Dear sponsors, friends and supporters of Maisha,

Happy New Year! Greetings and blessings for 2024 to you and your family members from the Maisha children and staff. We are delighted to send to you our latest Maisha newsletter to keep you up to date with the most recent developments and news at Maisha. 

Children updates

All the Maisha children are doing much better physically and emotionally.
They have worked very hard and continue to do so in their studies. Previously we had seen some decline due to the inevitable emotional distress after the death of Mama. However, there has been a marked improvement in their academic performances. Some are now top of their classes with very good grades.

Two of our children finished their secondary school after four years of hard work. They will be joining colleges around September of this year.

One of the maisha children is joining Secondary school with high hopes of joining university as he obtained excellent marks.

Those in colleges doing technical studies are also performing well in their respective areas. The same can be said of our university attendees.

Overall, we are very proud and grateful for their hard work! 




 

Visits from sponsors & Beatrice's family
 
Last August, one of Maisha's ambassadors/sponsors visited the home. Giulio's visit made a huge impact and he was appreciated by both the kids and the staff alike. He was able to have one-to-one interactions with almost every child. Given that most of our Maisha children are about to integrate into the outside world, he supported them with advice and ideas on how they can transition to their adult lives once outside the home.
He also helped the children with their homework, went to the farm and encouraged the children to think and take care of the environment. He taught them the importance of recycling and litter management, and much more.

Beatrice and Florian also had the privilege of visiting maisha towards the end of September to mid October. They were able to interact with the children, spent most of the time listening to the older ones, discussing their achievements at school and also their plans and dreams once they have finished their studies or their practicals in their respective colleges. In general the home is running well and they were impressed with the developments of the children, as well as the home. 






 

Future plans
Some of the Maisha children are soon ready to face the world and be responsible citizens. We are humbled by your continuous support, which has enabled these children to grow and become adults who can support themselves outside the Maisha home.

At the moment we are at the peak of supporting the children financially in their various academic paths. At the same time, the cost of living in Kenya has become extremely expensive, not only regarding food, but also healthcare, and school fees.

To promote the future sustainability of maisha, we are seeking support in the following areas:

1. School / College Tuition
We continue to barely survive with the stark rise in school fees. This term alone, we saw an increase of up to 30% over last term's fees. In addition, many of the family members are now grown up and are currently attending training colleges or universities.

2. Agriculture
The Maisha home is blessed with a big plot of land which is ideal for agriculture. Over the last 1.5 years we have planted some vegetables, grains, and legumes to test what the land is good at producing. Based on our tests, we estimate 70% of the food for the maisha family could eventually come from our own farm produce, if we have the right equipment.  

Water Tanks
Once the batteries are installed, we will need additional water tanks for irrigation. We currently have 1 tank for all the household needs, however we need additional tanks for agricultural needs. These tanks will also help us maximize the energy produced by solar panels.

Cow
Another source of income for the home will come from the addition of a cow. Currently, we have one cow which provides milk to the home. The children are very happy as milk was once a scarcity in the home. However, with 1 more cow, we can produce more milk that can be traded or sold in the community. The proceeds can fund the maisha home and help pay for extra curricular activities for the children.

We are appealing to you sponsors and friends. If you know anyone who would be willing to support us with a one-off donation,  kindly forward them this link:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/be-partially-self-sustainable-childrens-home

By supporting these costs, you can help the Maisha children and family improve in the areas of  education, nutrition, and health, while contributing to the long-term sustainability of our social enterprise.







 

Gratitude

Standing and staying at maisha's side for the many years that all of you have supported us is never something to be taken for granted. Lots of heartfelt gratitude to everyone who have come through in every way just to put a smile on the faces of the children and family. You are one of a kind, and may God continue to bless you all abundantly.

Asante Sana.