Letters from the Nine Scholarship students 17Jan12

This past September we provided an internet-enabled PC to the Kyaithani Secondary School and set up email accounts for the administration, teachers and students.  We are in regular correspondence now with the administration and teachers.

Here are the first letters of 2012 from the students.  Unfortunately, just as for the past 14 years or so, the much needed and anticipated rains have again failed and the area will be short of food and families will have little income - finding it hard to pay the school fees for their children to go to school.

You will read of this and other things of interest in the letters.

All students and teachers - all of us - appreciate your support of the scholarship fund.
Terry
                                                                                                                                                           

17/01/2012

Dear our loving donors through Terry,

I will be glad if you receive this letter and wish to get the information about our December holiday. I also thank you for the contribution to my education.

As we had broken for the holiday, we had conducted for a tuition for the former form threes and twos. The environment was harsh for us. We sowed some of the foodstuffs and due to low rainfall, we couldn’t harvest anything from our shambas. This has caused many of us to lack food and also some pasture for our cattle.

Life at school is not so hard. I am still working hard to achieve the best goal if possible. Last term I was position 3 in a class of 34. I’m still putting more efforts in my academic and also in curricular activities. My promise is that, I’m continuing to work hard to achieve the best grade.

What I have to tell you lastly, is just to say thanks and congratulations to you and donors. I appreciate you too much. May God bless!

Thanks in advance

Yours sincerely

Sophia (Form 2)

Our dear donors through Terry,

Much   greetings from I Shadrack. Hope that you are fine and you’ve got a happy new year. I am fine on my side and going on well with my education. Last term I studied very hard and attained position 1 out of 34 students.

We had gone for a December vacation which took a month before the opening date of the school. During the vacation, we had no holiday tuition except our former form threes and form twos. However, I used to spare sometime at home especially during my leisure time to read and for my academic purpose.

Since this is a new year and am in a new class, I have planned to work extra hard in learning activities to ensure that at the end of it all, I will have to achieve my target.

Last year, I performed well in my academics. However, this did not impress me a lot since I did not achieve what I wanted. I will work harder till I achieve my goal.

Lastly, I am looking forward for your reply.

Yours sincerely

Shadrack.    (Form two)

Dear donors through Terry and Janet

I hope that you are fine. The other side I am also fine. First I thank my God for a new life He has given me. I again thank you very much for the care you have taken for me. I also congratulate your donors for hard work they have done. I am very happy because of that.

I am very happy for the money that you have sent for me last year. It was used in a right way. Some was used as a school fee and the rest was used to buy the uniform. Last year I studied very well and now I am in form two. I would like to tell you I am in academic and in sports. Last term I managed to attain position 10 out of 34 in my academics.

I wake up at five o’clock whereby I prepare myself and walk to the school. Then I settle down and start reading. I read for about one hour. Then at twenty minutes past six I get out and start cleaning the school compound.

We go for   games in every Thursday, Friday, Saturdays and Mondays. Then on Tuesdays we go for guidance and counselling. On Wednesday we go for Christian union. When I go home I help my parents doing some duties. Lastly may God bless you all.

Yours sincerely

Joseph   (Form two)

DEAR OUR BELOVED DONORS THROUGH TERRY

Let me take this golden chance to salute you, how have you been since the last time we communicated through the mail? It is my hope that you have been progressing well. To me, I have been doing very well in school and as well as at home.

For one, I would like to thank you for your sponsorship you have been offering to me since last year second term.  For sure, it has really helped me very much even my parents. Secondly,  the electricity, system that you have offered to us. It is helping many students in the school.

I read very hard in my studies and I managed to attain position 2 out of 37 students. I promise to continue putting more efforts.

After we closed the school on November, we had a holiday from which we benefited very much. At home we performed some duties such as, farming and grazing. We grew crops such as beans and maize. Unfortunately, the rainfall was inadequate and the crops dried up. For now we are experiencing very hard time.

Lastly, I would like to wish you a very nice and joyous new year full of God’s blessings. Thank you very much.

Have a nice time.

 Yours faithfully,

Faith

TO OUR DONORS THROUGH TERRY

I thank you for providing support to my education. We had broken for our December vacation on 22^nd November 2011. After one week we came for our holiday tuition which took two weeks. After our tuition we went back home to help our parents.

At home we used to help our parents on weeding in order to get high yields to cater for our health. We worked hard in shamba although rains did not rain enough so we lack food at home. Last term we did exams and I managed to get position 5 out of 37 students.

