Become a scholarship Supporter

BECOME A SUPPORTER OF OUR SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR KYAITHANI and LOWER YATTA SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NDANDINI KENYA
In 2011 we started providing scholarships for the 9 top achievers at the only secondary school in the Ndandini area. In 2023 we have now increased that to 106 at Kyaithani and Lower Yatta Secondary Schools. There are over 400 desperately poor students at Kyaithani and Lower Yatta Secondary Schools striving to get an education so they can better their lives. Can you help us increase the number of scholarships that we provide?
We provide a CAD$110 per year scholarship to the students attending secondary school full time who originally graduated from one of the six primary schools in the Kyaithani area. We are looking for donations in any amount.
Donors to the scholarships will be able to follow our progress on this blogspot as we post information about the children being sponsored, photos and letters.
100% of the donations received go to the students and the Board of Governors accounts to us for the funds. There are no deductions for fundraising or administration.
Like the students and their parents, we know that without an education there is little hope for them to make a better life for themselves.

Unlike in Canada, families in Kenya have to pay school fees in order for their children to attend high school. Many children are forced to drop out because, with family incomes of less than $1/day, their families cannot afford to pay the school costs.


Donations in any amount will receive a tax receipt (for Canadian income tax returns).
For more information about the scholarship program contact me at TerryUmbach@hotmail.com .

Terry Umbach



Saturday, November 17, 2012

Student Letters re Nairobi educational day trip

Please take a few moments to read these wonderful letters from the students and teachers of Kyaithani Secondary School.  Letters of gratitude for the educational day trip to Nairobi which our donors provided.  And expressions of gratitude for the scholarships and everything else that our donors have provided.  Your support is making a difference in so many lives.

We provided 17 scholarships to help keep some of these students in school in 2012.  As we approach our Christmas season, its also time to top up our scholarship fund.  Please help if you can.
Thank you donors!

From Sammy Masila, Vice Principal, Kyaithani Secondary School
Dear Donors
The Kyaithani community is very grateful to you and all the donors for sponsoring all the students and the teachers for that wonderful trip to the capital city of Kenya, Nairobi.  Anxiety was high as every one was anxiously waiting for that day to come. The night preceeding the trip is a day to remember because students did not sleep, they were arriving to school as early as 3.00am .
We waited for the buses to arrive with alot of curiosity. When they arrived we all got in and started the journey. After travelling for only 25 km on our local dirt road, we arrived at the Kitui-Nairobi highway at a town called Kwa-Vonza and one student exclaimed " We have reached Nairobi" only to be told that that was just a small town along the highway and Nairobi was 160km away.
Apart from the students, none of the teachers had gone to the Sheldrick Elephant orphanage before. It was amazing to see elephants at close quarters.
 
The lunch which we ate was so classic that the students were greatly amazed.
 
At the Giraffe Center it was lots of fun as each one of us fed the Giraffes. We were told the life history of Giraffes and it was fascinating.
After parting with you we went to Bomas of Kenya instead of to the National Museum (because of the rioting downtown by the college students trying to get an end to the teachers' strike). We enjoyed folk songs from different tribes in Kenya, then we drove back to our village.
Next time you may think of coming with a few Canada students to Kenya and to Kyaithani.
 
We are making good use of the computers which have been donated and the studends are really happy about them. They are eagerly waiting to read emails from Canada.
 
What we would request is a printer and a photocopier which would make it easy to avail examinations to students.
 
Once again, we say Thank you so much.
With regards.
Sammy Masila
 
From Form 4 Students at Kyaithani Secondary School
 Dear Donors
First and foremost receive more greetings from Form Four Candidates.  We hope you are fine.  on our side, we are quite well working hard in our studies to better our future lives.  We have decided to take this chance to tell you more about the trip to Nairobi.
 
What we can tell you is that we were very grateful and glad for you.  For that good promotion you offered to us, as for most of us this was their first time to visit Nairobi town.  It was very educative trip if we can say because because we gained a lot.
 
