Summer: Whether it is the USA, Europe, or Africa, the kids are off school and the pace of activities changes. As you know from the last Newsletter, Mama Charity had the chance of a lifetime to go to Europe with all of her expenses paid by supporters there, who wanted her to have some time off and wanted her to be able to meet with many of the folks who have come to Lomé in the past to volunteer at the orphanage. She met with several groups who loved hearing about the opportunity to sponsor a child for a year of education for 100 Euros. This is so thrilling for her and for us. We can feel the impact of children being educated and what this means for the future of Togo and the future of Africa
Meanwhile Sr Agnes has been sharing information about the Hatchery and the new chicks. When we sent money we thought we sent enough for 6 months of feed for the chicks and by 6 months, some would be ready to be sold as broilers and some would soon be laying eggs. Money would then come in to sustain the hatching and raising of a new round. Sr Agnes has been telling us there has not been enough money for the feed they need. The older chicks can use less as they scavenge bugs and other foodbut the new chicks need to get that healthy start. We discovered, whether in Africa, Canada or the US, the price of chick feed had risen dramatically. We have not had enough opportunity to talk with Sr Agnes to support her in resolving this problem. Internet apparently is also taking a break quite often during the summer months! Sister Agnes has plans as the oldest chicks mature, to sell the males for broilers, keep the hens as layers. She is exploring her business plan written a year ago before the Hatchery came to fruition to understand how much of the money she earns needs to be invested back in the hatchery and how much can be put towards education, and uniforms for the children who cannot afford it. There has been so much to learn about running a business and we are still learning. We have decided to review with our project leaders the initial business plans created in 2021 and update them. We will do the same with our Hand-in-Hand business plan. Sister Agnes has introduced us to two other sisters who are part of her Hatchery Leadership team: Sister Rose and Sister Sylvia.
Mama Dinah has been quiet these last two months. National elections for the government’s President were held on Tuesday August 9. In 2007, there was significant unrest and rioting after the national elections and this has left scars for many Kenyans. So, Mama Dinah has been quiet.
Immediately after the elections were held, the press said the race was too tight to call and it would take several days before results were available. On August 15, results of the close election were announced. However there is dissension, and disbelief and controversy about who really was the winner. The race for the presidency was between two men, William Ruto, the country’s vice-president who campaigned as the champion of Kenya’s “hustlers” — struggling young people, and his rival, Raila Odinga a former political detainee who later became prime minister and is making his fifth run for the presidency, William Ruto was declared the winner. He appealed to many of the poor even though he is currently wealthy because he grew up poor, barefoot, selling chicken and eggs as a child. Sister Agnes told us she was inspired to start her Hatchery because of the story of his background. We pray along with our African project leaders, Mama Dinah and Sister Agnes that there will be clarity when the election is examined and that the country will be able to accept the results and move forward. Kenya’s democracy is still young. Currently the Supreme Court in Kenya is reviewing the election and a final decision is expected later in September. For now, it is peaceful, and the country awaits a decision by the courts.
We are so grateful for the many donors who have given so generously to the different projects. It is gratifying to see how much the projects have accomplished in such a short time. We have been talking for a few months now about 2 areas of primary focus right now. One is Mama Dinah’s borehole and solar pump project. She has received an updated proposal and of course inflation has increased the cost of the drilling and we now have an updated solar pump estimate that includes two storage tanks and a metal tower to support them. The big campaign to put us over the top will be in September/October and will be both online and our Global Walk for Water which was so popular last year. We would also like to encourage those of you who have been gracious and donated a few times, if you would consider setting up a regular monthly donation through our partner Bridges of Hope Hand- in- Hand. It’s very easy to arrange: and the money is either deducted directly from your account which means we avoid the credit card fees and more of your money goes to the projects or you can do this through Credit Card/PayPal as well. As we grow our monthly donations, it allows us to plan our projects and know more about the funding of them. Thank you for considering this.
Mama Charity has flown home from her successful trip to France and Germany. She met with so many groups of people who have volunteered at the orphanage in the past and desire to support her visions in the present. She explained the need for sponsors for children to have an education both at the school at the orphanage and the school she built and started last year in Ghana, right across the border from Lomé. The school system in Ghana and in Lomé is two years of kindergarten, followed by grade 1 to 6 in Primary School. Then there are 4 years of Secondary School followed by 3 years of Senior Secondary School. After completion of all this, if a child has aptitude and finances they would attend University or a Trade School
Many asked after our last couple of Newsletters how they can go about sponsoring a child in either Mama Charity’s orphanage School or the School she founded in Ghana. Mama Charity is working out the details. She has created an application form so she can match Sponsor (called Godparent) with a specific child. Right now, we have no system to support people who want tax receipts for sponsorship money. We will give you updates in the next Newsletters.
Screenshot of some of the leadership team at an impromptu meeting to strategize: Barb upper left, Eliana upper right and Lucille in center below
As we have said before, previous Newsletters can be found on our website: https://handinhand.space/newsletter/. You will be hearing more about our campaign to complete funding of the drilling of Mama Dinah’s bore hole and installation of the solar pump and towers. We are looking forward to moving this project forward as is Mama Dinah and her community of course.