We opened schools on 4^th January 2012.  I am working hard to achieve my grade so that I may shape my future. I usually come to school at 4.00am to learn because you have provided us with lights.

I appreciate for your support and request you to continue supporting me and other needy students in our school. May God bless you and your families.

Yours faithfully,
Maureen   (Form 3)

DEAR OUR LOVING DONORS THROUGH TERRY,

I would wish to thank you for your support together with the other donors so that you may provide for my education and my good stay in school.

We broke for our December vacation on 2^nd November 2011. After a week at home, we attended our holiday tuition took two weeks. After the two weeks were over, we went back home.

At home, I assisted my parents in weeding. We weeded hard so that we can get a large  yields but the rains were inadequate. By this, I mean that, in the shambas there were no yields. So there is scarce of food in our village.

The school opened on 4^th January 2012. The school operations started going on as usual. By this, I mean that, I am still working Hard to achieve my goal so that I may build up my future life. Last year I performed well in my Exams and I was position 3 out of 37 but this was not my goal. This year I have targeted my goal of which I am working hard to achieve it. I usually go to school as early as 4.00a.m in order to make use of the provision of the solar power.

I appreciate for your support and I wish you also support our loving students who are needy. I am eager to receive your reply. Thanks

Yours sincerely,

Syombua   (Form three)

DEAR BELOVED DONORS THROUGH TERRY

Let me salute you most warmful regards. Since last time we communicated, I would like to thank you for the sponsorship that you are still offering to us.

I revised very well last term and after doing exams, I attained position 5 out of 26 students.

We had December holiday tuition, from which we benefited as we pushed on with the syllabus. We had a nice Christmas and a prosperous happy new year. We also helped our parents cultivating and doing other manuals like fe3tching water and firewood.

Otherwise we are doing our best in academics and co-carricular activities as we have now begun athletics and clubs are now thriving on  well. Just hope for God’s favours to us.

May God bless you in all your endeavours.

Yours faithfully

Felistus (Form 4)

Dear Donors

I hope you are fine. Am also fine. Am glad and happy for your concern and donation towards me and our school. The gifts you gave to us last year have marked a great revolution in our school and our society. We all thank you for that. I know you eager to know of my life since I wrote to you last year. Over the December vacation I was busy cultivating crops (beans, peas and maize) on our home farms. However the rains came irregularly leading to poor harvests. We also celebrated the holidays that is Christmas and happy New Year.

Last term I worked hard in my studies and I attained position 2 out of 26 students.

After opening the school on 4^th January 2012 we did an opening exam, which is under marking now. It is  in this year that I am registering for K.C.S.E(Kenya Certificate  Of Secondary Education) final exams in secondary school education level since it is the last year I would like to work hard so as to achieve my goals.

It is only through you, our school administration and our God that am still going on with education. Since now I am in school I will continue to write to you frequently. May God bless you and your Nation, so as to also extend your mercies to other needy people.

Yours faithfully,

John (Form 4) 

Dear Donors through Terry

I am very grateful for the support that you have offered so far. I am appreciating your support to me and also the school in large. The solar power which you installed in our school is really making me to achieve my goal of being an accountant. I was position 4 out of 26 last term and I am exploiting myself fully in terms of discipline so as to perform well in my final Exam. I normally arrive at school at 5.00am so that I can settle early in class before the normal classes and duties.

Actually, our administration staff is also putting more effort so as to make us attain our goals. Our school is really developing because even we are receiving other students from the other schools which mean that the school is developing.

Because soon and very soon there will be no scarcity of water due to the tanks which you installed in our school, the school will start shining because even our young trees won’t dry up due to scarcity of water. when I am at home, especially when the  schools are closed up I normally assists my parents and I have about one an hour for private study and then I takes some minutes for leisure before proceeding to the next activity which might be in church so that  I can grow both academically, physically and spiritually.

Lastly, is that due to the good things which I have named there above which you have done together with the administration staff I together wish my fellow student we will be able to achieve our goals

Thank you

Yours faithfully

Kelvin

WE VISIT KYAITHANI SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS (SEPT30/2011)

During our recent visit to Ndandini and Kyaithani we had the opportunity to talk with each of the 9 students who received a $300 scholarship this past year.

They are all studying very hard for their final exams for this year.  Many of them are coming to school by 4:30am each day to study using the newly installed solar lights at the Kyaithani Secondary School.

There are now 112 students in 3 forms.  As Kimali, the principal of the school, told us "every one of the students comes from a home which is desperately poor and is making huge sacrifices to send their child to school".

There are many more students that could be helped if we could raise more donor funds to supply these $300/year scholarships.

