Back on the Blog!

Hi folks,

It has been quite some time since I have posted any kind of blog. During this absence I have been listening to and reading comments about what I should or should not publish. Each and every comment has been helpful because I know they have all come the heart.

Jeana and I as very fortunate to have so many people who truly care about the work we do and the children we assist in Kenya.

It is hard to believe that I have been volunteering and working in Kenya for twelve and half years! Seems as though I just started! When looking back I can now smile. There have been many moments of tears and frustration. But when you look into the eyes of the young adults we see graduating from colleges and universities it has been worth it all...my husband may not agree!

For the next few weeks I am going to talk about the goals we set for ourselves ten years ago, whether or not they have been reached and the goals we have for the future. Much of what will be shared will be supported with recent articles and statistics we have been gathering over the years.

My goal is to challenge your current paradigm on humanitarian (or is it?) efforts in developing nations. I promise to keep the posts from becoming to academic but that is who I am so please be tolerant as I get back into blogging.

Please let me know if you have any questions. I am always happy to answer or will help find the answer to your concerns.

Asante sana,
Debra

Need your help!

March 24, 2015


Jeana and I have been working on how best to quickly share our goals. Please give me your comments on the following draft...thank you!!!

OUR IMPERATIVE

 

Educate a country out of poverty.

 

Tembo Trading Education Project (TTEP) was created to provide excellence in education for financially impoverished children in Kenya. Our success, as a cross-cultural organization, is based on trust. Trust developed, over the past eleven years, through hands-on work with the local community and always respecting the local culture.

 

Excellence in education happens by:

• involving the community;
• involving the parents or guardians;
• addressing the poverty of the area;
• attention to medical needs;
• implementation of The Akre King Transformation Model© teacher training program.

 

First listen, look, learn and then act with culturally adapted solutions for sustainable transformation.

 

Excellence in education leads to financial independence.

 

OUR GOAL

 

Transformation of the educational system in Kenya thereby assisting the country reach their Vision 2030 goals. By accomplishing the objectives outlined in Vision 2030 Kenya will not only have independence but will truly be independent.

 

OUR STRATEGY

 

Poverty strips human beings of their dignity plunging them into a life of dependence on others to meet their needs. To restore human dignity people must believe they have worth. We partner with communities to start the reconstruction process in their schools.

 

 

 

 

 

OUR PROCESS

 

1. Teacher Training – Building self-worth; character development; critical and creative thinking processes.
2. Economic Development – Work with community developing ways to increase capital using local resources and skills.
3. Medical Care
4. Adult Education

 

OUR RESULTS

 

Education

 

1. National testing results for the secondary school we developed using The Akre King Transformation Model©:

 

2009 – Number one in the district (first time to sit for national exams.)

2010 – Number one in the district.

2011 – Number one in the district.

2012 – Number one in the district.

2013 – Number one in the district.

2014 – Number one in the district

 

2. After two training sessions with the instructors at Kanjira Primary school the schools tests number one in the district. Prior to training they were last place of 20+ schools.

 

2. No new cases of HIV/Aids in ten years within our student demographic.

 

3. Legislation in Kenyan Parliament revising the Basic Education Act of 2012.

 

4. Introduction of revolutionary remote access computer technology (ARES.) System introduced to Honorable James Rege (member of Kenyan Parliament.)

 

5. Launching new computer technology with the assistance of President Kenyatta.

 

Economic Development

 

1. Kiondos of Hope – Started with 3 women; currently employs 130 women; now owned by the women.

 

2. Business partnerships with Marko Taylor Bags and Ferro Cosmetics to bring business to Kenya.

January 2015

When I last emailed all of you Jeana and I were heading to Ngomano...

We left early Tuesday morning expecting to arrive I the village around 2. Instead we arrived at around 3...not bad for Kenya! The ladies welcomed us with dancing and singing. The children were excited to see what we had brought for their school and the ladies were anxious to see how many kiondos we would buy.

After talking with the principal (Stella Musyoka) the students sang to us and welcomed us to the primary school. By and large the kid looked well. The mothers have gotten together with Stella and planted a garden for the school. This helps add to their diet and keep them energized while in class.

All of the items we gave to the primary school we found when returned on this trip. I think??? we may finally have a principal who is there for the students and not themselves. We left more books, charts and chalk for the teachers. In addition, we are purchasing a desperately needed water tank. It is a good start!

We left the village to spend the night in Wote, about 36 km away. We had made reservations but when we arrived at the guesthouse we found they had no rooms for us. Now by this time it is getting dark and the last place you want to be after dark is on the road. One problem we either drive to the next city or we sleep in the car. We chose to take our chances and drive to Machackos.

