burden of the entire family whereby she engaged in casual labor in order to feed us and cater for school expenses, but this did not go far since our first born dropped from school and got married as a teen. Later on she was also joined by my second sister.”
“Suddenly, life turned unfair where committing suicide was my next idea. This was due to the separation of my mum and dad. Together with my younger brother, we were left with my drunkard dad. This forced my brother to drop out of school and engage in casual labor to cater for me since I was near to sit for my primary national examinations which I passed well. I had to join high school.”
“Afterwards, I became more desperate because I had no one to help. I joined my brother who had by then indulged in drug abuse. I was determined to get back to school. I took a job (to raise my own money for school fees) at a nearby place and worked for many months. In the final week, I accidentally cut my finger off with a machete and had to be rushed to the hospital. They could not save my finger. The owner refused to pay me a single coin. He was holding all of my money since the time I started. Now I had nothing but the few coins I had saved earlier. I joined a rural secondary day school but I was unable even to pay those fees. Luckily, Michelle came to our school and she cleared my fees arrears, moved me to a better school and promised to find me a sponsor.”
Wilfred Mutegi Mworia showing Matanya’s Hope the finger stub as a result of his accident at work.
“I am so grateful for Matanya’s Hope accepted to relieve my burden and I am hoping for good results in my exams. I wish I may meet all of you who work so tirelessly to change the lives of the poor like me. One day, I will also help a needy child as you have helped me.”
Yours lovingly,
Mutegi Wilfred
Students from Glenbrook South High School’s club STAND for Peace worked together a few weekends ago at Glenview’s Summer Festival. The club fundraised this spring to sponsor a Matanya’s Hope child and were out again working to keep their child in school.
They are currently sponsoring Purity Nkabria, a girl entering high school thanks to their hard work. Purity is an extremely bright student who wouldn’t have been able to attend school beyond eighth grade without a sponsor.
Purity Nkabria
Stand for Peace is a global outreach club that began as Students Taking Action in Northern Darfur thus the STAND name. Over the years, as the genocide ended in Darfur they have moved on to focus on five areas of the world in need of humanitarian aid. The club focuses on human rights crises and takes a non-political stand to help make a difference to better lives. This year they raised money for Syrian refugees, which was donated to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in the fall. Their spring project was Matanya’s Hope. The club has committed to get Purity through her education as she already lost a sponsor before the club became involved. They also sent over a backpack full of donated school supplies for Purity at the end of the school year.
The bottom row of students is the current executive board. The top row is made up of seniors and a faculty advisor
The Student executive board of STAND is currently made up of Ruhi Bhaidani, Kate Hegay, Grace Kilpatrick and Maeve Plunkett. The faculty sponsors include Matthew Whipple who won the Power of One award from the Illinois Holocaust Museum earlier this spring for his work with the club and activism. The club is run by students who choose what projects to work on while the faculty help to ensure productivity with the students.
Matanya’s Hope is extremely thankful for the hard work the students of the club have put in to make enough money to sponsor Purity. The student board was at the festival all day on Saturday and members of the club worked throughout the day in shifts. One member of the club will be traveling to Kenya this year with Matanya’s Hope. Stay tuned and hopefully hear a blog from her about her experience in Kenya.
Matanya’s Hope was honored by the hands on participation of one of four girls mentoring groups funded by the Lambda Tau Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated – known as The Precious Pearls. Precious Pearls is comprised of 20 high school girls ages 14-18 who primarily live in, but not exclusively the far south suburb of Chicago. The girls gathered on two separate occasions to hand tie fleece blankets for our children in Kenya, many of whom do not own a single blanket. This project reinforced the development of service and leadership skills in these young ladies and worked well with the purpose and vision of the organization: to provide guidance, support and constructive role models to girls from all backgrounds. The vision for the Precious Pearls is to instill a spirit of giving, participation, adventure, leadership and service in each girl through guided mentorship.
The Precious Pearls enjoyed making the blankets with the guidance of Leah Hill during workshops and community service events. What a joy it will be for us to share photos and videos with the girls when our Matanya’s Hope recipients half way around the world receive these blankets!
Stay tuned to the blog. Soon we will be reporting from Kenya!
