Kisima Child Care Academy - School and Orphanage: January 2011

Sponsor a Child

Kisima’s director reports that once the children know they have a sponsor they hold their heads higher, have a spring in their step, and show a renewed dedication to their schoolwork. Sponsor a child for $300 per year. Younger students require two sponsors for full support while older students need at least three. The cost of books and exams during their last two years is quite high. Sponsor a teacher for $400 per year. Each teacher needs four sponsors for full support. When you choose or are assigned a child it would be great to write a letter to introduce yourself and include a photo. The kids LOVE to receive photos. Please do not send packages because they may not arrive. The address to send letters and photos is Kisima Academy, P.O. Box 74, Postal Code 50211, Naitiri, Kenya.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

It has been very dry at Kisima. The cows eat nappier grass and there is none to be had. Martin has had to buy feed in Kitale. The dry weather has also made it impossible to plow the fields. Everyone is praying for rain.

The second photo is of the new children at Kisima . The school year started with 20 new children making a total now of 161.

Monday, January 17, 2011

And one more makes five!

This fine-looking calf was born yesterday to the delight of all at Kisima.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

One more cow makes four

Here's the new cow bought with funds from Shiloh United Methodist Church in Kokomo, Indiana. Heartfelt thanks to them! There are now four cows to provide protein, calcium, and other nutrients for the children.

Monday, January 10, 2011

New school year

The new school year starts this month. The fifth graders are happy to have new textbooks and a new classroom.

Introduction

Kisima Academy was started by Martin Simiyu, an extraordinary man who has really responded to God’s call to serve. In 2006 he, his wife, and their three children moved to a rural area in western Kenya to start a school for orphans. In March 2008 Kisima consisted of three mud classrooms and the children sat on the dirt floor for their lessons. They walked a mile for water.

Seven years later with the help of friends, Christ our Savior Lutheran Church in Loudon, Tennessee, and John Calvin Presbyterian Church in Annandale, Virginia, there are ten brick classrooms, two hand-dug wells, cows, chickens, tilapia fish ponds, and most important, food for the children. Boys' and girls' dorms were built in 2011 thanks to the generosity of the Nancy Bryant-Jerry Taylor Foundation. Martin farms four acres of maize and beans and each class has a garden to grow vegetables.

Much progress has been made but there are still many needs to be met, among them more land and simple housing for the teachers who live onsite.

Donations go to For the Kids International, Inc., 7201 Countrywood Ct., Springfield, VA 22151. Please be sure to specify that it is to go to Kisima Academy. When you send a donation to Kisima, 100% goes to the school. No money is used for administration.

Bonnie Lefbom
Gerda Fink
Denise Patton
Nancy Bryant
John Ndiritu

Kisima Child Care Academy - School and Orphanage