After arriving safely at the only place to stay in Machackos we were too tired to eat so we made the decision to just go to bed. You must understand that these accommodations are a bit of an adventure! The bathroom door was missing the door knob, the facet on the sink was held together by rust, the shower was placed so water went all over the bathroom floor (no drain), the toilet could only be flushed once in while, however, the beds were clean and we had bug nets! We were happy!

Daniel Walker arrived on Saturday to start his work on the documentary. He is not charging us for his work so this is an amazing opportunity! Today we start filming and then it is back to Ngomano tomorrow  with great hopes that we have rooms in Ngomano this time!

Cheers from Kenya!
Debra and Jeana

Here are some of our newsletters from our recent trip! Hope you find them interesting!




January 2015

On Tuesday morning, around 8, we left for Ngomano. It was a typical Nairobi morning…hours to move blocks! We were finally able to make it to the Mombasa Highway and on the road to Ngomano. The drive was hot and long. We arrived in Ngomano around 2:30. The ladies were all waiting for us to arrive. They greeted Daniel, our documentarian, with traditional dancing and singing. It was wonderful to watch his reaction to their warm welcome to the village.

 

The children from Ngomano Primary followed the ladies in welcoming us all to their school. Not many dry eyes…

 

We left Ngomano around 5:30 with over 50 kiondos and many requests for help. An hour later we arrived at the Acacia Resort in Wote. The power was on/off most of the evening and we are certain mosquitos were nesting in our room! Daniel was shocked when he tried to take a shower as the electricity is not grounded…the food was great so we went to bed with full stomachs.

 

Wednesday morning we got up and had breakfast with the birds and bugs. We stopped at the hardware store before leaving Wote. The week before, we had requested a quote on a 2500 liter water tank. We stopped to pick up the quote and order the tank. Unfortunately the information was not available so we are once again in a holding pattern. From here we traveled back to Nairobi to drop off the kiondos to have the handles put on them and then onto Nakuru…11.5 hours on the road! Arrived in Nakuru safely but exhausted!

 

February 2015

It is wonderful to be able to communicate once again!!

Let me start with our work in Kendu Bay. On Saturday, January 31^st, Jeana, Daniel, Rebecca and Paul traveled to Kanjira Primary School. The school is close to Kendu Bay which is located on Lake Victoria. We knew it was going to be hot but we had no idea just how hot! The temperature, even at night, was 90 degrees. It was so hot the rubber portion of my eyelash curler melted!!! The mosquitos were also very busy!

We have been working with the students and teachers at Kanjira for the past 18 months. There are approximately 350 students in grades 1-8 and 100 students in pre-primary, ages 3-5. Until last week the school had no power or running water. We now have power and hope to have water by the end of the year.

When we started with the school they had the lowest scores in the district. We are pleased to say that at the end of 2014 the school had moved to the number one position!!! Yes, we are very happy!!!

We spent the week establishing a computer lab. The lab contains a new computer system we are working on for rural schools. The use of the computer prototypes will allow children in the rural areas to compete on a level footing with the students who attend large well equipped schools in the more metropolitan areas.

There is much more to do at the school but we are taking it one step at a time. Just trying to get curtains made was a trial. We went to the tailoring shop and ordered 5 curtains. They were to be ready in 3 days. We went to pick them up and he had made 3 not 5 and one was the wrong size. We explained we needed 5 and he said he would have the other two ready by Friday. Then we needed computer counters made. The carpenter was to arrive on Tuesday….he arrived on Thursday and we needed the counters completed by Friday. The painter never did show up!

We opened the lab for the school on Friday. Honorable Rege, the Assistant District Chief, parents and school board all attended the opening. It was a wonderful day with much excitement and appreciation. What will remain in my mind forever is a little boy coming to the window, after everyone had left, saying “please teach me, I want to learn, please teach me.” That pretty much says it all for me!

We traveled from Kendu Bay to Nakuru on Saturday, February 7^th and on Sunday we traveled to Nairobi for a noon meeting. We have been asked to introduce our model of education at a private school in Nairobi. More on that project when we return home. We are picking up about 60 kiondos, some new style bracelets and a few other items from the ladies in Ngong.

Daniel, the documentarian, took at least 1000 pictures and hours of video. It will take almost a year for him to produce the documentary.

Tuesday we leave for home. It has been a wonderful trip. The legislation we have been working on is in parliament, the computer lab is working, the new computer system is running, the president wants to see the computer prototype, our students are doing well! All this with NO diet coke…seems the country cannot keep up with the demand!!!

Thank you all for all you have done to make this happen! Talk with you soon.