Maisha Children Updates
This year, 2020, was ushered in with great anticipation and hope for another good year at Maisha. Amidst all the excitement and dreams for what lay ahead, who would have thought that it would all be cut short by a deadly, new virus? A virus that unlike other viruses, has shaken the whole world with so much force? Corona Virus has affected each of us all around the globe and Maisha has been no exception.
At the Maisha home, things have also had to change during the past few months due to the lockdown imposed by the Kenyan authorities in the fight against the spread of the virus. Schools were shut down in Kenya as they were worldwide and measures were implemented that impacted the children and the running of the home. One such measure was that anyone entering the Maisha compound has to wash their hands. This took a few days for the kids in Maisha to adapt to at first, but the regular washing of hands soon became a habit. Moreover, no one is currently allowed to leave the compound, except in case of an emergency, during this time when the virus is rapidly rising in the country. The virus also had an impact on Beatrice and Florian who had been planning to spend some time at the Maisha home during the Easter holidays. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, their trip was cancelled and they have had to postpone their plans to visit Maisha until circumstances will allow them to travel again.
The virus aside, Maisha has accomplished much over the past few months, especially as far as the kids are concerned. The kids have kept themselves busy during the lockdown, not only keeping up with their studies, but also learning some new skills. They began to learn about and practice farming, something which they have not only enjoyed, but that will prove to be useful. They will not be going hungry any time soon because they have planted sweetcorn, which is already ready for harvest, beans and all kinds of other vegetables.
Chrispine Omondi, one of the oldest of the children in Maisha, has now finished his university studies and is awaiting graduation. He has obtained a bachelor degree in Food Science. We send him our warmest congratulations and are very proud of this amazing achievement.
John Njuguna has completed his high school education and is now waiting to join a music school as soon as the situation allows for educational facilities to reopen. We look forward to hearing some great tunes from him in the near future.
Judith Achieng has also almost completed her university studies in Commerce and has begun her attachment with UNEP. We wish her all the best.
All the other kids are doing well. The majority of them are now secondary school students and are taking their studies seriously, even though they are having to do their lessons and assignments from home. Schools in Kenya will not reopen before 2021. We wish them all the best and especially want to encourage the ones who will be sitting their end of year national examinations.
|