Most of us we could not afford for all the provisions you covered.  In every place we visited we were able to learn something.  Meanwhile that trip transformed our minds to think beyond where we are standing.
 
At the first place we visited, David Sheldrick Wildlife Orphanage, we were happy to see elephants with our own eyes and touch them.  the game wardens exposed us to know about the history of those elephants.  We observed that the elephants had a memory like human beings.  They could respond when called by their nicknames and also knew how to observe time as they could guess the time of taking meals and time of any other activity.  It was also surprising that they normally had set specific places for sleeping just like human beings.
 
Later we visited the Giraffe Center, where we were grouped in two categories - that is Form 1 and 2 class and Form 3 and 4 class - where we went to different rooms in our group where we were educated more about giraffes.  For example giraffes are of three species, camouflaged to live in such conditions and they give birth to 3-4 calves. We were also given a chance to give them some food tablets using our hands.  We also took their photographs.
 
Lastly there at the Giraffe Center we were educated on environmental conservation and this made us to learn more about the importance of conserving the environment.
 
The last place to visit was the Bomas of Kenya where we watched music, dances and some various cultures from different tribes.  Some of us could join the dances.  Actually it was very interesting.  We learnt that we can exploit our talents and culture.
 
On the other hand, we would like to appreciate for all the meals we ate that day because of your support and well wishes to us.  The journey back to our school was very safe and there were no problems.
 
In conclusion, we were all happy about the trip and we all keep on congratulating and remembering you for that and all other support that you have done to us such as provision of water, lights and sponsoring education of some students which is very encouraging us to pray to our God to bless and add you favours to live for long.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH
God bless you very much
Form Four Students
 
From Form 3 Students at Kyaithani Secondary School
Dear Donors
We take this chance to salute you.  How are you?  We appreciate you for sponsoring the trip we had to Nairobi.  We say thank you for providing us with very comfortable means of transport, food and paying for various places that we visited that is Elephant Orphange, Giraffe Center and Bomas of Kenya.
 
we visited Elephant Orphange where by we learnt more about elephants. We learnt that some of the elephants are namede according to their point of origin. They also have characteristics similar to those of human beings.hey also contain some adaptations, for example the trunk assists them in their feeding.  We also learnt that during hot temperatures they flap their ears to cool their body temperature.  They also live in herds.
 
We also visited Giraffe Center.  There we had a class where by we were taught different species of giraffes like Samburu and Maasai species.  They also have some adaptationswhich include a long neck which enables them to feed on tall trees.  Also a rough tongue which enables them to feed on rough and thorny trees.  We went ahead and saw the giraffe physically also taken some snaps together with them.  We really enjoyed because it was our first time to see a giraffe.
 
Our last area of visit was Bomas of Kenya.  There we received lots of entertainment.  In addition to that we saw traditional dances and activities from different tribes of Kenya.  One of Form Three students was iinvolved in the dance.  The different tribes wore different types of clothes.
 
We kindly request you to forgive us because some of us went ahead throwing litter through the bus windows hence dirtying the environment which was unpleasant.  We appreciate for what you did for us that day and what you have been doing for us.  We hope tht you are going to sponsor another trip.
 
May the Almighty God shower you with His blessings.  Thank you.
 
From Form 2 Students at Kyaithani Secondary School
Dear donors
We kindly take this opportunity to say high to you Terry, Jan and other donors at large.  It is grateful since the Almighty God has granted this chance to us and appreciate you for the good deeds that you have done to us.
 
We thank you for the trip that you offered to us.  Actually, we enjoyed ourselves in travelling to Nairobi.  Many of us had never visited.  We also enjoyed travelling by those huge buses.  We congratulate you for the breakfast we had at Machakos.  Afterwards we left for Nairobi when we were satisfied.
 
On the way we saw big buildings, ostrich and other wild animals.  The expensive big aeroplanes and expensive vehicles we saw made us to predict as if we had arrived at Canada.
 
