Medical: Many of our children come to us very sick. In their first month at our home we deal with things such as Hepatitis, viral infections,  ear infections, wounds, ringworm, coughs, cavities, runny noses, fevers, headaches, stomach aches, and other effects of malnutrition. We also see many of the children emotionally disturbed due to abuse and neglect.  To take care of these problems, we spend around $500.

Food: We spend about $500 a month on supplies (i.e. soap, toilet paper) and food. The food consists largely of cabbage, beans, rice, and breads. We have expanded that a little to include some meat (fish, chicken, beef) as well as a variety of fruits and vegetables (apples, pineapples, bananas, pumpkin, spinach, peas, carrots, etc.) so that the kids get the nutrients they need.

Clothing: We are blessed with donations of clothes from the U.S. which give our children clothing, but not always the correct sizes and/or weather appropriate.   Due to regular wear and tear as well as the need for warmer clothes in the cold climate, we have had to purchase more clothing when the money is available.

 

School: Our older children attend a private Christian school about 20 minutes drive from the home.  We have tried several public schools in the area and found that they were not receiving a good and proper education.  The school fees for the older children are more expensive than public schools, but we feel the sacrifice is well worth that expense in order to assure they are getting a good education. The children are required to wear uniforms and provide their own school supplies. We have started an Education to help with these expenses of schooling.  Please see schedule for education costs per child.

Church: There are approximately 150 children from the community that attend our church.  We call it a Children's Church because that is all that comes.  We might have a few adults, but most are staff or visitors.  The service can sometimes last up to 3 hours, but it is lots of fun and very active.  Our staff provide the lessons every Sunday as well as visiting volunteers.  Donna (our US long term volunteer) has started an annual Bible Scripture contest for the community children.  this has become a favorite contest and many have learned to speak English my memorizing scripture.  The IAA children continue to be spiritually fed at home as well. They pray before every meal, on their way to school and they have their weekly Praise and Worship time. They are surrounded by Scripture on the walls and on their beds. Perhaps one of their greatest delights is singing Christian children's songs on tape or CD. Our greatest desire is that these children will grow up knowing Jesus. Therefore, we continue to need materials which will aid us in teaching them about Him.

School: The younger children attend Nursery School on site.  We have recently purchased a large temporary tent to provide shelter for our students for now.  Just recently they had been attending a school in a small one room tin building, which is down the road from our site. There were 30-50 students and 1 teacher in a small, drafty wooden building with very few windows. The children were not getting a good education and couldn't understand the teacher unless they knew the local language, which most of our children do not. Our Nursery School teaches the children in Swahili (the national language) and English.  There are three terms in a year, and the tuition is $20 per term. Each child is also required to have a uniform as required by Kenyan law

Staff: We have been blessed with Staff who have hearts for the orphans of Kenya. Among our staff of 12 we have an Administrator, cook, a gardener, a night watchman, 3 House Mom's, a Site Supervisor, a teacher, a bookkeeper, a day worker, and a laundry lady. They have been such an asset to us. Their combined salaries cost about $800 a month.

Site: The site presently consists of three dorms, a gatehouse, a church, a library, a chicken house, cow shed, a pump house, a covered laundry/garage and a temporary kitchen. We are presently planning our new kitchen/dinning hall to be completed by mid 2010. We also have a well which provides water. We also have a generator which provides electricity in case the local electricity goes out---which happens often. Overall, we continue to make improvements to the existing structures and would like to see the site expand so we can care for more children and provide more services to the community. Buildings we are considering include another dorm and a medical clinic.