Miles* left his home in the slums and lived on the streets froma young age. He sniffed glue and drank illicit brew and became addicted. He was arrested on several occasions and his life was in ruins. But his life was turned around when he heard what people were saying about him and he decided to change.
Yes, the Fountains of Hope school is closing this early for the Christmas Holidays! Today we packed out the school hall with parents, teachers and students to celebrate a great year, to thank the parents for their partnership and congratulate the children on their progress.
Staff from our Community Library first met Vincent hanging around on a large playground just round the corner from the library in Kibera. Vincent would be playing with friends or collecting recyclable items to sell. Our staff took time to say hi and get to know him and invited him to the library. Soon Vincent became a regular visitor to the library, exploring the different storybooks or books about science and nature.
Bob’s *(not his real name) story as narrated by Brenda.
“Plenty is said about Kibera and most times it is said in a negative light, but to me Kibera symbolizes hope and wealth for this is where my hope for a better future was renewed.
Football is a big deal in Kenya and everyone has their team. It might be in the local Kenyan Premier league, a team from the English Premier league, German Bundesliga, Spanish La Liga or Italian Serie A. Everyone has their team. Small shacks in Kibera show big matches from all of these leagues for a small entry fee.
For the kids at Fountains of Hope, football is not just a spectator sport thanks to Turning Point Football Club. Three times a week coach Brian trains the TPFC team. They work to develop their individual skills and strengths and learn to work together as a team.
I have heard of stories and read on the blog of women whose lives have turned around. Women who have moved from desperation to independence. Women who once had little hope but are now springs of joy and laughter. I, together with you, have read and will continue to read success stories birthed by the microfinance program and together we will celebrate.
The past few months has seen Turning Point pursue a new partnership with AAR (Africa Air Rescue) Healthcare. This partnership was fuelled by our desire to see our children benefit from their Trees for health program that focuses on health issues such as deworming, the environment and outreach programs such as career talks in schools.
Raising children is no easy task. Raising children in Kibera adds even more challenges. That’s why we want to support the parents of the children we support through parenting courses. Over eight weeks, parents gathered in our church hall to discuss the challenges of parenting in Kibera, to share their experiences and wisdom.
