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JIM DAWE (PERSONAL) NEWSLETTER re Kanyawegi Childrens Home and FOOD 2 LEARN November 2006

We are hoping to start about 20 new children in January 2007. The committee have identified these children, but we have decided to wait until school opens in January before starting them, as schools close at the end of November.

Our numbers went down to 107 recently, as two boys left the project to start work as fishermen, and sadly one girl died

NEEDS - Just more sponsors so we can make a sizeable dent in the numbers not attending school

INTERESTING INFORMATION???
Kanyawegi charity number 1106296
Web www.kanyawegichildren.com www.food2learn.com
Email kanyawegi@hotmail.com kanyawegiuk@hotmail.com food2learn@hotmail.com jimdawehome@hotmail.com
Phone Jim Dawe 0117 9666315 or 07980179240; Doreen Moxham 01761 437256

JIM DAWE (PERSONAL) NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2006
NINE YEARS IN KENYA

This is a long letter that covers many topics. I have put each subject under a different heading - so it should be easy to pick out areas that may interest you.
Although this is a personal newsletter, it comes to you with the approval of both the Kanyawegi UK and F2L UK committees. Next month will be the ninth anniversary of my involvement in Kenya, so I have taken this opportunity to re-evaluate that time. There are many wonderful positive things that God has done in this period - but only those close to me will know what I personally went through. It has been a difficult, but exciting nine years but in all things I have known God's faithfulness.
In March 1997 I volunteered for six months at an orphanage in Kenya that cared for 69 children - they now have three times that number. I next joined Pillar Of Faith for seven months, which I personally helped to start (renting the house and buying the equipment); they are still caring for around 40 children. It is interesting to look back and realise how God has been working in Kenya. If He had not moved me on (much to my dismay at the time), I could still be a volunteer at the first home. Since then God has begun new things, of which I was privileged to be involved. There are now many more children being cared for in Kenya than when I first arrived.
Looking back it is amazing to see how God has provided; as the projects have increased, so has God's giving. Not only has He provided for the work in Kenya, but also for me personally, ensuring I had ample personal provision, so not to be a burden to the projects or other people.
I would like this letter to be an encouragement and testimony of how God has been working in Kenya, and to His faithfulness.

PERSONAL
During my last visit to Kenya at the end of 2004, I managed to get a DVT (deep vein thrombosis). During subsequent investigations, it was discovered that I had Leiden Factor V, which is an inherited blood clotting condition. I am still having tests, but for now I have been advised not to go on any long journey - especially flying.
This has not jeopardised any of the projects; I am in regular contact with the committees and the board in Kenya, both by phone and email. Although I am involved in different projects, I am totally committed to each one.
I now have a new address - 14b North Street, Bedminster, Bristol, BS3 1HW. My phone number is 0117 9666315; my mobile is unchanged (07980179240) and my email also remains the same (jimdawehome@hotmail.com).

KANYAWEGI
Kanyawegi started in May 1998 in a rented house, moving to our own building three months later. There have been many changes over the years - staff, committee, children and the buildings. In the last almost eight years, 26 children have left the home to start their own independent lives, and sadly one young boy died - to us young Dan was much more than just another statistic in the AIDS pandemic.
There are 78 children currently being cared for by Kanyawegi; 16 are at secondary school, 3 at training, and one hopefully waiting to join university. The remaining 58 are all attending primary or nursery school.
The buildings have been added to with donations from the Lions Club (lounge, boy's dormitory, bore hole) and Wallingford Church (girls' dormitory and teenagers' house).
To date we have 64 individual private sponsors who support the home on a regular basis, plus others who give donations.
The highlight for me personally was in 2003, when I took all the children on a flight from Kisumu to Nairobi. A coach then met us at Nairobi airport for a trip around the city, followed by the six-hour journey back to Kisumu. Another great day out was in 2004, when I took all the children by coach to Nakuru safari park.
Although I have not been able to visit Kanyawegi recently, Doreen Moxham from Kanyawegi UK visits the home twice a year - sometimes accompanied by her daughter Sarah.

KANYAWEGI UK
This is a UK based charity for Kanyawegi. The Committee consists of Pete Skinner (Chair), Simon Wilkie (Secretary), Doreen Moxham (Sponsor Co-ordinator), Sarah Moxham and myself. The committee meets regularly, makes decisions on aspects of finance and reconciles the Kenyan accounts. It is also pro-active with suggestions for the Kenyan board regarding good governance and the children's welfare. This committee has been a great blessing by sharing the vision and taking the load from me.

KANYAWEGI CHARITY SHOPS
Kanyawegi UK was fortunate to team up last year with a Christian organization, CMP (C. M. Partners Ltd) as agents to run charity shops for Kanyawegi. CMP have considerable experience in the charity shop arena. They take full responsibility for all aspects of the business, in return for which they take a percentage of the profits. These shops, as well as providing us with more money, also raise more through interested shoppers joining the sponsors of Kanyawgi and Food 2 Learn
We have two shops (so far), but we are in need of more volunteers to help in the shops - if you know anyone who is interested in helping in any way, please let me know.

KANYAWEGI WEB SITE
My brother-in-law, Frank, set up and regularly up-dates the website. Www.kanyawegichildren.com has all the children's names, and the financial reports - there are also other pages of interest.

