Feedback from Andria's Falk's
second visit to Nairobi
to finalise the closure of
Tiba Africa Foundation
February/March 2019
Visitting the Tiba projects was my first priority when I arrived in Nairobi
Vincent Oloo was quick to offer to show me around. As Consultant to the Tiba Board and former colleague of the Late Daniel Marungu he was the perfect guide
Joy Baby Care
We found that Joy Baby Care was flourishing: in the safe hands of Mrs. Elizabeth MBati, Head Teacher of Alpha Glory School and the lovely carer, Wilkister Khamadi, now back from maternity leave
Abundance School
It was great to catch up with the children and teachers again - though a big shock to find the landlord is constructing houses on the playground.
Head teacher, Fred Chavulimo is very keen to find new premises and to build on what he and Daniel have achieved
It was wonderful to be able to allocate the final outstanding donations from GlobalGiving donors ($ 1,900) to the Tiba projects
Joy Baby Care: we were able to allocate money for a further 5 months enhanced salary for the care giver, a new microwave and new potties and emergency nappies
Abundance School: we were able to pay for the final batch of new curriculum text books, rent for the Easter holiday, money to set up as a self-help group, exercise books and a first aid kit
Give Me Another Chance AIDS/HIV Project: we paid for sponsored places on a public workshop and two designated workshops
And we were able to put $475 aside for admin costs linked to the closure of Tiba, with left-over monies to be shared between the projects.
Planning for the future of the Tiba Projects
I was very moved by the enormous concern and determination I found to continue Abundance School and Joy Babycare without the support of Tiba. Teacher Fred, head teacher of Abundance School has decided to set it up as a 'self-help group', - a formal organisation with legal status that can fundraise independently. They plan to fundraise for a new school building, that is desperately needed.
Joy Babycare has the resources to run independently for another 5 months and Mrs. MBati advises they will also need to fundraise to ensure its future.
Both these projects are very important to the local community and families that they support.
Vincent Oloo and his breathwork colleagues are also highly motivated to continue to support the 'Give Me Another Chance' project in the short term, and have a further workshop planned to take place at the end of May.
Meanwhile, Vincent has begun to plan for and dream about a new retreat and healing centre in the countryside!
.... let's envision the highest good and outcome for these projects, enabling a strong base, to build on Daniel's work.
All the projects will be represented at a GlobalGiving training day for new projects to learn fundraising skills, to be held on May 17th in Nairobi.
A Huge Thank You
to everyone in Kenya and from around the world who supported me at what has been a challenging time for everyone. To name some of them: Lillian Omwenga, wife of the Late Daniel Marungu, and Vincent Oloo and his wife Ruth for their support, love and hospitality; to my colleagues in Tiba Africa Support, Sue Geary, Morag Wylie, Julie Ann Horrox , and especially Ange Leake (who patiently put up with many late-night phone calls and texts); to Judith Kravitz, Director of the Transformational Breath Foundation and the Officers of TBF-UK who believed in the importance of Tiba and who supported me financially during my second visit to Kenya; to the staff of GlobalGiving, especially Eleanor Harrison, its former London-based CEO, whose professional advice and knowledge of Kenyan non-profit regulations was second-to-none; to the GlobalGiving donors who generously donated to support the projects into the future; to the Members and Executive of the IBF for their heart-centred concern for Tiba; to the Tiba Sub-group who painstakingly visited and supplied extra information about the projects: Elizabeth MBati, Stanley N'juguna, and Vincent Oloo; to the Sisters and staff at Tumaini Centre for their nurturing care and amazing admin support; and especially to the Chairman, Rajab Saidi, and the Board and Consultants of Tiba Africa Foundation, whose patience and clarity helped us make difficult decisions in a very short space of time. And. of course, to the Late Daniel Marungu, whose friendship I treasured and whose inspiration and unique vision was an example to all of us.
Please contact Andria Falk on andriafalk@blueyonder.co.uk if you would like more information concerning the closure of Tiba Africa Foundation or about the future of its projects
We have now completed our review of Tiba Africa Foundation following the sudden death of Daniel Marungu, our Chief Executive. After looking at Tiba’s records, and consulting widely, including with GlobalGiving UK, we are recommending to the Tiba Board that it be closed down in its current form. Because Daniel Marungu had his own particular way of doing things, we feel that it will be very difficult for the Tiba Board to continue without his input. However, since each Tiba project has its own community and different needs, we are recommending that people on the ground with an interest in each project may wish to set up a self-help group to support it and fundraise for it in the future. We will let you know the outcome of this once the Board has met and decisions have been taken. We are assured by GlobalGiving that each project will be eligible to apply to it in its own right.
Report to Global Giving Donors of Tiba Africa Foundation
Give Me Another Chance
Joy Baby Care
Abundance School
This is a poignant time in the life of Tiba Africa Foundation – just three months since the sudden death of our CEO Daniel Marungu.
