trips, updates and progress

Student from salon went on a trip to a production industry for hair and beauty products. They were taught how various products that are new in the market are used.
Catering kids also had the chance of visiting their friend Mary Waithera, who works now at a prestigious cafe located at the Village Market (high-end shopping mall located near the American embassy). As they visited Mary showed them the importance of English language and being clean all the time. She also talked to them about time management.
Dennis Kamau is also working with a production house called Good New Production Intl. (GNPI) this is a studio that helps out young christian artist and helps shoot out videos that educate young people. Their most known work was 'Tough Choices' and 'Promise of Love'
New uniforms are out, and all kids now have two pairs of shirts/blouse and skirts/trousers.
A new system of labeling the uniforms for the students has already been put in place. All uniforms and property belonging to the kids have a specific number, this will help both the students and dorm parents to monitor the belonging of their kids.
The skills dorm is finished and boys from the ages of 16years and above will move to this dorm. The dorm is located on the property that has the catering, woodworking and sewing plants. Also within the same property there is a staff housing which has been completed and an agriculture and welding training centers. Another staff housing in in the process of being built.
This is an exam week for the literacy kids...excitement and frustrations are part of the emotions being expressed. but for the teaching staff, we just want to monitor their progress and better their understanding.

Boys to Men

Every Saturday dawn, am always woken up by a basketball being dribbled on our court and kids laughing from the fun of sport. Or woken up by Kehl, Jackton and Milly's son, coming to the dorm looking for Erick and shouting his street name 'Otindi'. All this really do make one to wake and start the weekend.

Sometimes woken up by light knocks on my door at night or early morning, complaints of groaning stomachs, headaches and other minor ailments that we attend to immediately.

Despite the many short coming that the boys face daily...like small fights, quarrels, mosquitoes biting in the night and many others, Saturday is always a day all boys look forward to. A day of rest, peace, enjoying various games and watching movies non-stop.

In the me-lee of the morning chores, us scrubbing, watering, slashing and pruning the boys' compound, one cannot fail to notice the enthusiasm that teenage puberty presses on the boys. They talk about girls, how they want their families to be, a life of satisfaction. Life filled with hope and dreams.

Yesterday, we brought 4 girls, then we had what we call kesha (like a sleep over at church but while in

prayer and songs)...so this morning there are talks, about the new students, as I walked round the boys c

ompound I could not help notice that almost all young men were doing something to their hair. Making the hair sleek by applying chemical to enhance their masculinity and attractiveness. I could only smile remembering of how I was in that age, wanting to get noticed, looking for the right pick up-lines for make a great impression.

After the end of this day...there will be stories of how the day progressed, the triumphs from the pros, the disappointments from oth

ers due to unforeseen circumstances of the day.

It gives me great pride in knowing that guidance that the team accords these teens will be life skills, in handling relationships, money, friends and their own spiritual life.

Last night there were whispers as all other nights, boys talking, and since I live with them, I sometimes stretch my ears, putting everything off just to participate in the conversations without being there...I hear their thoughts, dreams, wishes, fears, regrets, adventures and crisis. This assists us in helping them the best we can tomorrow. Tonight will be no different.

As I got to sleep tonight, my house will be buzzing with reports, issues, stories of past life events while in the bases, some talking to each other, others playing games, Nzioka giving out jokes in the kitchen as he supervises them.

The weekend is here...and can't wait for the next!

pictured is three of the newer girls