Children in Kenya Need Help

My beloved friends,

I have attached photographs of the children I am currently choosing to support in all the ways they need it. I had always intended to be the source of nurture and love for children in Africa, but it all started synchronistically.

Neale was giving a talk on his latest book, "Tomorrow's God" somewhere in the US. I am told that at the end, lovely Nancy Seymour stood up and said something about me and my intentions for Africa. My best friend Suki from Kenya who happened to be at the same talk almost jumped out of her seat with shock at hearing about me from across the seas and later seeked out Nancy for a chat. A third woman, Julie had just lost her job and made the intention to come to Africa and find out how she could work for children. Nancy's words were like a sign from God that she was making the right choice.

All three got together with the result that my friend Suki and Julie became friends, and Julie got onto the next flight to Kenya, met me, and inspired me to visit several slums with destitute children.

One particular group of children moved us. There were 60 children in a shack which acted as a classroom.



Their ages ranged from 3 to 15. Most of the children looked cold, weak and hungry. There was a large pan outside the shack which was used to cook their daily ration of porridge. I could tell that for many of them, this was the only meal they had to look forward to. A little boy of three looked traumatised and bewildered. He had just lost his mother and was living with a drunkard father. (And I'd thought I was grieving for the loss of my mother a few months earlier - his knocked me out of it!) Some girls of 12 to 14 had been abused by men who had enticed them with food and shelter. Most of these children were orphans living with relatives or with the man that had started this school - Moses. My eyes were tearing and I was sick at heart as we left.



I swore to myself there and then that I would do whatever it took to ensure that these children got fed and clothed. I couldn't stand eating while knowing these children couldn't get a square meal in a day. That was in April this year, and I am glad to say that since then, friends of mine and I have been able to buy them maize, beans, rice, beans, maize flour, cooking oil, firewood and vegetables every month. We've also managed to buy them uniforms. Apparently this gives them a sense of respect, purpose and belonging. Otherwise, we are told that they can easily be run over or abused by careless drivers and people who have no regard for homeless or "street" children. The direct result of this was that they got some teachers to volunteer, and had more kids joining, so the numbers have since grown to 85, about 15 of whom live with Moses.

The school since moved to a slightly bigger shack made of wood, but it gets cold in our Kenyan winter in June and July. We have therefore decided to build them a larger shelter and subdivide it into separate classrooms.



As you may know by now, feeding the children is a commitment which cannot be sustained by keeping on going to the same friends, unless they too are committed. So I am registering an organization so that we can better solicit for funds, but that too is a cost I am having to put off for now.

What we are doing is just the beginning. Millions of children are in the same situation as these ones because of AIDS, poverty and a general sense of despair. My beloved friends, I feel called, for we are in the space to heal the space. I dedicate myself to the children of Africa who most need nurturing. Of course, it's not enough to feed, shelter and clothe these souls, but it is something. We have big plans and the Universe will support us in great ways. For a start, I feel blessed to just share this with you, to sense your love and support. Know that no drop of love is ever lost or wasted.

Currently, we need about $300 to feed these children. It will cost close to $4,000 (or 2,000 Sterling) to build them a shelter and buy books, chairs and desks. If anyone feels they can give anything towards this, please get in touch with Toni Hadlee who offered to help me raise the latter. If any of you feel moved to donate on a regular basis, that will be so greatly appreciated. I still have to open an official account, but that will happen after registration. For now I will use my personal bank account.

Thank you for being here.

Love

Judy
contact: jlubulwa@yahoo.com

Give Youth a Hand - Autumn 2004 Mini Update

Forthcoming Events:

• 6th and 7th November GYAH will have a stand at the Body and Soul Show (Courtesy of the organiser Kim Major). The address is Putteridge Bury Conference Centre, Hitchin Road, Lilley. Herts.
• 14th November An open meeting where you can come and talk to the convoyers who travelled with us in May to Croatia and Serbia. Plans for the May 2005 Rally will be discussed as well as points raised by the last one.
• Put in your diary for Sunday 6th February Vanessa Edwards is holding another event for us after the huge success of this year’s where we raised over £1500. There will be a number of interesting speakers and therapists. I’m sure we’ll have another wow of a day! The planned venue is Peterborough Football Club. More details in the next update.
  
  A note from Frances Munro:
  Thank you so much for the support you continue to give the charity. It’s so nice that we haven’t lost touch with our supporters in Northants, but instead are making new friends in Derbyshire and beyond. It is important that the organisation continues to grow from strength to strength. We are so fortunate to have a great team of hardworking trustees in GYAH, but we’d be getting nowhere if it weren’t for the support that you give us.
  We needed to move to this area if only for the local help we have already been asked to provide. During August and September we have helped furnish flats and provide clothing for people in great need in the Swadlincote and Oxford areas. We are working with the Foyer Project, Connexions and the local hostel in Swadlincote. Most of these youngsters are aged between 16 and 25 and have for varying reasons ended up on their own, so we provide items for them free of charge. Most other organisations make a charge but we feel that when you don’t have very much every penny counts. So when we are given items we pass on the benefit to where it’s needed.
  Everyone we’ve helped has been really grateful and I’m happy to do the removals bit. When you arrive with a van full of nice items for someone who has nothing you feel a bit like a fairy godmother. It’s wonderful that so many of you have passed on good quality items, and I can assure you by the greetings of ‘Wow’ and ‘Oh Fantastic’ that they’re really appreciated. The local papers have also helped us obtain some good items too so things are moving well.
  If you’re not on our list of thanks opposite, sorry it’s difficult to mention all names. But we’re still very grateful to you.
  Got any ideas to help us raise funds? We’ll help you!
  
