This post will be written with the help of one of the participants of Karama House. Deborah offered to help write this because its late and I'm too tired to remember what has happened so far. Lets get started:

These past few weeks have flown by and we have gotten a lot accomplished! Since the last post, we went on quite an adventure involving shopping for food (in bulk) in downtown Nairobi. Then, we had a meeting about choosing small businesses. After a few days, they had all decided on what they wanted to do. The girls decided to do their small businesses in pairs. Once everyone had a partner, they decided what business they wanted to do. They all had such good ideas that within the next few day

s we were out shopping for their supplies. 

The businesses are:

Jewelry Making- Ann and Gladys

Soap Making- Cate and Judith

Tie Dying- Debbie and Roline (we call her Volunteer)

They have all started working on them and are so excited to get their products to the market and selling to the volunteers here at Shelter. 

This week we ha

ve started our classes. We have done Finance and Sex Education. I wanted to start computers as well but the electricity is very inconsistent here.  They have all gone very well and I think everyone is learning a lot. 

I have been doing my best posting videos but like I said, the electricity is kind of a hit or miss right now. Hopefully there will be more soon!

Now, lets have a word from Deborah who has been helping me with my spelling this whole time... 

Hi guys, actually we are doing great here at Karama House by the help of our mum Larissa. Thanks also for your support, you really mean everything to us! May God bless you abundantly. love you big,

Debbie 

Last thing... today we had a great time taking pictures and thought that I would share some! 

January 12, 2009

 

Yesterday we had our first Karama House meeting with most of the girls. There were just five of them because the other two are coming to Shelter today.  I had Paul video most of it so that you all can see who was in the meeting and how it went.

We were missing Ann and Deborah but I had explained everything to them last week when I saw them in Nairobi.

Check out the video to see how it went:

http://www.vimeo.com/2899425 

After the meeting everyone went to the dorm and got their belongings to move into their new homes in the guesthouses. There were three rooms available so three girls had to share a room until one of the volunteers left. I told them that since the other two were not here yet, this would be a temporary roommate situation. Once the other two came, we would be switching roommates. I did this because I wanted them not to stay with their best friend. I want them to learn how to live with other people and get to know everyone better. When they go off to college and stay in hostels, they will be forced to live with at least six other girls that they don’t know. This will give them some practice on how to deal with other females their age that they may not know very well.  I know that they stayed in the dorms with about 80 other people but a lot of them were younger girls that they were helping to take care of. This time, they are with their peers the whole time and they need to learn how to get along without gossiping and complaining to their friends like most girls do. I think it will work out just fine but we will have to see!

Short Post

January 8th 2009

Today was a pretty chill day. Almost all of the kids have gone off to school so it its really quite around here. I forgot how uneventful this place can be when school is in session. The good thing though is that the UBC team came today and will stay till tomorrow.

It was nice to talk to Jamie and a few of the girls about the plans for KH. They gave me a lot of good advice and ideas about the financial situation. After all that, it was lunch time, then time to play with the little ones outside.

I did talk to Deborah today and she will be coming here with her guardian’s eldest son to talk about KH and whether or not she should come to stay. I think Anne’s guardian will be coming either tomorrow or Saturday. I am so ready to get this program started but I don’t want to start without everyone. So, they will have till Sunday to decide then we will start the program on Monday whether they are here or not.  I really hope they will agree. I think they will.

So all I have to do now is wait here at Shelter for them to come. I guess that will give me more time to get the contract finished and all the plans finished.  Better get back to work!

Attempt To Get The Girls Back

January 5th 2009

Today was a fantastic day!

Kate, Rhoda and I went into Nairobi today to meet up with Deborah and Anne (the two girls still out of Shelter). We went to see if they would come back to Shelter to participate in Karama House. We all decided to go to my good friends Otieno and Janet’s house to talk about everything. I was so happy to see Anne again. I think it has been well over a year since I had seen her. She looked good so I was happy. It was great to see Deborah again as well, even though I saw her a few days earlier.

I had missed them so much!

 When I first got there, we all talked for a while, then it was time to talk to the two girls in private about coming back to Shelter for Karama House. Janet, Otieno’s wife was there and talked to the girls first, then I came to answer some questions that they had for me.

 At first I thought they were going to say no about coming back, but Janet helped me explain why this would be a good thing for them. So finally after talking for about an hour, they agreed to come! I told them that I wasn’t’ trying to make them come because it is their decision but it would be a very good thing for them. I know that Janet wasn’t going to let them leave without saying yes haha. She is so great and is like a second mother to me out here.

 So now, all I have to do is go back into town on Sunday to stay the night with Anne so I can explain to her guardian the program and why she is coming back. Then, on Monday, I will go and stay at Deb’s house and do the same there. On Tuesday morning, the three of us will come back to Shelter together and finally start the program! I would have liked to start earlier but I don’t want to start without everyone here. Plus, I know that it must be hard for those girls to have to pick up and move their lives again. I want to give them some time to think about this and let it sink in so they are prepared to come back and work towards a better life.

I’m glad we met at their house because I got to see Otieno, Janet, their kids, and Janet’s brothers and sister. They are all so great!

Until I can bring the girls back on Tuesday, I’ll be here in my room working on the contracts and curriculum for the program. I have been doing some video and vlogs as well. I’m doing my best to keep everyone updated even though I don’t have the internet yet. I will have it soon! 

Happy New Year!!

I’m sorry this is so late, I have been busier that I thought I would be.  I hope you have been checking out the UBC Kenya blog, I know they have been posting about their trip.

Well, I’m finally here!!! It took almost two years and its finally happened! Its been so great seeing all the kids and staff at Shelter and knowing that I don’t have to leave anytime soon. I will have to say though, this still doesn’t feel real. I still feel that at anytime I will wake up and be back in the States. Its okay though, I’m sure it will feel real soon enough. Until then, I’ll just enjoy living in a dream.

Since I have been so bad at posting, I’ll have to rewind and skim through the trip thus far.

To start off, the flights were extremely long…a bit longer than I remembered, but I suppose I was a bit more excited this time around.  When I finally got to Nairobi, a huge group of kids were there to greet me. I nearly got knocked over with about 10-15 kids charging at me and jumping on me all at once. I was so great to see all of them especially right off the plane.

The UBC team had arrived about an hour before I did so the other van had taken them to the Gracia House where they were staying that night. We headed that way as well so that I could stay the night with them. I wanted so badly to go to Shelter but I knew I would see the rest of the kids the next day.  

So the next day we headed to Shelter and I could not have been more excited. All the kids came running up to the vans so excited to see all of us. As soon as I stepped off the van, I felt like I was finally home.

After hugging everyone, some of the older girls performed a dance and the little ones sang a song for us.  When the performances were over, the kids took us around to show all the new additions to Shelter. Everything looks so great!

After that, I got all of my things and went to my usual room to get settled. It was just like old times… minus Meg L. I thought I would be staying in the guest rooms with the other staff but Mum thought I would be much more comfortable in this room, and she’s right. I love this room, it’s big and I have my own bathroom.

Later that night, I unpacked all my things. It was crazy to actually put my clothes in the closet instead of living out of my suitcase. I have books on the bookshelf above my desk, pictures up of friends and family, and something in each drawer. It feels great to fully unpack here. Speaking of that, I need to do all the finishing touches! Hope all is well!