Hello, Mugumo Project team—sponsors, donors and all our well wishers! Its with a great appreciation that you all walked every step that we made in this year. Thanks for joining this precious journey that I know it was not easy, but guess what? We made it together!

Join me to celebrate the milestone that make our joy countless, seeing sponsored girls and boys progressing on with their studies through thin and thick in the journey.

Having to do laundry for a normal household is enough of a pain, so imagine having to get clothes and bedding for dozens of children below the age of six washed and dried every single day. That’s the challenge facing the small team of staff and volunteers at Nairobi Children’s Home and their task was made harder by their worn out washing lines, which meant most laundry was having to be laid out on the ground to dry, proving a hassle for staff.

In 2016, the Mugumo Project has been growing out our bangs. Yes, that’s right—non-profits have hair. We had a great look in 2015 and now we’ve spent the last 10 months clipping our bangs to the side, pinning them back, incessantly flicking them out of our face, persevering to our new, more fabulous ’do. . . Bizzare hair metaphors aside, transitions are awkward and growth—the real, quality kind—shouldn’t be comfortable. While I’ve been going through my own transition (and been extraordinarily uncomfortable. Thank you, Army), so many wonderful people pitched in to keep the wheels turning for Charity and Judi. As things even out, we are ready to look onward and upward!

We started the term on January 4th 2016 with about 60 pupils. By the end of the term, we had only 40 children who were of new faces. This is because the institution receives new children weekly and does not also allow children to stay long in the center.

Due to the different kind of children we handle–sexually abused, the abandoned, infected with HIV/AIDS, Malnourished children, physically challenged–outdoor/physical activities are mostly recommended.

An onslaught of carefully crafted snowflakes has arrived from four different countries at the Nairobi Children’s Home and the walls are “chillin” with the blizzard.  Teacher, Judith Randiek, says “My children loved the snowflakes and enjoyed sticking them on the walls.  They did it with a lot of patience and were very eager to see the outcome of their class.”  They were also dancing around when they learned who had sent the snowflakes.  She goes on to say, “Thank you so much to everyone who sacrificed his or her time to make snowflakes for us…we have really appreciated it and we salute you all!  Thank you so much for the love you have for Kenya and for our children. 

Holidays at Nairobi Children’s Home are always duly celebrated. Every season, local organizations come together to donate special food and small gifts for the Christmas feast. Holidays like Christmas and Easter are one of the few times a year that NCH residents get treats like hard-boiled eggs and chapati.  It is a good day for children and staff alike.

Hard to believe it has been just over one year since the Mugumo Project officially kicked off last August (the words “wild ride” and “learning experience” come to mind). We have easily accomplished more in the past 12 months as a unified group than our four years of informal sponsoring combined–and the progress continues!

The idea of “pen pals” whiffs of summer camp friends and the distinct spice of Coppertone smeared over DEET. Or that beloved cousin who moved away in 4th grade with a sacred oath to keep in touch no matter how cool the kids were in his new town. Eventually, the tweens from Camp Wamapoke get smartphones and that cousin opens a Facebook account a few years later. Writing letters is harmless fun for the innocent and young.

Academically, as from the teachers desk, our kids’ group emerged the best. Nine of our kids performed really well from both schools. My efforts have been greatly appreciated by the kids—buying them small gifts which I can call on you to please support. Reward them as a way of motivating and encouraging them to work hard, not only in academic,  but in all areas such as best discipline, the most neat kid, the best in maintaining his or her school stuff, etc.

In August, many of you decided to invest in our mission to hire a primary school teacher for Nairobi Children’s Home (NCH). As a result of your efforts, a talented teacher has been working hard Monday to Friday, week after week, to create a vibrant classroom experience for the nearly fifty children who call NCH “home.” 

Happy New Year to our Mugumo family! . . . Okay, I’m a little late, but the sentiment is still there. In the spirit of new years and fresh starts, I am excited to announce our latest creative initiative that embodies the Mugumo philosophy in every sense —an international pen pal program!

“Welcome, welcome!” This is a song sung in jubilance by kids when they come back after a long holiday in their rescue centres. They are deeply joyful to be back to school; that a new term (semester) has come. They want to meet up with their friends in school, and their teachers, to join new classes when it’s a new year, and to progress with their school routine, which is more busy and fun than in rescue centres.

The Mugumo Project has hit the ground running. Since holding our first fundraiser at the beginning of August, we have accomplished our goal of hiring a fantastic teacher, Judi, for Nairobi Children’s Home, laid the ground work for a vocational training program with the girls at Machakos Rescue Centre, established partnerships with the schools our sponsored kids attend, and achieved 501(c)3 status in the United States, in addition to countless small victories (Business cards! New school shoes! Superhero drawings!).

This past week, Charity, our Director of Operations, Christine, Director of Nairobi Children’s Home, and myself held interviews for the position. We were lucky to interview some very impressive women from all over Nairobi. Round One consisted of a traditional sit-down interview. The most-qualified candidates were invited back the next day for a “practical” where they each taught a short lesson to the kids. It was a tough decision to make as each teacher had her own unique strengths to contribute to NCH.

The Mugumo Project is holding our debut fundraiser this Friday, August 1st at 7:30 pm in the Annex of Saint James Lutheran Church in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Our goal is to raise $3,000.00 in order to hire the first teacher of our brand new teacher sponsoring program and to begin saving for our very own van to more efficiently transport the kids to and from school. Every dollar counts and we need your help!

In August, I am traveling to Kenya with the goal of interviewing and hiring a primary school teacher for Nairobi Children’s Home. Realistically, we will never be able to find sponsors for each individual child in NCH. Children are constantly coming and going and not everyone’s circumstances are suited for a sponsoring relationship. However, by shifting our focus to teachers, we will create a much larger, much more pervasive positive impact in the daily lives of the children who crave structure and stimulation.

This morning in beautiful Emerald Isle, North Carolina, I took a break from enjoying the waves to head down to the post office and send off the final portion of our 501(c)3 application. With these minor corrections, our application will be submitted for a final review and we should receive our status within three months! Our journey towards achieving 501(c)3 status with the IRS has been a long, long waiting game. Here is our timeline to date: