Dec 13

Written by:
12/13/2011 8:52 PM 

HABARI : END OF THE YEAR NEWS

At the end of November the schools in Kenya went on holidays after three months of their final trimester in our school year. This ended our third year since the first students enrolled in Father Symon’s Jubilee School for Nomads.  In our third year we had children in third through seventh grade and are looking forward to having our 8th graders which will be the top and final year in our school. We have already bought text books for our top class and a classroom is already furnished for them with the good desks and chairs that were in the container that we shipped to the school from America in January 2011.  I hear the children cannot wait to use this beautiful furniture that is not found in many schools in Kenya.  Gradually we are using the items that we shipped.  Chairs and dining tables were put in use as soon as they arrived.  The desks and other chairs will all be in use beginning in the new year (January) and other items will be used as time goes on.  New third graders will also join our school for the first time in January 2012.

The application forms that were given to those who wish to bring their child to our school are being returned to school and invitation letters are being given out. Generally all reports indicated that things have been going reasonably well in the school and I am happy to say that my dream about this school five years ago has become a reality because of the generosity of many people.   We have well-trained teachers and other domestic staff and following all that is required by the ministry of education in Kenya, our school is doing well and participating in all activities that give the children opportunities for their days ahead. We ended the year with 165 students and this is a good number for such a school.

Like all other years 2011 included challenges to our school.  Drought and the declining value of Kenyan currency kept escalating the cost of items such that the financial plans were not expressive any more.  In Kenya, the Heads of public schools that get government grants are asking for more than double the increase on the current allocations per child and still they have all their teachers and other school workers’ salaries paid by the government.

In our school we have to budget on the fees paid by the parents and have to meet all the running cost including paying the teachers and other workers.  I have not increased school fees for the last three years.  Each child is expected to pay about a hundred dollars for each of the three trimesters in a year but some families have not been able to pay all the money by the end of each year.

We have a few children who are orphans under the care of grandparents who may have six to ten grandchildren left by their sons and daughters who may have died of HIV.  To many grandparents and single parents this is a big source of stress.  Some of them may be looking for a place where the children may be for most of the year.

With drought sometimes the few animals they may have been depending on die and they turn to famine relief or handouts from any charity if they can find one that comes their way. I am mentioning some situations here and wish to be clear that some people are able while others are not and may be in the extreme situation of not being able.

It is reported that back-to-school shopping is a responsibility every parent cannot escape and can be a nightmare for some parents.  It is an expensive affair, especially with the prevailing harsh economic times, yet, parents have the task to ensure that their children get the necessary items they need. Sometimes I ask my niece who helps me with banking to buy some necessary items like soap, copy books, pens and pencils to keep them with the Matron so that they may be given to the children who may come without them.

Inflation in Kenya is said to be at 18 per cent and uncertainty surrounds the local currency, which at one point sunk to its lowest ever in 2011. Consequently, the cost of living has become unbearable. 

CONSTRUCTION WORK: Is still going on and we had some good jobs done in 2011. Two more dormitories have been complete, one for girls will take 80 girls and one for boys will take 60 boys. Our school now has a capacity of 268 boarding children and this is 144 girls and 124 boys.

In her last school website blog letter of Oct. 17, Barbara mentioned my friends from Austria Europe who decided to make a donation for construction of boys and girls night toilets and showers. This has been going on for the last three months -- two buildings attached to the dormitories with about nine toilets and fourteen showers each have been roofed and are being plastered. Hopefully sometime in January the children will have better facilities.

Among the Maasai people, spiritually a baby belongs to a clan, a tribe and not only to one family so they understand why all people of the world can celebrate one baby Jesus for all.

Heri ya Sikukuu: Merry Christmas       Fr. Symon