st. michael’s parish supports notre dame children’s outreach nyalieng’a, kenya

St. Michael’s Parish supports

Notre Dame Children’s Outreach

Nyalieng’a, Kenya

Geographical Location

SSND

Project Location

Nyalieng’a

Homa Bay Diocese

Kenya

School Sisters of

Notre Dame

The Gambia

Ghana

Nigeria

Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya

Within Kenya

Homa Bay

Diocese

Diocese of Homa Bay

Established: November 12, 1993

Total population: 1,357,564

Catholics: 327,434

Lake Victoria seen from Homa Bay


Background:1.6 million orphans in Kenya200,000 orphans in Homa Bay Diocese8,500+ orphans in Nyalieng’a parishBishop Philip Anyola of Homa Bay Diocese approached the SSND for help:

“We have so many orphans – is there anything you can do?”

Very little outside help


Orphan Led FamiliesParents are deceased or very ill Sometimes an elderly grandmother is presentOften the oldest child in the family is under 18, sometimes as young as 12-14 years oldIf over 18, will have dropped out of school to care for siblings; may not have the opportunity to finish educationStill living on their land – if they leave they lose the land and any chance of livelihood“Children Raising Children”


Initial Plans by the S.S.N.D.

Parish comprises 34 centres, sub-centres & outstations Each is to choose its neediest family SSND initially want to focus on these 34 familiesHolistic approach – not just education, but also emotional, health, spiritual, social . . .Want to help the neediest of the needy


Presently

There is no outreach centre yet3 sisters live in a small renovated (cement over mud) building (20’x23’) which has 3 bedrooms and one all-purpose roomThe 4th room is the chapel, kitchen, dining room, community room and meeting roomNo windows, no running water, no electricity The project is administered from the house or under a tree outside


Presently …There is a primary school on the Church compoundA girl’s secondary school is under construction – completion date uncertainThere are many other schools in the parishThe children being sponsored attend a variety of schoolsQuality of education is lacking because the schools often lack basic materials


The Orphan Outreach Centre – Next Stage

Office for 5-6 peopleMeeting Room for 30 people for trainingHousing for 3-4 staff members Convent for 6-8 sistersRescue Center

For the orphans or other vulnerable children in critical need of safe and secure housing Stays may be as long as weeks or months until alternatives found in their home place or elsewhere


Project GoalsHire project staff – many varied roles including social workers, house mom, youth minister etc.Feed & clothe orphans and other vulnerable childrenProvide programs addressing the holistic needs of the familiesSSND hope to support the girls currently in upper primary through secondary school to ward off early marriages and better equip them for life and possible further education


Project Goals . . .

Become self-sustaining by growing & selling pineapples on 5-10 acres (to be purchased)Erect the buildings required for the community


Orphan Outreach Centre’s Needs:

Borehole for water well - $20,000 – have applied for a UN grantGenerator - $2000 – for electricityTransportation:

Motorcycle – 3 to enable social workers and youth minister to freely get to all 34 centres/sub-centres and outstations. Cost between $2000 - $3000 each. Vehicle, 4-wheel drive - $27,000 – basic transportationTransportation costs - $300 +/month


Orphan Outreach Centre’s Needs . . .

Programming - $1500/year – youth program, AIDS education, training facilitators & social workers and giving workshopsGuardian Seminars - $1500/year – to teach parenting skillsSalaries for staff members


Orphan Outreach – So FarSister Rose, Sister Mary Aloo, and Sister Mara are living on-siteSocial worker, Alice, is working with the SSNDHave begun visiting the outstationsHave identified 13 families so farAssessment of needs continuesSeamstress is making school uniforms for the orphansMeetings & interventions are under way to improve the sponsored orphans’ living conditions


Family 1 - Sota Centre - Quinter Adhiambo


Sota Centre - Quinter AdhiamboSota church chose the family of the late Petelis Otieno. He died in 2007 after a long illness. Later, the mother, Grace Atieno was bitten by a dog and also died after a long illness. The children are presently being taken care of by their grandparents, Anudo Otieno (80) and Rosalina Oluoch (60). Neither the grandparents nor the parents value education. The children have been influenced by this mentality.


