End year Exit Students Report 2013

I would like to thank all the team members, sponsors and other partners for the support that they gave us in 2013. Without your support we would have not be able to do all that we had planned this year.
We start with a review of the goals that we had set out when we started this year and then look at what was achieved.

2013 goals:
Help our students doing KCPE exams get their birth certificates and also committal documents and lastly those needing IDs card.

1. Attachments/Jobs for Exit students this year we have
   

• Peter Mwangi:- Catering and Food production( ID, Attachment and then Job, housing) Possible opportunity at the Arte Caffe at the village market.
  
• Titus Musyoki:- Hairdressing and Barbering ( Attachment and Job, housing). Glad to say he has an opportunity a Narcisse salon at Sarit center.
  
• Cecilia Mwinza:- Dressing making and Tailoring(Job hunting, housing )
  
• David Mutimbi:- Auto-mechanics ( Housing, Job at 4wheeler Garage )
  
• Ken Owino:- Computer ( ID, attachment and then job hunting, housing )
  
• Florence Aoko: -Hairdressing and beauty(ID, attachment and job, housing )
  
• Anthony Githinji:-Auto-mechanic( attachment, ID and then job, housing)
  
• Joseph Nderitu:- Auto-mechanics( attachment, ID and then Job, housing)
  
• Mary Wanjiru:- Catering ( ID, Attachment and then Job, housing)
  
• Clinton Otieno:- Catering (ID)
  
• Joseph Mbithi:- Catering (ID)
  

3. Help those going for outside schooling, this year we have
   

• George Mwenda:- Computer Graphic and computer languages and then help out at MITS during weekends.
  
• Edward Muhea: - a part-time class KIPS and then helps Musa with beginner’s computer classes at Kamulu.
  
• Alex Atema:-2^nd year at Great Commission School this year which will be the last year.
  
• Lucy Akinyi:- still has 3 months hairdressing school and then job hunting.
  

4. Do more networking with other organization for the exit students and do a lot of following.
   
5. Reforms in the Boarding program in terms of supervision, food and communication channels with students like having suggestion box etc
   
6. Push for the implementation for some of the suggestion from the children’s dept e.g. improves security, education for our students, child friendly environment.
   
7. Continue with 4.30 Business classes, Saturday classes
   
8. Do more community programs like Sunday school and VBS this year.
   
9. Interact with skill teachers to better equip and pool ideas.
   
10. Improve our students recording system to comply with the government standard set.
    
11. Work more with relatives and parents of the exiting students as an integration process.
    
12. See how alternative cares with fit with MITS especially foster care.
    
13. Do more of the team building training for our team.
    
14. Improve on our certificates, letters for exit students.
    
15. Start our graduation program, to be held in October.
    

This is what was able to be achieved this year

1. We were able to help all the students that attained the age of 18 years get an ID but failed in getting them some birth certificates for some students sitting for KCPE though they were able to sit for their examinations.
   

2. Attachments/Jobs for Exit students
   

• Peter Mwangi:- Catering and Food production student; he was able to finish and graduate from MITS. He was also able to secure a Job in Naked Pizza place in Westlands/Parklands area and also get housing in Uthiru area staying with Ken Owino.
  

• Titus Musyoki:- Hairdressing and Barbering student; was also able to finish his schooling at Revlon school, do an attachment at Narcisse Salon and start work at the same place. He also exited and stays in Gachie area with Edward Muhea, George Mwenda and Alex Atema.
  

• Cecilia Mwinza:- Dressing making and Tailoring student; She also was able to graduate from MITS, get employment in Gikomba place and also get housing in Huruma area. She came to MITS through single mum program with Eric her son.
  

• David Mutimbi :- Auto-mechanics Student; we were also able to fully exit David this year who is working at 4wheelers place at the village market. They had put his employment on hold due to the election at the beginning of the year.
  

• Ken Owino:- Computer student; he was able to graduate from MITS and get a job at Sam’s Place for the deaf but he wasted the opportunity and now he does odd jobs so as be able sustain himself. He stays with Peter Mwangi in Uthiru place. We have plans near year to secure him a good job to sustain him
  

• Florence Aoko: -Hairdressing and beauty student; was able to graduate and secure a job downtown Nairobi. She also was able to exit and get housing in Huruma. During her exit, we worked hand in hand with her uncle who now follows up with her progress as part of her reintegration process with her relatives.
  

• Charles Kimani:- Woodworking Student; was able to graduate and secure a job as woodworking instructor at Sam’s place in Rongo. Sam’s place is a center for the deaf in Kisumu.
  

• Anthony Githinji:-Auto-mechanic student; due to his age not yet attained 18 years we scheduled him to exit in 2014.
  

• Joseph Nderitu:- Auto-mechanics student; reached 18 years at the end of 2013, scheduled him to exit in 2014
  

• Mary Wanjiru:- Catering Student; was able to finish and graduate from MITS, we were also able to secure two jobs one at Quick mart supermarket and the other in a restaurant downtown Nairobi but she declined both opportunities and we haven’t heard from her since
  

• Clinton Otieno:- Catering Student; was able to finish and graduate this year, we have scheduled him to exit in 2014. He was able to get his ID card
  

• Joseph Mbithi:- Catering Student; he was also able to finish and graduate from MITS. We are also glad to say that he also got a job at the ABC Place in Westlands Zucchini place working alongside Mary Waithera who is her supervisor there.
  