On the way to the animal orphanage we saw Langata Burial Estate which made us surprised.  On reaching the animal orphanage we found you and your fellow Canadians whom you looked alike and we could not differentiate you from them.  The elephants we saw were so big and their feeding surprised us.  We also saw our Naipoki that you gifted us with.  (Terry & Jan sponsor this baby elephant for the school).
 
We appreciate for the balanced lunch that you provided us with.  It was a delicious meal we had never had.  We proceeded to Giraffe Center.  Wow!  What a tall animal it was.  We climbed up the stairs and fed them.  We were amazed to see tortoise eating carrots among other vegetables.
 
Later we had our last visit at Bomas of Kenya.  There we found different communities which presented their culture.  It was an expensive building with upstairs and we imagined how much it cost to construct it.  There were also acrobats who entertained the audience.
 
So we made our way back to our home place and arrived safely.  We apologize for any awful things that some of us did unintentionally and hope come next time they would not repeat.
 
We also request you come next year, you organize for another trip somewhere else if possible because it is part of our academic learning.  This will be most appreciated.
 
We all in unity pray to God to bless you and stay long as you keep on helping us.
 
Thanks in advance!
 
From Form 1 Students at Kyaithani Secondary School
Dear donors
Kindly we take this opportunity to jot to you this report.  We first thank you for the trip you had taken us to Nairobi.  This is because some of the students had not visited some of the places you took us.  we learnt alot from those places.
 
We were excited to see some of the animals in the animal orphanage such as Naipoki our elephant and other elephants, rhinos and also giraffes in the Giraffe Center.
 
We later visited Bomas of Kenya where we enjoyed seeing traditional songs and dances.  we commend for the packed meal which we enjoyed in the midst of the day.
 
We apologize for any mistake we did unknowingly like throwing litter through the windows.  We request you next time to take us to Mombassa.  Finally we also request you to build us dorms for both boys and girls.
 
May God bless you and the work of your hands.
 
Thank you
 
Yours lovingly, The dear Form Ones
 
From Kyaithani Secondary School Staff
Dear Jan, Terry and Donors
We, the Kyaithani Secondary School staff, are glad to inform you that we really appreciate the golden opportunity you awarded for the trip to Nairobi on 20th September 2012.
It was most educational, explorative and even entertaining. We learned a lot from the adventure. The time spent with you was so enjoyable to say that we will live to remember.
To us you are such good people we can ever imagine of. Your kind generosity have really changed our lives. May you live long to keep on doing good to others as well. it is our prayer that you lack nothing good and live to enjoy the good work you are doing to people.
Thank you for your good. We are happy to mention your fabulous contributions towards our good stay in our school as well as the community.
Once again, thank you and may God bless you abundantly. We look forward to meeting you once again.
 
From Form 1 student, Frida
Dear Terry, Jan and donors
I kindly take this opportunity to say high to you Terry, Jan and other donors at large.
 
It is grateful that the Almighty King has granted this chance to me to jot to you.  I thank you for the wonderful deeds that you have done in Kyaithani community.  Actually,, we thank God for giving you such knowledge and wisdom.  Due to your deeds Kyaithani is the most blessed school around.
 
I should also comment for the trip that you organized for the school.  We went there in the largest city Nairobi and enjoyed ourselves.  It was just your mercy and understanding that you took us there both students, teachers and the school committee members.
 
We were very grateful to have a look at the elephant orphanage.  It was very interesting to see such big animals for my first time.  at first I was very surprised to see people having a touch on such an animal which I had been seen in pictures.  Also commend the look at the giraffes in the giraffe center.  Their tallness surprised each one of us who had never seen them before.
 
I would like to apologize for anything that we messed on behalf of my fellow students.  Some of us threw the litter through the windows to the road.  I am sure that would have surprised you because you didn't expect it. 
 
