Educating street children in the Mathare slums

Dear Friends,

Its with a sad note that I start this update. During the last two months we lost a mother of four of our children to HIV/AIDS related complications. Fortunately the children have been taken in by their uncle and their education will continue with us, but we feel for them in their grief. We also lost a brother to one of the children that we cater for, also from HIV/AIDS ailments.

On another note, Alexis Nadin, a former intern with Globalgiving, passed by in April to see what we do. We are grateful to note that Globalgiving does indeed go to the ground to find out whether what projects claim to do is being done.

In April when we have the 3 weeks holiday, we organized a Tae-kwon-do training for some of our children, to help them in need and for self defense. This is key to us after a series of rapes and kidnappings currently going on both in slums and the up market places in Kenya and Nairobi in particular. The Tae-kwon-do lessons were mostly taken up by boys and we are arranging for a female coach for the girls, as they shied away from the training and yet they are the most victims.

Our youth group, which has 22 members, has embarked on a tree planting activity along Nairobi River that borders the Mathare slums where majority of the members live. This has been made possible through their own contributions that enabled them to buy tree seedlings. They intend to stop the degradation of their habitat and the tree planting has set the pace. They are also introducing farming in the slums through the use of soil loaded into sacks and planting kales and spinach which they sell at cheaper price than the local market. This is an income generating activity.

110 children went back to school, 44 to secondary schools, and 54 to primary schools, 2 to kindergarten while 9 went back to colleges. This has been made possible by you through your generous contribution. We are also excited by the fact that 2 more students will be joining public universities in two weeks time, making the total number now 3. In addition, Robert Muiruri is now employed by a local bank and is now in a position to help his big family, and had this to say, “Am now in a position to move my family from the slums to a better living place. All this is due to M.C.F. who trusted in me and saw me through school and college. M.C.F. is the best gift ever.” Attached to this update you will find a photograph of the nursery class which includes two of the children in our programme.

Since 1999, over 300 children have passed through MCFP. As the core activity, MCFP has sponsored and seen more than 150 children successfully go through and finish Primary education, 70 through the secondary education and 37 through college. We sincerely appreciate your continued support and assistance as we endeavor to facilitate the uplifting of children lives. Please feel free to ask any questions or information regarding our project. Thank you.

Titus Mwangi Team Leader