KASFOOC and Daisy School Updates

As I type, Terry is beside me sending a note to his Rotary Club asking for a few hundred dollars to top up some projects here. The desks for Daisy School are complete, but there were no custom desks built for the special needs students. Drat! We think they will only cost $30 or $40 each, so we are hoping to get enough to have half a dozen or so built before we go home. Regardless, it feels good to see the 55 desks in use -- now there are three children to a desk as opposed to five to a desk with many children sitting on the floor.

We also hope Rotary will provide some money to send a few of the Rotaract University Students to a Youth Leadership Convention that is taking place March 21st. It costs about $100 per student for registration, transportation and accommodation for the weekend event. You may remember me writing about the high energy of this club. The Rotary Club of Kakamega is sending two students (there are 100 in the club); it would be wonderful if more could have the opportunity to attend.

I think he is also asking for a few dollars to buy uniforms for the high achiever boys that are being sponsored by his club through four years of high school. Seeing these boys, top in their class in torn uniforms is very humbling.

We had a meeting scheduled this morning with Matano and Jackson from KASFOOC (the Widows and Orphans Self Help group focusing on food sustainability). Terry and I were talking about it before hand. Terry was worried about us wasting their time. I said it is never a waste of time because there may be a project we can do a matching grant through Rotary with, or just having us talk about their project may lead to a connection to donations down the road. Terry's dream would be to do a matching grant for a fish farm project and this morning he said it would only work if a keen Kenyan came to him and said, "We are ready to do fish farming, can you help?" Guess what KASFOOC said this morning? So, now our task is to sell the idea to a Rotary Group here. Our fingers are crossed.

My passion is women's empowerment and Terry's is fishfarming. This one meets both.

I also hope to meet with someone about the street boys. I am still uncomfortable... o.k., let's be honest, I'm still scared and angry every time I pass them. Angry at them for harassing me, angry at myself for being afraid and angry at a community that would allow their children to be swept away by drugs. My intense emotional response to these children tells me that this is my greatest opportunity for growth. So we'll see what comes of it.

This is definitely a different kind of holiday. We are thinking about maybe choosing one more touristy kind of thing to do that won't break the bank. Maybe the coast, maybe Mt Elgon to see caves with bats and elephants, hiking and waterfalls... or maybe just more lounging in the sun in our backyard. I am most fulfilled when I am visiting projects and seeing the difference that can be made.

My other goal for this trip is to have one walk through town where I feel completely comfortable. Hasn't happened yet, but I'm getting closer. I know it is all in my head!