With heavy hearts we offer a farewell to Raphael Galuka who passed away in December of last year. He was the Headmaster of Ndohhivyo Special Needs School for 12 years, and was one of the first members of the Kenya Keys Board of Directors in Kenya, and a vital member of our Sponsorship Committee. We are forever grateful for his passionate support, leadership and friendship.
Click here to read the heartfelt tribute from Brent & Rinda Hayes on behalf of all of us at Kenya Keys.
Click here for a video of Raphael as he leads his special needs kids in an exuberant parade through town.
Conditions in the sole dormitory at Taru Girls secondary school were dire. The dorm was built to house 80 girls ages 15 to 19 years old with 4 bunk beds per room. As student numbers increased, over 200 girls were "sleeping", 2 to a bed in nighttime temperatures averaging 79 degrees! Belongings were stored in trunks stacked on the floor leaving almost no space to maneuver.
When headmistress Madam Mapendo made the critically cramped situation in the girls' dorm known to Kenya Keys, we worked with local school officials to determine how best to support a solution. The new dorm, funded by generous donors, is now nearly complete. With the roof going on this week, the excitement is tangible. Who knows what these girls will now be able to accomplish with a full night's sleep!
The girls are so anxious to move in, but first a bathroom must be completed, and new beds brought in. We need only $6000 more to complete this project and open the doors. If you want to truly make a difference in the lives of hundreds of girls, click here to help us finish this dormitory. The girls are waiting!
The new girl's dorm in Taru under construction in early February.
Reminder: Sponsors -- It will soon be time to send your letters for us to take to your students in Kenya. You can save us a lot of time by sending your letter in now to: 5314 Tualata Court, Lake Oswego, OR 97035. If you would like help with our Letter Project, contact Deborah at deborah.kenyakeys@gmail.org
A Powerful Ripple Effect
Jeana Peterson of Sun City West, Arizona has been a dedicated Kenya Keys sponsor for 9 years. Her unflagging enthusiasm for Kenya Keys resulted in 36 of her friends joining forces into 6 groups that sponsor Kenyan high school girls all the way through college. To date, Jeanna's groups have sponsored 11 girls, all who have illiterate mothers!
For the past 4 years Jeana also solicited the local Rotary club to bring them on as sponsors of college students
- what a wonderful multiplier!
We thank Jeanna and her friends, and all of our sponsors, for their loyalty to their students and their ongoing support of Kenya Keys.
Jeana Peterson and 4 of the leaders of the 6 groups of friends that support Kenyan girls.
Hope Starts Early
Though Kenya Keys' sponsorships are for students in high school and college, we know that getting kids to think about their future and the crucial role of education begins much earlier.
To that end, Kenya Keys staff and alumni make regular visits to local primary schools to engage with the students, talk with them about the possibilities that lie ahead, and discuss what they need to do to secure a better future.
Boys and girls are addressed separately to encourage open and honest discussion with a focus on promoting study skills, life skills and healthy living, as well as the importance of personal responsibility and support for each other.
Our Kenya Keys' sponsored graduates are a big source of inspiration to the students - illustrating how, with a lot of self discipline and the support of their sponsors, they have been able to make better lives for themselves.
Kenya Keys-sponsored university student, David Kimani, talks with the children about the importance of doing well in school.
Team Travels to Taru
In January, a small but powerful team from the U.S. visited Taru and spent an action-packed 10 days with our Kenyan staff, students and volunteers.
Laden with over 150 pounds of books, sanitary kits, sponsor letters, office supplies and laptop computers, they visited schools, the new dormitory, new classrooms, and community members and friends, both old and new.
Brent Hayes worked tirelessly with Kenyan staff and board members on administrative and financial affairs.
Marilyn Lewis focused on our 9 libraries, meeting with staff at each school and exploring opportunities to partner with the county library systems.
Carolyn Jenkins contributed valuable teaching materials and offered guidance and leadership to Ndohivyo after the loss of Raphael, bringing her expertise in special needs education.
Kenya Keys' Carolyn Jenkins, Marilyn Lewis and Brent Hayes (front) are joined by Patience, Mwaka, Joseph and little Victor Mwengea, and driver Joseph Mbotte.
Did you know?
You can now renew your sponsorship through VENMO!
Just look for Kenya Keys with our logo and Brent's name. It's so easy!
(You can still mail a check to 5314 Tualata Court, Lake Oswego, OR 97035.)
