Dear *|FNAME|*,
I hope and trust that this finds you and your loved ones healthy and well in these unprecedented times. We stand alongside you in supporting our fearless frontline workers and first responders globally. They give us hope and inspire us daily with their courage.
As trusted allies and supporters of our work at Springs of Hope Foundation I wanted to share how we are pivoting our efforts to protect our education programs, and most importantly, the women, girls, and families we serve in our community in Nakuru, Kenya during these rapidly changing times. As you know, many African countries are currently being devastated by the exponential rise of COVID-19 on the continent. ICUs, emergency rooms, sanitary water for hand washing and social distancing are provisional luxuries afforded to a tiny percentage of the population of Sub Sahara- Africa.
This week our area chief informed us that while traveling outside their homes, everyone must wear a face mask. That's a pretty daunting challenge for most people in our community. These are women who have to fetch water in 20 Liter Jerry cans daily and visit the market several times a week as they can't afford to purchase food in bulk. There simply aren’t any face masks available to the poorest, most vulnerable members of our community.
We were in the final stages of making free school uniforms for the children at Slum Hill Primary, to be delivered next month. However, with the unknown of exactly when school will begin again in Kenya, we have instantly switched gears and are now making face masks,to be given out to our community for free. In the months ahead, or maybe weeks ahead, I’m sure we’ll also be making scrubs for the health care workers, and quite frankly, anything else that will be needed in the upcoming, unknown difficult times ahead.
In truth, I never expected this to be our challenge and focus this spring in Kenya. But our ability to pivot and answer this unexpected call to action and meet the ever-changing needs of our community is a testament to your collective support. Our work is a reflection of the inspiration you give us daily through your encouragement and outreach. Our community in Kenya has never needed us more.
Thank you for all you do to support women's and girl’s education and empowerment globally.
Warmest regards,
Jennifer Hughes-Bystrom
Links:
As with almost every other corner of the world, COVID-19 arrived in Kenya a little over a week ago. Fortunately, the Kenya government had ample time to prepare and acted immediately. To date, there are only 7 cases. On Monday this week, the Kenyan government announced mitigation policies to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Kenya. It has directed all schools to close for the next 30 days, beginning immediately. Similar measures have been taken in other East African countries including Rwanda and Tanzania. My immediate worry was that, while we’re a vocational training college, coming under the same mandate, sending our students home to overcrowded slums would be much worse than staying put in our facility and self-isolating until things settle down. We spoke to our area chief about the situation. Unfortunately, his hands were tied, and we were required to send the students back to their respective villages.
However, we’ve been given a very unexpected reprieve at the very unfortunate expense of our two volunteers from Germany, Kira, and Sara who arrived in Kenya the day before the government banned all but returning citizens and residents from entering Kenya. After spending the weekend sightseeing in Nairobi, they met up with our office manager, Beryl and traveled back to Nakuru together on a crowded minibus. The following morning Beryl mingled with our students, introduced our volunteers to our students and then learned of the government mandate to close all schools. Learning that we had two visitors from Germany staying with us, the health department put our project into quarantine for two weeks. For us, that’s good news, as the students are safe for the time being. Our teacher, Martha, who is also under quarantine from home, checks in on the students daily.
As for Kira and Sara…they have taken their quarantine admirably. Sadly, visiting us was the first leg of their one year journey across Sub Sahara Africa. One a social worker and child advocate and the other an engineer, they were so excited about the contribution they could make to our students' personal empowerment, growth, and education. They have had to remain separated from our students in our guest house, with no social interaction. As soon as their two week quarantine period is over they will be returning to Germany.
As you can probably appreciate, this is going to be a particularly tough time for fundraising for charities and NGO’s worldwide. Thank you for your ongoing support of Springs of Hope Foundation. Your support will ensure that our young women and staff can work through these issues and resume providing free, quality education as soon as it is practicable.
Warmest regards,
Jennifer Hughes-Bystrom
We will keep you updated but please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions at jenniferhughes@springsofhopefoundation.org
Links:
Meet Margaret, along with just a few of her very proud family members on Margaret's graduation day earlier this month.
Margaret comes from a family of twelve, four brothers and seven sisters. She is the last born in the family. Her father is a casual laborer and was not able to take her to college after her form four. Margaret was born as a normal child, able to hear and talk. She went to her nursery class as a normal child. When she was in class two, she developed recurring headaches. She was hospitalized for three months, during this time the worst happened and she lost her hearing ability completly. Her parents could not believe what had happened to their daughter, but afterwards enrolled her into Ngala school for the deaf. During her last year of high school, she lost her mother, who had been struggling with poor health for several years. This left Margaret devastated. She says life has never been the same since losing her mother, until she came to Springs of Hope Foundation's Kijiji Mission project and now sees a bright future ahead
There is indeed a bright future ahead for Margaret, along with the other young women who recently graduated from our 12-month course earlier this month. They have all been offered jobs at a local company. That’s right…ALL of the young women, including our hearing-impaired students.
