St. Michael’s Parish supports
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach
Nyalieng’a, Kenya
Geographical Location
SSND
Project Location
Nyalieng’a
Homa Bay Diocese
Kenya
School Sisters of
Notre Dame
The Gambia
Ghana
Nigeria
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Within Kenya
Homa Bay
Diocese
Diocese of Homa Bay
Established: November 12, 1993
Total population: 1,357,564
Catholics: 327,434
Lake Victoria seen from Homa Bay
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Background:1.6 million orphans in Kenya200,000 orphans in Homa Bay Diocese8,500+ orphans in Nyalieng’a parishBishop Philip Anyola of Homa Bay Diocese approached the SSND for help:
“We have so many orphans – is there anything you can do?”
Very little outside help
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Orphan Led FamiliesParents are deceased or very ill Sometimes an elderly grandmother is presentOften the oldest child in the family is under 18, sometimes as young as 12-14 years oldIf over 18, will have dropped out of school to care for siblings; may not have the opportunity to finish educationStill living on their land – if they leave they lose the land and any chance of livelihood“Children Raising Children”
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Initial Plans by the S.S.N.D.
Parish comprises 34 centres, sub-centres & outstations Each is to choose its neediest family SSND initially want to focus on these 34 familiesHolistic approach – not just education, but also emotional, health, spiritual, social . . .Want to help the neediest of the needy
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Presently
There is no outreach centre yet3 sisters live in a small renovated (cement over mud) building (20’x23’) which has 3 bedrooms and one all-purpose roomThe 4th room is the chapel, kitchen, dining room, community room and meeting roomNo windows, no running water, no electricity The project is administered from the house or under a tree outside
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Presently …There is a primary school on the Church compoundA girl’s secondary school is under construction – completion date uncertainThere are many other schools in the parishThe children being sponsored attend a variety of schoolsQuality of education is lacking because the schools often lack basic materials
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
The Orphan Outreach Centre – Next Stage
Office for 5-6 peopleMeeting Room for 30 people for trainingHousing for 3-4 staff members Convent for 6-8 sistersRescue Center
For the orphans or other vulnerable children in critical need of safe and secure housing Stays may be as long as weeks or months until alternatives found in their home place or elsewhere
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Project GoalsHire project staff – many varied roles including social workers, house mom, youth minister etc.Feed & clothe orphans and other vulnerable childrenProvide programs addressing the holistic needs of the familiesSSND hope to support the girls currently in upper primary through secondary school to ward off early marriages and better equip them for life and possible further education
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Project Goals . . .
Become self-sustaining by growing & selling pineapples on 5-10 acres (to be purchased)Erect the buildings required for the community
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Orphan Outreach Centre’s Needs:
Borehole for water well - $20,000 – have applied for a UN grantGenerator - $2000 – for electricityTransportation:
Motorcycle – 3 to enable social workers and youth minister to freely get to all 34 centres/sub-centres and outstations. Cost between $2000 - $3000 each. Vehicle, 4-wheel drive - $27,000 – basic transportationTransportation costs - $300 +/month
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Orphan Outreach Centre’s Needs . . .
Programming - $1500/year – youth program, AIDS education, training facilitators & social workers and giving workshopsGuardian Seminars - $1500/year – to teach parenting skillsSalaries for staff members
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Orphan Outreach – So FarSister Rose, Sister Mary Aloo, and Sister Mara are living on-siteSocial worker, Alice, is working with the SSNDHave begun visiting the outstationsHave identified 13 families so farAssessment of needs continuesSeamstress is making school uniforms for the orphansMeetings & interventions are under way to improve the sponsored orphans’ living conditions
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Family 1 - Sota Centre - Quinter Adhiambo
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Sota Centre - Quinter AdhiamboSota church chose the family of the late Petelis Otieno. He died in 2007 after a long illness. Later, the mother, Grace Atieno was bitten by a dog and also died after a long illness. The children are presently being taken care of by their grandparents, Anudo Otieno (80) and Rosalina Oluoch (60). Neither the grandparents nor the parents value education. The children have been influenced by this mentality.
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Sota Centre - Quinter Adhiambo . . . 2
The daughters in this family begin to think of marriage at the age of 14 years. The sons survive by fishing in the lake. Quinter is 12 years old, the last born and in class five at school. None of her siblings went to high school or technical institution. Her sisters are housewives and most of her brothers are fishermen.
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Sota Centre - Quinter Adhiambo . . . 3
Quinter’s brother George is 14 years old.He dropped out of school in July, 2009. The family gave him a cow to sell and he began his own life. George has never returned home and nobody bothers to find out where he went. Quinter alone says that she knows where to find him.Quinter longs to finish secondary school. The SSND’s main concern is supporting Quinter’s education and finding ways to enable her not to follow the family trend.
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Family 2 - Abala Centre: Phillip Odira
Phillip Odiraguardian
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Veronica Atien
Charles
Otieno
Phillip is the fourth born in a family of nine.When his mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer, he dropped out of school.He now cares for his mother and four younger siblings.The family has 3 acres of land but the yield is poor.Phillip needs financial support and farming skills in order to develop the land.
Philip believes that good farming will lead to good harvest which will enable him to provide for the family.
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Abala Centre: Phillip Odira‘s family
Abala Centre: Phillip Odira‘s family . . . 2Charles the younger brother has a problem in one eye and needs to be checked.Veronica, a sister, is in class seven.She comes back from school at 6 pm, fetches water, collects firewood, washes dishes and cooks dinner.She often finishes work when it is dark.Veronica wants to excel at school but her work load leaves her little time to study.
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Abala Centre: Phillip Odira‘s family . . . 3Another brother Daniel stays in Kabuoch with a woman who is tutoring him in tailoring.David, another brother, resides with a villager in Kisii who is training him in wiring.The SSND believe Daniel & David should pursue their courses at a technical institute.Their informal apprenticeships leave them vulnerable to exploitation.Phillip Odira wants to plant sukuma wiki (member of the kale family) as an income generating crop.
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Abala Centre: Phillip Odira’s family . . .4The family is asking for training to learn the necessary farming skills.The family also needs financial support to buy the necessary farming implements.Phillip needs help for better accommodation.The house is very small so some of the other children need to sleep elsewhere.Because of Veronica’s age and gender, such alternative accommodations may put her life at risk.
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
More Families to come. . .
Mariwa Centre
Kevin Ochieng
Maugo Centre
Linet Achieng
God Nduru Centre
Carolyne Akoth Immaculate
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
St. Michael’s Project – “Five for Africa”
Duration: present to 2012Support the SSND project by raising fundsEducate the parish community about the challenges and rewards of AfricaWork in partnership with the parish family of schools – St. Nicholas, Sir Edgar Bauer and St. David’sProvide parishioners with an opportunity to live their faith
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Schedule 2010 – 2012
Five weeks of activities in spring and fall
Spring 2010 April 4 May 2
Fall 2010 Oct 31 Nov 28
Spring 2011 Feb 6 March 6
Fall 2011 Oct 9 Nov 6
Spring 2012 May 13 June 10
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
What Can You Do Right Now?Become part of the Africa Project CommitteeShare your ideasShare your skills in fundraising, education, marketing “Many hands make light work”Spread the wordPray for the sisters as they work to help the children
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
Asumbi Roman Catholic Church in
Homa Bay
Participate in the 5 weeks of activitiesSupport the fundraising campaignPray for the sisters as they work to help the children
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach - Kenya
What Can You Do Later?
Notre Dame Children’s Outreach
Nyalieng’a, Kenya… your enthusiasm and energy to reach out to these very needy children and to support us here as we try to extend your and our love and care to them is indeed a source of strength, hope and courage to us.”
Sister Mara
Nyalieng’a, Nov. 2009
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