  
• Relief Run Rally Reunion.
  The weekend of the 12th,13th and 14th November sees a reunion of the convoy members who took part in the Motorhome Relief Rally in May.
  Bob and Barbara are organizing the rally for us which will be held at the Donisthorpe Miners Social Club, Church Street, Donisthorpe, Leicestershire.
• On Saturday the 13th November we will have a meeting which will be open to anyone who’d like to come and meet this enthusiastic group of motorcaravanners. It will be a fun time which will illustrate that people can do something really worthwhile and enjoy themselves at the same time, so do join us.
• We’ll be talking about the 2004 trip, updating everyone on our October relief run and making plans for another convoy in May 2005. You’d be very welcome to join us for the afternoon. and if you’re interested in coming please complete the enclosed form and send it to me. Once details are confirmed I will let you know times and how to get there. You don’t need to be a motorhomer to enjoy this meeting but BEWARE you might find you catch the convoy camper bug!
  
  Thank You for Your Help:
  
• Stoke Mandeville Combined School kindly donated games and toys for the children in Croatia and Serbia.
• Thanks to Becky Jenkins, Sylvia Ferguson , Loraine Walkington, Jane Cowper, Anna Fox, Phyl Mahon, Jane Wallis, Irene Newitt, Susan Hooson and Hennie for ongoing help.
• The ladies at Abington WI in Northampton continue to give us wonderful support, and I spent an enjoyable afternoon with them this month. They half filled our van with many items for our trip in October.
• Thanks to Georgie Rockman and the National Childbirth Trust in Oakham we receive lots of baby and toddler items for our trips. Great stuff.
• We’re grateful for the aid that continues to pour in from a number of the convoy members who joined us in May.
• We’ve now raised £150 with the sale of stamps, coins, banknotes etc. Our thanks to everyone involved. Please keep sending these+ programmes, autographs, stamp albums, old postcards etc.
• Northampton General Hospital have provided a valuable retinal camera and stand for the medical centre in Sremski Karlovci, Serbia. Our thanks go to Julie Wilson and her team on Knightley Ward.

News from our sponsored child, Huong in N Vietnam:

My family and I are fine. I wish you good health. I’ve taken the exam but I still learn to take another exam. It’s May now. It’s a month of summer. It’s very sunny and changeable. At home I still help my family with small errands. Last month Plan held children’s creation day and children drew pictures. I took part in drawing. I thank you for your letter, photo and file holder. The photo is very beautiful. The children look lovely. Have children in your country taken exam yet? It’s now rice season here and it’s going to be ripe soon. Everyone looks forward to warmer weather so that rice can be ripe and yellow with lots of rice seeds.
My family and I hope you’ll always be healthy. We wish you good journeys. I wish my friends good learning, joys and good health, beauty.
I send you my love. That’s all for now.

And Rangaswamy in India:

I am Rangaswamy your loving sponsored child conveying our wishes of Happy New Year and Happy Sankranthi festival. I and my family members are keeping good health and we hope the same with you. I am studying in 8th grade and elder sister Vijayalakshmiis studying in preuniversity college. I am learning subjects are Kannada, English, Science, Social, Mathematics and Hindi. I would like to go to school regularly and want to become a teacher. I am playing with my friends in leisure hours. I like to play cricket game. I am read well in the house. I am studying well through your assistance and blessings. We have children club in a village. Its name is Nisarga children club. All children are getting together in a week. We do discussion of states and arrange quiz competition. We pray to God to keep you

In addition to our UK work and our relief runs to Croatia and Serbia GYAH financially supports 9 children in underdeveloped countries around the world: Guatemala, Kenya, North Vietnam, Haiti, Sri Lanka, and India.

Our work continues to grow as we become more aware of the needs both local and overseas, but we can’t answer those needs without YOUR support.

If you are one of our existing supporters we say ‘Thank you’ and hope you will continue to do support us.

If you’re reading about Give Youth A Hand for the first time then spare us a thought the next time you feel able to help. If more of us work together we can achieve more, and surely that’s positive.

GYAH is run by volunteers. We don’t get paid but the rewards are great.

For more information of our needs, and how you can help please contact the main address below.

Ask us how you can save money on your phone and Broadband bills (No prefixes) and help GYAH at the same time. Phone Co-op is an ethical and green provider.

Please give us your used postage stamps, old postcards, coins, banknotes, old programmes, autographs and stamp albums so we can raise funds.

Main address for correspondence:
Frances Munro
Give Youth A Hand
7 Thorn Street
Woodville
South Derbyshire
DE11 7DN

Phone/Fax: 01283 218353
Email: frances@giveyouthahand.co.uk