The last two Christmases we have focussed on Christmas campaigns championing the needs of the children at Abundance School: in January 2017 when the children returned to school they were each presented with a school bag, pens and paper, thanks to our generous donors; last Christmas we fundraised to bring more creativity into the school – in line with the Kenyan Government’s new curriculum plans. Daniel and Teacher Fred launched this in the summer term when all 80 children were able to visit art and craft workshops and take part in drumming, singing, pottery and other crafts. The rest of the money raised in this campaign has been allocated to bring an artist into school once a month so the children can learn from experts.
Following Daniel’s death, the Board has wanted to remain true to Tiba’s ideals, although not currently actively fundraising. From our reserves, we have voted this Christmas to provide text books for the whole of Abundance School to meet the new curriculum requirements starting in January 2019. This has required us buying 5 copies for each of our 5 classes of English, Mathematics, Environment, Hygiene and Creativity Books.
The Tiba Board has also considered the needs of Joy Baby Care based at Alpha Glory School. In the absence of Daniel, the Head teacher, Mrs. Elizabeth MBati, has generously become one of three new consultants to the Board and she and her staff have taken over responsibility for managing Joy Baby Care on behalf of Tiba. On Mrs. MBati’s advice, the Board has allocated money to raise the pay of the care giver from 3000 to 5000 Kenyan Shillings for six months to ensure stability and to enable it to become self-supporting. Mrs. MBati reports that this has definitely raised the morale of the caregiver.
The Board is also committing to supporting a Tiba ‘Give Me Another Chance‘ project organised by Tiba Breath Ambassador and Vice Chair, Bwana Juma in Machakos County. Tiba has been asked to provide T shirts for 50 participants in a marathon to advertise the need for young people to be mindful of the need to practice safe sex and to hold a meeting afterwards for young people to alert them to the issues. Bwana Juma has asked if Tiba can pay for the T-shirts. Because Tiba doesn’t have the funds to pay for this we have used the last of the money held in the UK that had been fundraised for Daniel’s medical care. We think this is a fitting tribute to Daniel and a good use of the last of the money.
So why isn’t Tiba actively fundraising this Christmas? Following the tragic death of Daniel, the Board has come together to find a way forward. We are liaising with Global Giving to see if we have the necessary resilience and skills to continue and build on Daniel’s work. Because we found that Daniel had largely been working independently, it is taking us some time to unravel how Tiba has been run and how to proceed. We will let you know the outcome of our decisions as soon as we can. As well as support from Global Giving and our other donor organisations we are pleased to advise that we are benefitting from advice and support from Vincent Oloo, the International Breathwork Foundation’s National Coordinator for Kenya, Eunice Obenjo, IBF Member and accountant and Mrs. MBati, Alpha Glory School.
We send you greetings and love for Christmas and the New Year. Please send love and light to Daniel’s family and friends at this time and everyone within the orbit of Tiba Africa Foundation.
Thank you for your generous support to Tiba Africa Foundation.
Dear Friends of Tiba,
It is with great sadness that I need to be sharing with you news of Daniel
Marungu, our Chief Executive. As you may know, Daniel was diagnosed with
liver cancer just two months ago. He was optimistic that he would be able
to beat this, but this wasn’t to be, and he passed away suddenly at the
weekend.
Everyone that knew Daniel was aware of the huge heart and vision that he
had for his community, especially the children and people who were
struggling.
As a donor to Tiba via GlobalGiving, you will know better than many people
of some of the great work he has been doing over many years. He leaves a
strong legacy that we need to build on.
Please join me in sending love to Daniel’s family, especially his wife
Lillian and children, and his friends and colleagues.
We will keep you posted about Tiba’s projects as soon as possible.
Dear Donor
Thank you so much for your valuable support to our Give Me Another Chance project. I am unusually writing this on behalf of Daniel Marungu, Chief Exec of Tiba Africa Foundation whose inspiration and ongoing passion created this very successful project. Daniel is currently rather unwell and receiving treatment at a Government hospital at Eldoret, 300 km from Nairobi where there is currently no internet connection. The breath ambassadors are doing such a great job supporting people in the community who are struggling with their AIDS/HIV status that he's not worried about leaving them for a while. Even while he is ill, he is thinking of their needs and arranging to buy lap tops and mobile phones so they can keep in touch with each other and their community more easily. He is also looking at ways of expanding this project and training more ambassadors - more about this when Daniel is back on his feet. Daniel and the whole Board of Tiba are very proud of this project and how they are striving to overcome stigma and discrimination which distorts people's understanding and ability to seek help. I will never forget when I visited Nairobi how the Vice Chair of Tiba stood up in a public meeting and announced very movingly and bravely his own family's personal situation with regard to AIDS. This was the core seed that has kept Tiba motivated and focussed in undertaking this challenging work.
Thank you for your love and on-going support
Andria Falk
European Patron of Tiba Africa Foundation and Secretary of Tiba Africa Support
(If you would like to follow Daniel's healing journey or support his medical bills please key in 'Daniel Marungu' on the on-line fundraising website Go Fund Me).
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