Sota Centre - Quinter Adhiambo . . . 2

The daughters in this family begin to think of marriage at the age of 14 years. The sons survive by fishing in the lake. Quinter is 12 years old, the last born and in class five at school. None of her siblings went to high school or technical institution. Her sisters are housewives and most of her brothers are fishermen.


Sota Centre - Quinter Adhiambo . . . 3

Quinter’s brother George is 14 years old.He dropped out of school in July, 2009. The family gave him a cow to sell and he began his own life. George has never returned home and nobody bothers to find out where he went. Quinter alone says that she knows where to find him.Quinter longs to finish secondary school. The SSND’s main concern is supporting Quinter’s education and finding ways to enable her not to follow the family trend.


Family 2 - Abala Centre: Phillip Odira

Phillip Odiraguardian


Veronica Atien

Charles

Otieno

Phillip is the fourth born in a family of nine.When his mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer, he dropped out of school.He now cares for his mother and four younger siblings.The family has 3 acres of land but the yield is poor.Phillip needs financial support and farming skills in order to develop the land.

Philip believes that good farming will lead to good harvest which will enable him to provide for the family.


Abala Centre: Phillip Odira‘s family

Abala Centre: Phillip Odira‘s family . . . 2Charles the younger brother has a problem in one eye and needs to be checked.Veronica, a sister, is in class seven.She comes back from school at 6 pm, fetches water, collects firewood, washes dishes and cooks dinner.She often finishes work when it is dark.Veronica wants to excel at school but her work load leaves her little time to study.


Abala Centre: Phillip Odira‘s family . . . 3Another brother Daniel stays in Kabuoch with a woman who is tutoring him in tailoring.David, another brother, resides with a villager in Kisii who is training him in wiring.The SSND believe Daniel & David should pursue their courses at a technical institute.Their informal apprenticeships leave them vulnerable to exploitation.Phillip Odira wants to plant sukuma wiki (member of the kale family) as an income generating crop.


Abala Centre: Phillip Odira’s family . . .4The family is asking for training to learn the necessary farming skills.The family also needs financial support to buy the necessary farming implements.Phillip needs help for better accommodation.The house is very small so some of the other children need to sleep elsewhere.Because of Veronica’s age and gender, such alternative accommodations may put her life at risk.


More Families to come. . .

Mariwa Centre

Kevin Ochieng

Maugo Centre

Linet Achieng

God Nduru Centre

Carolyne Akoth Immaculate


St. Michael’s Project – “Five for Africa”

Duration: present to 2012Support the SSND project by raising fundsEducate the parish community about the challenges and rewards of AfricaWork in partnership with the parish family of schools – St. Nicholas, Sir Edgar Bauer and St. David’sProvide parishioners with an opportunity to live their faith


Schedule 2010 – 2012

Five weeks of activities in spring and fall

Spring 2010 April 4 May 2

Fall 2010 Oct 31 Nov 28

Spring 2011 Feb 6 March 6

Fall 2011 Oct 9 Nov 6

Spring 2012 May 13 June 10


What Can You Do Right Now?Become part of the Africa Project CommitteeShare your ideasShare your skills in fundraising, education, marketing “Many hands make light work”Spread the wordPray for the sisters as they work to help the children


Asumbi Roman Catholic Church in

Homa Bay

Participate in the 5 weeks of activitiesSupport the fundraising campaignPray for the sisters as they work to help the children


What Can You Do Later?

Notre Dame Children’s Outreach

Nyalieng’a, Kenya… your enthusiasm and energy to reach out to these very needy children and to support us here as we try to extend your and our love and care to them is indeed a source of strength, hope and courage to us.”

Sister Mara

Nyalieng’a, Nov. 2009

st. michael’s parish supports notre dame children’s outreach nyalieng’a, kenya

Documents

orphan outreach centres

sponsored orphans

vulnerable children

project staff

community room

meeting room

primary school

neediest family ssnd