While we were there we also were privileged to be able to deliver an internet-enabled PC, a 32" LCD TV, dvd player, the full National Geographic magazine library (on a hard drive), many educational DVDs and a camera - all made possible by your donations.

The students recited a poem to us for you:

"Donors.  We asked for water and you gave us water.
Donors.  We asked for light and you gave us light.
Donors.  We asked for education and you gave us education (the scholarships).
We thank you.
May God bless you,
and bring you long life."

Terry

THANKS FOR THE SOLAR LIGHTING

Here is an email we just received from the principal of the Kyaithani Secondary School where we recently completed the installation of a solar system to light two of their three classrooms.

Terry

Jambo Terry

It gives me a lot of pleasure to see the students making use of the solar light to improve their academic performance. The young girls and boys get to school as early as 4:30 am to do morning preps. This greatly compensates for the unfavourable conditions at most of the family backgrounds. 

Please thank all the donors.

Keep up the good work. 

Regards  Kimali

Scholarship Fund reaches a Milestone!

I am so happy to report that with the donation just received from Barb & Ivan Strom (retired teachers) we now have 9 funded scholarships for the coming year - as many as we provided last year!  Thanks to everyone who has helped us reach this milestone already.

Now the challenge is - how many scholarships can our growing community of donors and humanitarians provide for this coming year?

Kyaithani Secondary School has about 120 students, most from families struggling desperately to keep their child in school.  The Ndandini and Kyaithani area is suffering from the same drought and famine conditions that you are seeing on TV in Eastern Kenya where the camp is for the Somalian refugees.  Having been to Ndandini and Kyaithani several times a year since 2007, I can verify that trying to live there is most difficult.  With average family incomes of only $1/day, it is extremely difficult for a parent to put any of their children through school.

Thanks again for all your help as we try to help these very needy villagers and students.

Terry

SOLAR POWER ARRIVES at KYAITHANI HIGH SCHOOL

Here is an emil I just received from Kimal, the principal of Kyaithani Secondary School in Kenya.

Jambo Terry

It is with profound pleasure that I report to you that the bright light has given rise to very high levels of optimism within the entire Kyaithani Secondary School fraternity. The solar light will surely be productively used to enhance the academic standings of the students.

On behalf of the students, parents, teachers and the wider community, I sincerely thank you and the donors for the invaluable gifts to the villagers. Keep up the good work. 

Regards
Kimali

A GREAT START to next year's scholarship program!

I am very pleased to announce that we have received a very generous donation from Carol Hickman which will allow FOUR $300 scholarships to be provided for high school students at the Kyaithani Secondaary School next year.

Thank you Carol!!

Terry

FINAL SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS FOR THIS YEAR ADVANCED

We have now completed the provision of the us$300 of scholarships for this year for each of the nine students at the Kaithani Secondary School in Kenya.

We are now looking for donations to start the program for the coming year.  I hope that everyone who contributed this past year will donate again and perhaps even consider increasing your contribution?  We are also looking for more donors so that we can hopefully increase the niumber of students receiving a scholarship. 

With family incomes int he area of only $1/day, it is almost impossible for an average family to pay the $300/year that it costs to send a child to high school.

Please read the letters below which we recently received from teh scholarship recipients.  you will see that they are most grateful and also plead for us to help more of the needy students at their school.

Terry

2011/07/13

From Kelvin

Form 3, Kyaithani Secondary School

"I appreciate your concern so much on my education. I received the money that you sent to me. The money in the first term 11,740 shillings and the second term 13,760 was used to cater for my school fee, uniform and other learning facilities. I was unable to attain my goal (academic target) but through your support I will attain my vision of becoming engineer. I appreiate your hardwork of helping and may God bless your hard work. If it is possible may the support be extended to other suffering students in the school." (signed) Kelvin

2011/07/12

From Maureen

Kyaithani Secondary School

"I have written this letter to acknowledge that I have received money from you. The money which you have been contributing to me is helping to facilitate my education. In first term I received 11,740 shillings and in the second term I received 13,760.