Lastly we pray to the Almighty God to grant you blessings wherever you are.  Your names shall remain in our heart forever and ever.  May the Almighty King grant you a long living life.  Amen
 
From Form 4 student, Felistus
Dear Terry, Jan and donors
First I would like to thank God for the care he has taken upon us all. Again for the sponsorship that I have received from you dear friends.  It is really helping me as most of my time I am spending in school and I'm getting more time for revision especially this time I am waiting to sit for my National Exams.  May God help you much to keep on doing the good jobs or making the needs of poor fellows paramountly gared for.
 
On behalf of my dear students we are grateful for the trip you sponsored for us.  It was marvelous.  Your goodness is remembered by every student because almost three quarters of the students had never been to Nairobi.  Some of the places we enjoyed visiting were; the Sheldrick Wildlife Service at Nairobi National Park sepecially to see our young kid Naipoki.  The Bomas of Kenya where our cultural heritage is preserved.  Also the Giraffe Center where we learnt the sub-species of giraffes and also we enjoyed feeding one of the giraffes.
 
We really enjoyed touring our country and viewing the developments taking place in our country.  Congratulations for your good deeds.  I can only promise to work hard in my studies, aiming at the best of my ability to achieve my goals.
 
Terry and Jan and donors, you are our best friends.  You are actually transforming our youthful lives to adult thinking minds and civilised people.  May God bless you abundently.  Live long!  You are in fact role models to many of us.  I can do nothing much but pray for God's favour to be upon you.
 
Be blessed in all your endeavours.  Thanks
 
From Form 4 student, John
Dear Terry, Jan and donors
I hope you are fine.  I write on behalf of the Kyaithani Secondary School Students to greatly appreciate for your concern and sacrifice that you financed a trip for us.  It is great pleasure that we learned many things that actually changed and improved our education and future aspirations in life.  It is a fact that the highest percentage of us had never gone to Nairobi.  Upon visiting the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, Giraffe Center, Bomas of Kenya and also the streets of Nairobi, it was unbelievable and has left a large desire to go back there either individually or collectively.  We are happy for the Naipoki elephant you sponsored for us upon which on seeing her we adored her.
 
We are also grateful for the packed food which actually changed our diet as it was familiar to us.
 
Unfortunately it was out of our knowledge that we wronged by littering the Sheldrick area when it was an offense to do so.  We ask for forgiveness and promise that we won't repeat upon being given another chance.
 
Finally we miss your presence and we pray upon God to bless you and your work.
 
From Form 4 student, Kelvin
Dear Terry, Jan and donors
Let me take this chance which I have been given by Almighty Father in a very special way to say hi to you (Terry and Jan and your fellow donors including Neil and Jackie) for sacrificing yourselves to come in Kenya which is a less developed country, a hot and dry area to help people who are in need especially at Kyaithani Secondary School and the five schools forming the cluster.  Please feel part of us and much appreciated.
 
Secondly we are much appreciative both teachers and students of Kyaithani Secondary School at large for extending your help and bringing two more computers in our school.  Therefore we have access to internet and we can now communicate with other students in Canada.  We will try our best not to ashame you but to do our best in our final exams.
 
With much regards
 
 From Form 3 students, Doreen and Damaris
Dear Terry and Jan and donors
Hallo Terry, Jan and donors. Hope you are fine. We are also fine and going on well with our studies. We are glad to have this marvelous chance to thank you for the provision of lights which have actually assisted our brothers and sisters in form four to tackle their (K.C.S.E) Kenya Certificate for Secondary Education exams and also the rest of the students in the school.

We are also privilege to have this moment to thank you for buying of two sets of laptops of which we are using to communicate to you. We pray the almighty God that He may add you more knowledge and wisdom to create more ways of helping us to improve our school to be the best.
We would like you to know that, the hand which donates is more blessed than the one which receives. Lastly, we wish you a Merry Christmas and happy New Year. WoW!
Yours faithfully,   Doreen and Damaris (form 3)