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Master Unit in Njoro, Nakuru, Kenya
INTRODUCTION
We have a five-acre piece of Master Unit here, where we have started a nursery school, a dairy farm and our annual plantation of maize and beans. There is also a single storey building here, which was initially built to house volunteers. Now it is being repaired to house the expanded needs of the nursery school. The following projects are in the pipeline: construction of a new school building, and a healthcare centre, tuition centre/reading club for the community, feeding programme for the community, incoming generating programme (support for widows/single-parent women), HIV/AIDs orphans network. Just about 50 metres away opposite the master unit we have another project. This two-acre land was purchased by the Lions of Menengai for our Children’s Home. The maintenance of the Home and the education needs of the thirty girls are entirely sponsored by the Lions.
PROJECTS:
Ananda Marga Nursery School
The nursery school was started in 2003 for the poor families in the neighbourhood. We have over 130 children aged between three and eight years old, four teachers and three non-teaching staff. The school has moved to a full-day school now which means school ends at 4 pm. Break-time millet porridge and lunch meal are provided by the school.
Although the school curriculum is based on a Neo-humanistic education and addresses the whole development of the child, we have to gradually introduce our NHE method of teaching not only to the children but to our teachers as well. Most of the parents are happy sending their children here and especially so because of the dedication of our teachers, our low school fees, and our feeding programme for the children. One primary school headmaster mentioned that his top pupils in primary one are usually from our nursery school.
We have made our school fees affordable for the community here so that the poor can still attend school. Our feeding programme also helps the kids to have a decent meal daily. Most of the school fees go to the feeding programme, staff salary, and day-to-day management of the school. Our low school income is insufficient to maintain our school, and we would like to invite sponsors/donors to assist us with this project. This project needs funding.
What do we need?
- Funds for construction work in the master unit
- Text Books for Tuition Centre
- Books for Reading club
- Nursery books, toys, puzzles, etc for Nursery
Who do we need?- One who meditates and who is familiar with our Neo-humanistic education and preferably a teacher. Willing to spend at least one to three months to share your teaching skills to the nursery school teachers and children.
- Anyone who likes working with children using art and craft, music and movement so as to bring out the creativity in them.
Current projects (that need immediate funds and materials):
- Tuition Centre/Reading Club – we have launched our Tuition Centre (2 July) but we need donations of text books from publishing houses for tutors. For the Reading Club we need plenty of books, books and books immediately.
- Homeopathy Clinic (Mobile) – we launched our first Mobile Clinic for the community on 15-16 June. Held under Abha Seva Sadhan, this project is also held in collaboration with graduates and volunteers from Abha Light College. We will continue this service on a monthly basis. The next phase to this is to include laboratory test for HIV/Aids. For this we need sponsors.
- Feeding programme (hotmeal):
- We have already started feeding our 140 children in the nursery school daily with break-time porridge and lunch time meal. Sponsorship for the school feeding programme is Ksh132,000 per annum or Ksh44,000 per semester or ksh3,700
- We would like to extend this hotmeal to the other children in the vicinity starting with 50-150 children once monthly and gradually increasing the number and times to weekly basis. Sponsorship for one time meal for 150 children/women is around Ksh1200 (S$27 or US$17).
- Construction of new buildings: Construction of nursery school building. We need to kick start with a minimum budget of Ksh850,000 (S$19,000 US$11,800) for semi-built up. The final budget with simple finishing is 17,190,000Ksh (S$382,000 US$239,000). This includes a proposed healthcare centre/hospital/dispensary, and other facilities such as sewer line, biogas plant, soak pit, water reticulation, electricity distribution and installation, external works (ie street lighting, gates, footpaths, etc).
- Playground equipment for school – badly need sponsors
- Repair works to our existing volunteers quarter. This building is currently used for our nursery school and tuition centre. However, even after several attempts to repair the ceiling, the workmanship is not good to keep the rain away. 1st phase - We need to build a concrete slab ceiling to replace existing asbestos/iron sheets one. If funds permit we will start construction in December 2007 during the school holidays. Estimated budget ksh600,000.
- Income-generating programmes for widows or single-parent women; plans for handicraft centre – we need capital to purchase the materials for the handicraft.
Dairy Farm
We have six cows. The farm is managed by one very dedicated local lad who has been with us since 2003. The dairy farm supplies our everyday milk and the occasional cheese, and even some left for our neighbours and friends. However, this December, four of our cows will be having calves, so it looks like we have to take a break from drinking their milk then.
THE ENVIRONMENT
We are after Egerton University in Belbur Village, Njoro. Njoro is about half an hour drive from Nakuru town. Nakuru town is about three hours from Nairobi, capital of Kenya. It is in the Rift Valley area and has cooler climate during the nights and early mornings. You require a sweater and jacket here.
Locally, we have Egerton University, a US Aided project, which is about 20 minutes walk from where we are. Recently, many of the nearby Egerton University students visited our projects here. These students belong to different service organizations and societies such as the Rotaract (a downline of Rotary Club), the Red Cross Society, and the President’s Award Club (the Duke of Edinburg’s project).
There are many schools and churches in the area. Schools start as early as 7am and finish at around 5pm. You can also find many organic vegetable farms in the area, which you can assess by car or with the local ‘matatu’, or even with bicycle or walking if you have the time. You can take many safari trips in Kenya, the nearest is of course the famous Lake Nakuru with its pink flamingos. Please also check with us on our planned safari itinerary if you are interested.
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