It can be very difficult for the deaf to find employment in Kenya, or anywhere else in the underdeveloped world for that matter, so we are thrilled to know that they will all go on to paid employment when they return from a very well earned Christmas break in January.
We are so very grateful for your continued support in 2019. As we look forward to a new intake of young women in the new year our wish is that you continue to include Springs of Hope Foundation in your charitable giving.
Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful Christmas and a New Year filled with Many Blessings.
Jennifer Hughes-Bystrom
CEO
Springs of Hope Foundation.org
Last Monday we completed what has become my favorite program. We were able to deliver free school uniforms to 26 kindergarten children at a school in an area called Slum Hill, which is a very poor area of Nakuru. Last week's delivery makes a total of 70 children that we have been able to assist with free school uniforms.
Unless you were here, It's hard to imagine what a huge impact this project has on both our students and the little ones they are assisting, who come from one of the most deplorable slums in our area and are forced to come to school in worn out, hand me down uniforms and shoes. Last weeks delivery makes a total of 70 children from desterapetly poor areas that we have been able to assist with free school uniforms this year.
As a supporter of Springs of Hope Foundation, we need your help this Giving Tuesday, December 3rd. Please create a fundraiser on our Global Giving project page and share it with your email, Facebook and social network friends. Creating a fundraiser is easy and we welcome with any goal amount.
Over this 24-hour period, Global Giving will be giving out $500.000 in proportional matching funds and $42,000 in bonus prizes. The project with the most unique (new) donors will win the largest portion of the bonus prizes!
Please hepl us win a large amount of the bonus prize money by starting a fundraiser amoung your friends and social media contacts here.
Thank you for your support,
Jennifer Hughes-Bystrom
Founder/CEO
Links:
Wow, it will be two weeks today since my return to Kenya after a wonderful, but fleeting, three months spent at my Northern Michigan home in Big Bay. Returning to Big Bay is always wonderful. Being back with family and friends, sleeping in my own bed and just loving a long, hot shower...Ahhh, the comforts of home! Being able to just turn on the tap and drink the water, or go among the shelves of the supermarket with bountiful fresh produce and way, way too many choices for other goods :) all of which there are no comparisons to where I spend so much time each year.
A couple of years ago a dear friend asked me a question. At the time we were just enjoying the company of a few good friends and sharing thoughts.
The question we were all asked was: "Where in the world would want to be at this moment?" My immediate response was, right here, right now, enjoying this moment with you, sharing the blessing of your friendship and good company. No matter where here and now is, be it Kenya, Michigan or our home in Australia or wherever I may be, I always enjoy the moment, savor the experience and give thank to God for my abundantly blessed life...
FREEDOM OF CHOICE OVER HER LIFE AND HER DESTINY IS A LUXURY THAT
IS UNIMAGINABLE AND UNATTAINABLE TO THE MAJORITY OF
SUB-SAHARA AFRICAN WOMEN.
LETS WORK TOGETHER TO CHANGE THAT.
Our training project is coming along tremendously. Our students have had the opportunity to recieve invaluable taining from volunteers from all over the world. Each volunteer contributes a different, unique skill to our program.
Sophia from Isreal spent her time with us helping organize our office after our recent move.
Laura, a social worker from Germany focused on giving our students power point lessons on mental health, self esteem, self-talk etc.
Leila from Switzerland spent the majority of her time with us running our computer classroom and teaching an HIV/AIDS awarement course.
Mayca and Robin from the UK.
Mayca focused on teaching the students many new sewing and craft skills. The most popular one being crocheting. The young ladies now spend their evening leisure time chatting, laughing, joking and just being teenage girls...while crochet needles are at full speed. They love this new skill and I must say, their work is very good.
Robin was kept very busy during his time with us. I think he will agree that his most important contribution to our project was assisting our hearing impaired students, who will be graduating in December, with the paperwork and filing needed to apply for a small business startup government grant for the disabled.
The girls have a well thought out business plan
and this grant will set them on their path to success.
Melissa from Brazil was with us for a couple of months and taught our students so much about the delicate environment we all live in. Among the many things Melissa taught our students was how to make Ecko Bricks out of plastic bottles. Melissa's most enduring gift to our students will be the time she spent teaching them how efficiently compost their organic waste into rich soil that will nourish a fertile and productive family garden plot.
Every volunteer contributes their own unique and valuable talent to our program and leaves a lasting impression with our students. If you would like more information about becomming a volunteer with us please email me at jenniferhughes@springsofhopefoundation.org or visit our web page www.springsofhopefoundation.org for additional volunteer information.
Asante Sana,
Jennifer Hughes-Bystrom
Links:
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