FOOD 2 LEARN
I started Food 2 learn by accident (although I'm sure it was no accident to God), when the Kenyan government began free primary school education in January 2003. David's brother and sister, who were not attending school, were both given school uniforms to allow them into school. When I asked David how they were getting on, he told me that his brother was not attending classes - he would rather stay away from school to look for something to eat. Under David's direction, F2L was born! - the rest as they say is history.
All the children are given food every school day at a local "hotel" (a tin shack under a tree), a school uniform and shoes. We also provide boot polish, laundry soap, and personal hygiene for the older girls, plus tuition fees and textbooks as needed. Currently there are 103 children on the programme, with more to come soon.
The F2L committee in Kenya consists of teachers, an administrator, a preacher, the assistant chief, David and others. They meet every month, and take on the burden totally on a voluntary basis.
The UK committee consists of four members (J.P. Petit, S. Lester, R. Shepherd, and myself) and meets whenever the need arises. We have a bank account with the Halifax, and a website - www.food2learn.com, which is supervised by Frank, my brother-in-law.
I am very excited with this project, as it is possible (with enough support) to ensure that every child in Kenya has the opportunity to receive a basic primary school education (the first eight years after nursery). It is a very cost effective programme, with the costs now reduced to £5 a child a month because of the savings the Kenya committee have achieved.

KOINONIA FOUNDATION (foundation of fellowship)
This is a new project, which I think the Lord may be leading me to next. In some ways it is an extension to the F2L project, but I feel that if it is added to that project, we will dilute the original vision of F2L (to ensure that every child in Kenya has the opportunity to receive a basic primary school education, and one good meal every school day).
I want this new project to ensure that the child receives one wholesome meal everyday (including weekends and school holidays), is given basic medical attention, and completes their primary education. After completion of primary school, I would like to investigate how (funds permitting) we are able to help further - to establish the young people with the ability to care for themselves and any future family. This could be in providing training, or secondary school, or help in providing the tools needed to start earning money.
I have put together some guidelines, but I would welcome any input/ideas/suggestions

The criteria for taking the child, is if they are regularly going without a wholesome meal a day, and are not attending school (or are attending school through F2L)
The Koinonia Foundation will
1 identify a child who fulfils the criteria
2 speak to the child's guardian to ensure that any help given to the child will not
upset the family unity
3 have a doctor check the child's medical needs. Only basic medical help will be
offered - subject to available funds
4 speak to the child about sex and AIDS
5 ensure the child understands the truth of Jesus
6 provide one meal a day at a local eating-place. If the child is already on the F2L
project, provide a meal at weekends and during school holidays. All meals must be
consumed at the time to avoid the child being made to take food home.
7 at the end of primary education, the committee will decide if any further help is
available, depending on funds at hand.
8 any clothes will be provided at the discretion of the committee. I don't envisage this
happening before the child completes primary school.
9 we will provide basic toiletries for the child

As I have said, this project is still on the drawing board, so ANYONE who would like to be on the committee or help/advise in anyway - please contact me, as I would like more input before I start the project.

OVERVIEW (a personal view of some of Kenya's problems)
It is interesting looking back, because it helps me to look forward in a more positive and constructive manner. I can see more clearly the positives and the negatives with each project.
When I first opened Kanyawegi, I thought the only answer for the millions of needy children was to open more and more homes to accommodate them. Although there are many children for whom a home (institution) is the only answer, it does create some unique problems of it's own. Even with a large number of children at Kanyawegi, it still costs around £22 a month for each child - before we add school fees and training costs (other institutions are costing two or three times as much as Kanyawegi). There is also the problem that the children get used to good things (TV, electric light, brick building, staff care, good food etc.); this makes it difficult for some of them to adjust when leaving the home. Another factor is the extended family/neighbours who are not there to support when the child leaves. It is difficult in the African culture to be accepted in a new area, and even if you were accepted, you would be unlikely to find any help in time of need (sickness, for example).
The F2L programme, although it does not have any of the above problems, does not give the complete care that an institution offers. There is more chance of death through sickness and malnutrition, and the care at home would sometimes be non-existent (the child may be staying with a distant relative, or an aged grandparent) - but F2L costs a fraction of institutional care.
About a year after F2L started, the government changed their policy towards the care of children - they now state they want all children (where possible) to be cared for at their homes. This is all very well in principle; we just provide money or food for each home to support the family. I have tried this personally, and it does not work - at least for me it didn't. A mother of one family spent all the housekeeping on a new dress, the father of another used it for alcohol, and yet another sold the food to help buy a bull to slaughter at a relative's funeral! Each time it is the child that suffers.
So far, from my short nine years' experience in Kenya, the combination of F2L and Koinonia Foundation seems the best all-round solution, but only for the children whom it is safe to leave with relatives at home - because it gets the help directly to the child. For those who are in danger at their home (if they have one), then the institution is the only answer - but we will spend more time helping them to adjust back into the community.
Please note this is my personal view, and not necessarily that of the committee or staff.

I will finish by saying a very BIG "thank you" to all of you who have supported the work I have been involved with in Kenya. Your thoughts, prayers and practical help have been a constant encouragement to me. Also thank you to those who have been there when I needed you.
Jim Dawe

BACKGROUND
PROGRAMME
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
LOCAL ADMINISTRATION
YOUR RESPONSE.....?
CONTACTS