Child of the Week

 Meet Terry - GPS651

Birthday ~ December 1

 

Terry is eight years old and will be advancing to Standard 2 at the Galilee Primary School in January.  Terry lives with her unemployed parents and two siblings in the Kayole-Soweto slums of Nairobi.  Terry enjoys reading storybooks and wants to be a teacher when she grows up.  Can you make 2014 a wonderful year for Terry by giving her the gift of sponsorship?

You can sponsor Terry for only $12.50 a month. 

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

2013 in Review

 

 “We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”

-Ronald Reagan

            As 2013 draws to a close we reflect upon all that we have accomplished this year for our Nairobi Kids at the Galilee Primary School, Waddington High School, and the Holly House orphanages.  Our group of sponsors and donors may be small, but together we have accomplished great things.  In 2013 we were able to:

·         Sponsor 156 Galilee Primary School Students (22 of whom live at Holly House)

·         Sponsor 90 Waddington High School Students (40 of whom live at Holly House)

·         Raise the funds to fully construct one classroom in our campaign to replace the leaking, temporary Galilee Primary School classrooms with safe, permanent structures.  We are only $1396 away from fully funding the second classroom.  Construction of these first two classrooms began in December and is expected to be completed in early 2014.

·         Raise funds for the Standard 8 students to take the KCPE (Kenya Certificate of Primary Education) exam.

·         Raise funds for many Form 4 students to take the KCSE (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education) exam.

·         Fully fund a special Christmas dinner for the children at the Holly House Orphanages.

·         Raise funds to pay for the hospitalization and medical treatment of a Holly House student.

·         Purchase feminine hygiene products for our female students, which dramatically reduces school absences among our older girls. 

·         Celebrate Waddington High School’s best ever KCSE scores for our graduating Form 4 students, class of 2012.  Many students achieved scores high enough to qualify for the Kenyan government’s University loan program for top achievers.

We are deeply appreciative of the efforts of our sponsors, donors, and volunteers who made 2013 such a successful year for our Nairobi Kids.  We wish you and your loved one peace, joy, and happiness as you celebrate the coming of the New Year.

~submitted by Brenda and Brooke

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! From the School Director

 

Dear Friends,

 

With the holiday season upon us, as we reflect on all that we have to be grateful for, we are most grateful for YOU. You, our global community of friends from near and far, are our partners, our supporters, and our inspiration. You give us encouragement, you give us your hearts, and you give us your courage.

As far away as we may be from each other in distance, we are always close in spirit because of our collective efforts to make the world a better place.

The year has been a big success for us all and we hope that the coming year will bring with it better things for our children. My appreciations go to all of you who have sponsored and continue sponsoring children in our schools and children's home, those who have recommended to their friends, relatives, colleagues to consider sponsoring, those who have been buying gifts for their sponsored children from the OLS shop, those who continue writing letters of encouragement to their sponsored children, those who have send packages to their sponsored children, those  who contributed towards the construction of GPS classrooms. The classrooms are going to be a big improvement in the learning environment for our children and teachers. As much as we have many more classrooms to construct in the coming days this has been a great achievement for us, all for the saying goes that a journey of 1000 miles starts with the first step. All these has acted as assurances to the children, that whatever hard times they are undergoing in their young lives, they are not alone and that there are people around the world who love and care for them.

Thank you so very much to our volunteers who have worked tirelessly making sure photos, letter and other important information reach sponsors, those who are working on OLS, photos, the blog, letters, cheerleading in fundraising etc, your efforts have been instrumental in the success we  have had this ending year.

I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous year 2014.

Thank you

FANUEL

Happy Holidays to all!!! 

 

Fanuel Okwaro, 

The Director, 

Galilee Primary School, Waddington High School, Holly House children's homes

Merry Christmas!

We wish a very Merry Christmas to all of our sponsors, donors, and volunteers around the world!  Thank you all for the kindness and generosity that you have shown the children at the Galilee Primary School, Waddington High School, and the Holly House Orphanages.  As you celebrate Christmas with your loved ones, please know that you have made a difference in the lives of our Nairobi Kids. 

Christmas Dinner for Holly House children 2012

 “May peace be your gift at Christmas, 

and your blessing all year through!”

-Unknown

from Brenda and the Plant-a-Book International Staff

Child of the Week ~ Vincent

Meet Vincent O. - HH447

Birthday – June 14

 

Vincent is fourteen years old and will be advancing to Form 2 at Waddington High School in January.  Vincent is an orphan and was living with a well-wisher until that individual could no longer afford to help him.  Vincent now lives at the Holly House Orphanage.  Vincent enjoys reading magazines and dreams of being a pilot when he grows up.  He is a good student and scored 352 on his KCPE in Standard 8 despite his difficult circumstances.  Can you give Vincent the gift of sponsorship this Christmas?

You can sponsor Vincent 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

Construction on the New Primary Classrooms Has Begun

Construction has begun on the two primary classrooms that we have partially funded to date!  These classrooms will replace the dilapidated, temporary structures that the children in the Galilee Primary School currently occupy.  We need only $1396 more to fully fund these two classrooms.  Assuming that we are able to raise the remaining funds, construction is expected to take approximately two months.  This timing will allow the students to move into the new classrooms during the first term of the new school year. 

Please help us raise the funds to complete the construction of these first two classrooms by making a donation to our Buy-a-Brick Campaign.  For more information on the Buy-a-Brick Campaign, please visit www.plantabook.org or email info@plantabook.org.

~submitted by Brooke