The money has been used to pay my school fee, to buy my school requirements and my school uniform. I am at school comfortably working hard to get grades which will enable me to be an engineer. I appreciate your contribution and I kindly request you continue supporting me and other needy students in our school. Thank you and may God bless you." (signed) Maureen

2011/07/12

From Stombua

Form 2, Kyaithani Secondary School

"I am glad to write this letter to inform you that I am among the nine students that are being supported by your contribution. I would like to inform you that I have received the amount of money you had sent. This money have been helping my education to kick off well. First term I received 11,740 Ksh. Second term I received 13,760 Ksh. I am appreciating for the money has assisted me a lot. It has been used to pay for my school fee, learning materials and my school uniform. I am aspiring to be an engineer and through your support I hope I will achieve my dream. Kindly, I request you continue supporting me in my education and inform you that there are other needy suffering students in our school. I request you assist them where possible. May God help you as you continue supporting me. Thank you." (signed) Stombua

2011/07/13

From Faith

Form 2, Kyaithani Secondary School

"I am among the nine students who are receiving the aid from you. I am writing this letter to admit that I have received the money you had sent. First term I got 11,740 shillings and the second term I received 13,760 and the total is 25,500 shillings. I am appreciating because the money helped me a lot. It was used to pay for school fees, provide for my reading materials and my school requirements and my school uniform. My ambition is to be a doctor in my future life. My hope is that through the money I will achieve my dream. I beg the way you have done to me to do the same to the other needy students in our school who are suffering. Otherwise, may God bless you as you continue supporting me to be a better person in the future. i am promising to do all my bet in my academics. Thank you." (signed) Faith

2011/07/13

From Felistus

Form 3, Kyaithani Secondary School

"I am hereby appreciating for your care and concern of my precious studies in your support to make my future bright. I received the term one school fees 11,740 Ksh and the term two school fees 13,760 Ksh. This have catered for my upkeep in school and also my school requirements including the uniform.

As much as I would wish to say is just to work hard academically and have good conduct so as to achieve the target goal of being a doctor or a teacher. Again I request please if possible you extend this donation to some other needy students in our school. This is because it is out of generosity that someone will feel blessed by God.

Nonetheless I remain prayerful that Lord God will keep on opening doors for you and provide more. Actually it is helping very much.

Wishing you God's blessings in all your endeavours. Yours faithfully" (signed) Felistus

2011/07/13

From John

Form 3, Kyaithani Secondary School

"I hereby acknowledge that I received 11,740 shillings in the first term and 13,760 this term thus totalling to 25,500. I appreciate for this amount has been used to pay my school fees, revision books, a full set of school uniform and other school requirements. It has enabled me to run my academics well. I beg that you extend your mercy to other needy students in our school. I pray that God may bless your life. My ambition is to become an accountant and through your support I will do it. I promise to put all my efforts in academics. May God bless you. Thank you. Yours faithfull" (signed) John

2011/07/12

From Joseph

Form 1, Kyaithani Secondary School

"For your care, I thank you very much. The money which you have assisted to me as a school fees first term was 11,740 shillings. It catered me very well. I thank you for your contribution.

I'm very happy that the money which I received in second term was 13,760 shillings. It was used as a school fees and some for buying learning materials such as school uniform.

Towards my decision making I'm going to achieve my goals. I will also do well in (KCSE) examination. My career is that I want to be an engineer. I thank you very much and I also pray for you to continue bringing more money. God may bless you and also your world. Yours sincerely" (signed) Joseph

2011/07/12

From Shadrack

Form 1, Kyaithani Secondary School

I humbly take this chance to thank you for the amount of money you sent to school to be used as my school fees. I am happy for your contribution.

I confirm that I received 11,740 shillings in the first term and 13,760 shillings in the second term. It was used to buy for me learning materials and paying for me my school fees. With the assistance you are giving to me, I will be able to achieve my goal. My aim is to get a grade of B+ and above so that I can join University. I would like to be an accountant.

I wish that you continue bringing in more money. I also wish that you expand that project to the other needy students in our school. I promise that I will do well in my last exam (KCSE) in this school. I pray to God to help you in your ways and bless all what you do. Thanks in advance. Yours sincerely" (signed) Shadrack

2011/07/13

From Sophia

Form 1, Kyaithani Secondary School

I kindly take this opportunity to thank you for your contribution that you gave me. For the first term you contributed 11,740 shillings to me. For the second term you gave me 13,760 shillings. I confirm that I received the money and I was bought some requirements and remaining one was paid to my school fees. I appreciate all what you did to me.

I am requesting you to continue bringing in more money for our school fees. I also tell you that if there is chance you can increase the numbers so that many of us can be helped. I promise to do very well in my studies to achieve the best. I would like to get a grade of B+ and above to achieve my career which is lawyer.

Without your help no where I can get the school fees. Hope you are going to receive my report. I will be glad if you receive it and answer it. May God bless you and love you as a cheerful giver. Thanks in advance. yours sincerely" (signed) Sophia