Letter of the Month Club

 

Welcome to the Letter of the Month Club (LOTMC)!  This is a monthly feature on the blog that we hope will help you develop a deeper relationship with your sponsored child through letter-writing.  Since we are all in different stages of getting to know our sponsored kids, we have several suggested topics so that you can choose the one that works best for you and your sponsored child.  We have also provided suggestions for “extras” to send along with your letter, and questions to ask your sponsored child.

This Month’s Topics:

Getting to Know You: Your Occupation

What is your occupation (and that of your spouse, if applicable)?  What duties does your job entail?  How many years have you been working in your industry?  What education or training was required to obtain your position?  What is your favorite part of your job?  What is your least favorite part of your job?    

Suggested Extras: A printout describing your occupation or a picture of you at work.

Questions to Ask: Ask your sponsored child what job he/she would like to have.

Topic in Focus: Favorite Fable

What is your favorite fable?  Either summarize the story to your sponsored child or attach a printout.  Why did you choose this fable as your favorite?  What lessons can be taken from the fable?

Suggested Extras: Copy of the fable (click link for printouts of Aesop’s fables).

Questions to Ask: What did he/she think of the fable you chose?  Is there a way he/she can apply the lesson from the fable in his/her life?

Holiday/Seasonal: May Day/Labour Day

How is May Day (or Labour Day) celebrated in your country?  What will you and your family do to celebrate May Day?  If May Day is not celebrated in your country, discuss another May holiday that is (e.g., Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day).

Suggested Extras: Picture of a maypole dance; spring-themed stickers.

Questions to Ask: How is May Day or Labour Day celebrated in Nairobi?

Reminder: The purpose of the LOTMC is to facilitate getting more letters in the mail to our Nairobi Kids, so please do not get bogged down in worrying about writing the perfect letter or gathering the “extras.”  If you are short on time this month, just drop a postcard or greeting card in the mail with a few short lines to let your Nairobi Kids know that you are thinking of them.  

~Submitted by Brooke

Our Schools' Scouts Association

In addition to carrying a full academic schedule, our Nairobi Kids also have the opportunity to participate in after school activities such as the Kenya Scouting Association.  Scouting has a long history in Kenya, dating back to 1910.  The focus of the Kenya Scouting Association is on community service and character building.  Scouting has become very popular in Kenya in recent years, and troops can be found at schools across the nation, including Galilee Primary and Waddington High Schools. 

The video above was taken in late 2012 during a celebration of World Water Day on the Galilee campus.  The occasion was organized by the Haki Water Organization and sponsored by the manufacturers of Life Guard Soap, which provided bathing soap to all of the children.  The GPS/WHS Scout Troop can be seen marching in the video in their uniforms.  We are so happy to know our students can participate in these learning opportunities.

~Submitted by Brooke

Child of the Week

 Meet Purity – HH507

Birthday – June 2

Purity is fourteen years old and in Form 1 at Waddington High School.  She is a good student and scored a 320 on the KCPE Exam.  Purity was living with her widowed mother, but she was unable to adequately provide for her so Purity was offered an opportunity to move into Holly House.  Purity enjoys reading and drawing and would like to be a lawyer someday.  Can you reach out to Purity and be her sponsor?

You can sponsor Purity for only $30 a month.  Sponsorship of a child living at Holly House covers the child’s room, school fees, and three meals a day.  You will receive an annual photo and at least three letters from your sponsored child per year. 

For more information, please visit www.plantabook.org or email info@plantabook.org.

Please make a difference in the life of a child today.

~Submitted by Brooke

Five Fast Facts about Kenya

 (Image courtesy of Darwinek/ CC-BY-SA-3.0)

1.    Kenya is located in East Africa on the Equator.  It borders Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Sudan, Tanzania, and the Indian Ocean.

2.    Kenya has a population of approximately 43 million people. 

3.    Kenya achieved full independence from Britain in 1963.  The country celebrates its independence day on December 12. 

4.    Some of the oldest human remains ever found were discovered in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. 

5.    Kenya has two official languages: English and Swahili.  In addition, dozens of tribal languages are spoken in villages across the country.

~Submitted by Brooke

Child of the Week ~ Birthday Child!

 Meet Shaki - Today is his birthday!

HH497

 

Shaki's birthday is today.  He is 15 years old and in form 1.  He scored 373 on the KCPE which is excellent!  His best subject is social studies and he wants to be an engineer someday.  He enjoys playing football.  Shaki's father was in a road accident, requiring him to be hospitalized.  His mother is unemployed.  Shaki was living with his brother who was only able to do menial jobs to earn a living.  Shaki had to walk long distances to attend school, often without food to eat.  Therefore, the WHS school director reached out and offered him a place to live at Holly's Heart on the WHS campus.  Can you help Shaki and be his sponsor and friend?

You can sponsor Shaki for only $30 a month.  Sponsorship of a child living at Holly House covers the child’s room, school fees, and three meals a day.  You will receive an annual photo and at least three letters from your sponsored child per year.  

 

For more information, please visit www.plantabook.org or email info@plantabook.org.

Please make a difference in the life of a child today.

 

Annual Photos of Our Nairobi Kids

We have received updated annual photos of our Nairobi Kids!  Our volunteers are working diligently to get the annual photos out to sponsors by email.  In the meantime, links to photo albums containing all of the annual photos are available in the private Yahoo Group.  Thank you to Katja, Kerstin, and Ina who volunteered to take on the annual photo project during their recent trip to the GPS/WHS campus!  They did an outstanding job of capturing the faces and personalities of our wonderful kids.  There were a few sponsored children absent the day the photos were taken.  The school is in the process of taking photos of the absent children and we hope to get those pictures out to sponsors soon. 

~Submitted by Brooke

Letters From Our Kids Are On Their Way!

 

First term letters from our sponsored children have arrived at Plant-a-Book headquarters! Brenda has already sorted the letters and sent them off to sponsors, so look for yours in the mail soon!

Children write their sponsors at least three times per year (once per term).  Sponsors may write to their children as often as they like.  The children love receiving letters, pictures, and postcards from their sponsors.  The encouragement and love you convey in those letters means more than you can ever know.

Thank you to Kerstin and Katja who organized the letters during their recent visit to the GPS/WHS campus, and to our mail coordinators who work to sort and get these letters out to our sponsors around the world!

Are you are interested in sponsoring a needy child in Kenya and realizing the great personal rewards of the sponsorship relationship?  If so, please select a child in need from our website at www.plantabook.org or email info@plantabook.org for more information.  Make a difference in the life of a child today!

~Submitted by Brooke