By Evans Oriwo | Project Leader
Dear Partners,
We have the long holiday season in Kenya and all the sponsored children have closed school for the December holidays which runs from October 24th 20-17 to January 2nd 2018. This is a season for the children to bond with their friends from other schools, with relatives and other caregivers. At Mathari Children's Fund, we also have an opportunity to interact with the children and get to hear their stories. Its also an opportunity to offer psychosocial support to the sponsored children.
In addition to these, they have an opportunity to participate in many activities organised by us for the children in the slums. On 23rd November we shall have a competition called "MATHARE GOT TALENT" in which students shall compete in categories such as Modelling, Choir, Songs and Dancing, Poems, Acrobatics and Public Speaking. This will be preceded by a soccer tournament.
Politically speaking, Kenya is still at the crossroads. We have had two successive presidential elections; both of which have been contested in court. One was in August and another recently in Octover 26th. As I write today, there is a lot of tension in Kenya and Mathari Slums in particular. The Supreme Court is expected to annouce the verdict of the contested Presidential election. Police and citizens have been having running battles and a few deaths have been reported in Mathare Slums and elsewhere in the country.
For the reason of this political unrest, we have had the misfortune of losing two sponsored children. One has just been burried on 18th November 2017 and another was shot dead ny the police yesterday November 19th 2017. It is a sad that an innocent child can lose his life because of police brutality!
For now, we are suspending our holiday programme until there is calm. I shall be having more apt information to share with all partners soon after the situation calms down.
I now take this earrly opportunity on behalf of all the Children and MCFpanairobi to wish everyone an Early Christmas!
Asante sana (Swahili word for "Thank you very much")
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