Twiga Centre

People ask what the children do when they visit Twiga Children's Centre. Here's the answer.

With music, so make sure your speakers are on!

Goals for 2010

A new year, so we need to set goals.

Having had a major re-think last year, we decided that we will continue to give support to our children, keeping them within a family unit wherever possible, whether that be a single parent, grandparents of older siblings.

However, we have three, maybe four families where the children would benefit from residential care. To this end, we have redrawn our plans for building a residential unit at Twiga.

This will comprise two small dormitories, with four sets of bunks in each. The existing hut, which has three rooms will  be converted to that the smaller front room will become the kitchen/office, the small back room will be sleeping quarters for the 24/7 carer and that large room will be the dining/study/leisure area.

We will also need to construct washing facilities and a toilet block - a deep-pit has already been dug for the latrine.

The kitchen already has a 3-ring tabletop gas cooker, which will burn methane from an anaerobic digester that was constructed on site by KCIS last year. 

Local, traditional building materials will be used to keep costs down, but we will still need to acquire poles, cement, roofing sheets, window and door frames, as well as furniture and equipment, such as a generator (or we could be connected to the electricity grid, if we can get a regular income).

-oOo-

In conjunction with KCIS, we have extended our vegetable plot at the Twiga centre, where we are now growing peas and beans as well as kale. We are also trying to grow sugar cane. This is a good source of natural sugar and its due to its fibrous nature, it also keeps the children's teeth clean while they are chewing it.

-oOo-

Last year, we constructed a swing. This has proved to be very popular, so we will be looking at constructing other playground equipment this year - a see-saw, and maybe a climbing frame. 

Well, for the moment, that is it, although i am sure that other projects will appear as the year progresses.

Baba Mzungu is on his way - at last!

Hi Kids

It has been a difficult year for all of us, and for me, raising funds for the next stage of the Twiga project (that's you) has been very worrying.

We still don't have the money we need to do everything we want to do, but at least we can start. This time, we will be clearing some of the land at the plot so that we (that's you) can sow seed for vegetables and fruits that you can then eat.

We will also be looking at making fertiliser, filtering and purifying your drinking water, and if we get time, mosquito control.

If we get time, I want to put a swing on the plot, and maybe make a seesaw for the younger ones.

So, we will be busy, but I am sure you will enjoy yourselves.

Baadaye

Baba Mzungu

Baba Mzungu is Coming

This is probably not as exciting as Santa Claus to the children, but I fear that Father Christmas will not be coming this year, not because the children have been naughty, but because food is too expensive and we cannot afford anything else.

And I know that when David arrives, we will all be very busy starting up the farm, designing water treatment systems and starting an education programme to reduce malaria in our area, and maybe planning the building of our new orphanage.

But I am sure that he will take time off on a Saturday or Sunday and give all the children at Twiga one BIG party!

Now that's something to look forward to, isn't it?

A visit from a mzungu (ACIS)

It was arranged long ago, but eventually, the man from England, who is the UK representative of African Community Initiative Support and his Nairobi colleague, Dominic Muindi, finally arrived, hot, tired and hungry.
After a wash, a meal and copious amounts of tea, we took the two visitors to one of the annexes where some of the children live.
The kids, five of them, were sitting waiting for their supper when David mzungu walked in on them. The youngest child, Josephat, fell off his stool in surprise!
He soon recovered and ate his meal sitting on the lap of this strange being.

The following morning, the five kids and our two visitors met at our home, where all the kids wanted to try David's hat and have their pictures taken. This done, we all went to the orphanage plot, where eventually about 25 kids congregated. David had brought smoe small gifts for each child that had been collected by the people in his villagein England and these were distributed. David had also brought two frisbees which were an immediate hit with the children, especially the boys.