Here is how Nyumbani- an aids orphanage has changed the lives of many children through the support of donors and well-wishers.
Dear Friend of Nyumbani,
It has been some time since I was able to send you a full report about events at Nyumbani. I hope to send you these newsletters on a more regular basis now that I have returned to Kenya. In order not to overload you with information, I’m outlining only the most recent events.
The best news is that I can report we have had no deaths at Nyumbani for 18 months. Most of the children have been in good health, although Dominic O has been diagnosed with encephalitis and has been in the Nursing Room for several weeks, but has now much improved. Two children have chicken pox; Joseph N, Meshack N and Boniface G had to miss school for health reasons. A number of children had fungal infections but have now improved.
Thirty children are on anti-retroviral treatment and are responding well. Five children are on a special diet and supervised feeding schedule and are responding well.
We now have 83 children at Nyumbani; 48 boys and 35 girls. Our increased capacity is due to the completion of two new modular dwellings which house the four older boys and four older girls. Despite the expense and logistical problems, this is a most encouraging development, as it means that through all our efforts, we are keeping our children alive. Nyumbani, as you know, means “home” and Nyumbani will remain a home for these wonderful children. Let’s hope we have to build many more of these houses.
The Birthday celebrations for the month of June (Christine N age 14 and the oldest girl at Nyumbani; Thomas O and George M, 6; Jane W, 8 and Denis K, 5 years) were sponsored by a kind benefactor who has also adopted one child, Angelo, and she has continued to donate food and milk to the home.
Baby Edith is undergoing a period of adoption assessment. Out of 61 applications to the Government for Birth Certificates, only five have been approved by the Registrar of Births. The others have been rejected due to insufficient background information, as they are abandoned children and we have no sources of their birth information. Efforts are being made for the Government to issue the Certificates with the available information.
During June, 30 children went to the Grand Regency Hotel for lunch, hosted by the hotel management. Twenty children attended a concert at the French Cultural Centre, as guests of Absalom Nyinza and to the National Museum of Kenya, hosted by the management, to mark the Day of the African Child. The Hindu community invited ten children for dinner at their Hindu Complex, while old friends Rome De Cruz and Carman organized a fun day for all the children at Nyumbani.
We received about 150 visitors in June, including Miss Universe, Oxana Federova, accompanied by the Miss Kenya secretariat staff. We received British Airways crews on a regular basis and KLM crews.
We received two new admissions from the Leatoto Community-based outreach programme: Diana M, 4 years and Ramadhani M, 7 years old.
Leatoto supports 262 children in the USAID-funded programme in the Kangemi slums, which received funds for the second phase through Catholic Relief Services; and 227 in the Nyumbani-funded programme. We have many children on the waiting list and many others we are unable to care for, or who lack medical support due to lack of funds. Two caregivers are terminally ill. We are able to provide only two full-time staff and two volunteers to provide clinical care, counseling, training to caregivers, and income-generating support programmes with limited funding by a well-wisher.
We have a total of 64 staff in all programmes, including the five Sisters from India. They are supported by eight overseas volunteers – from China, UK, USA and Tanzania, as well as nine Kenyan volunteers.
Our English volunteer, Leo Blythe, is helping to establish a mini solar power project, which we hope will drastically cut our bills for batteries. He is training a number of the older children in construction of the panels and we hope to eventually generate some income from sales both in Nyumbani and at Leatoto.
The wooden base of the overhead water tank was replaced with steel bars and a base for an above-ground swimming pool, donated by the British Army, was completed.
Our thanks to Jose van Kansteren from the Netherlands for fundraising which will pay school fees for 27 children for one year. A Major donation was from Mr. Eric Steenbakkers, President of the Rotary Club Veghel e.o., The Netherlands.
We continue to appeal for funding for anti-retroviral drugs, school fees and the Leatoto programme. We also need:
Shorts, trousers, shirts and shoes for boys age 10 – 18
Dresses, trousers, socks and shoes for girls age 9 – 15
Blankets
Bed sheets for 60 single beds
Bed sheets for 16 cots
Ten sets of food warmers to keep food hot between kitchen and houses
Hand wash detergents
A4 size printing paper
Stationary folder files
High Density PC diskettes
Printer cartridges: HP 51626A, 51629A, 516459A, 516645A, HPC 1823D
Toner: HPC 4127A, C7115A Laser Jet HP
We received our school bus, courtesy of the people of Finland, on 11 July. We are trying to cut through red tape to register a donated caravan we are still facing delays in receiving a Certificate of Exemption from the Registrar of Societies in order to obtain Customs duty waivers.
On 7 September this year, Nyumbani celebrates its 10th Anniversary and we are planning a number of sponsored parties, fundraising and media-awareness events, including a children’s party sponsored by the Rotary Club of Nairobi South, a sports day, a special Mass and more formal events during September, October and November. You are of course welcome to any or all of these events. Please let me know well in advance whether you are able to attend or whether you are able to contribute in any other way. We would also be grateful for any items or services we could auction or raffle at the functions. We hope to negotiate the publication of a Nyumbani supplement in a major local daily newspaper, as well as the production of a 10th Anniversary brochure, so any messages of goodwill or donations could be included as an advertisement. For any information on this or any other matter relating our 10th Anniversary, please email
tbanks@nyumbani.org.
Since my return to Kenya, I am actively seeking suitable land to build the Nyumbani Village of Hope, which will care for some 500 AIDS orphans and their grandparents or other elders. As I mentioned in an earlier Newsletter, I expect this Village to become a model for the rest of the developing world, so any assistance you can give will be gratefully received.
On an administrative matter, please note that our Nairobi telephone numbers beginning 71 or 72 should now be prefixed with 2. (e.g., 716829 becomes 2716829.)
On behalf of our wonderful children at Nyumbani and Leatoto, may God bless all of you and thanks for your supportive prayers and gifts to the Children.
Angelo D'Agostino SJ, MD
Founder & Medical Director
Reaching out to HIV afflicted individuals -
07-10-2002, 11:14 PM
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