• Indale Guyo:- Tailoring and fashions student; was able to secure a job at Blue-skies place in Westlands a rock climbing place, plans are underway for him to exit next year and also attend a fashions school.
  

• Mary Wambui (konje):- hairdressing and beauty student; was able to secure a job at Narcisse Salon at the Sarit center. We plan for her to exit MITS in 2014.
  

• Fredrick Otieno: Auto mechanic student; for a while now Fredrick had a hard time getting a good job and maintaining it. We at MITS have continued helping him and we are glad to say that he was able to secure a job in a car wash place in Ruai that he feels he will maintain and enjoy working.
  

3. Those who were attending outside schooling,
   

• George Mwenda:- Computer Graphic and IT at Aviation college. He will continue attending this school until mid 2014 and then look for a job for him after that. He is performing well was able to participate in the college modeling and was able to be the runners up which earned him credits in college and also get a part time job in clothes and fashion company temporarily. We are supporting him with outside housing where he stays with Titus Musyoki in Gachie
  
• Edward Muhea: - Had part time schooling at KIPS but later on dropped out, had a difficult time maintaining classes, started job hunting and stays with Titus in Gachie too
  
• Alex Atema:-was able to graduate from Great Commission School, scheduled for job hunting in 2014 stays in Gachie too
  
• Lucy Akinyi:- Due to the recommendation from the doctor to change careers from Auto mechanics to something light like Hairdressing, Lucy was able to make that transition and study and graduate from Ayana beauty and hairdressing school with the money given out each year for Larry Hagerman’s church which is $ 500 with the support of her sponsor for her other basic needs that were not covered with that money. She graduated and go a part time job at a salon in Park road and later on land a more permanent job in one of the branches of Milele group of Salons where Mary Wangui (Koi) works. Lucy work at the South B branch while Mary works in Hurling ham.
  
• Patricia Wambui:- She was finish her KCSE studies in November 2013, but we still need to sit down with her and her sponsor and come up with a plan on how she will sustain herself and also support her child
  

Other Achievements
We were able to do more networking with other organization in referring children who were not able to be integrated in to this program. Some of the centers we networked with were the Children’s department, Missions of Hope in Mathare and Joska, Kwetu Home of Peace, Mukuru Kayaba Rescue place, Rescue Dada, Lutheran program in Eastleigh etc

4. We were able to implement some reforms in the Boarding program in terms of supervision, food and communication channels dorm classes and follow-up, student discipline
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   with having a dorm parent selected to head that, first Aid classes and Fire drill in case of a fire
   
5. Push for the implementation for some of the suggestion from the children’s dept e.g. improves security, education for our students, child friendly environment.
   
6. Continue with 4.30 Business classes, Saturday classes to give the student life skills that will be of benefit to them
   
7. We were able to do a VBS for the community Children whereby we had a total of over 90 attending and participating. Later on we took the Sunday school children n trips to Nakuru National Park and the Arboretum place. The theme for this year’s VBS was “Christmas in August”
   
8. We also improved our students recording system to comply with the government standard set.
   
9. Work more with relatives and parents of the exiting students as an integration process when the students are exiting from MITS.
   
10. We were able to hold some training for Sunday School teachers from 33 churches from all over Kenya
    
11. We were able to organize and host Business seminar with our student, former students and Business people that MITS associate with Bill Arnold and his wife.
    
12. We were also able to hold our first graduation ceremony here in MITS with 28 students graduating.
    

Graduates 2013

Updates on Students Affairs

As the third semester of the year concludes in December, we are happy to say that we are now through with the learning activities of the year and we now enter into the holiday period of third semester We are happy that God has brought us this far and He still continues to be a great part of our lives and our endeavors. These are just some of the activities that we have had this year.

Stella Wangari

New Staff:

Bilha Kamau

This year we were privileged to have Stella Wangari join us in the literacy program. She was selected to head the literacy computer class. She has also been helpful in teaching Swahili to the middle class.
Mary Mwende helps with the Sewing Department. She also help with supervison at the girls residence.
Bilha Kamau trains our salon and beauty therapy skill students.

Mary Mwende

Kenyan Volunteers:
This year we had Esther Michuki helping out from the beginning of the year until May when she had to go back to college. She then came back to help out in August until September when she again had to go back to school. She had the responsibility of teaching Swahili and social studies to the middle class and also helping Helen with the Intermediate class.





New kids:

This year, we were privileged to have twenty new students, eleven of them joining us at the end of the year in December. These were;-
1. Patricia Zuhura with her son
2. Ruby Abukuii and her son .
3. Phyllis Wambui.
4. Tabitha Wanjiru.
5. Beatrice Mbithe.
6. Sharlene Shiriago.
7. Angelina Kanini.
(11 new boys)


Runaways:

Kanini back on the streets

This year we were unfortunate to loose six students, most of them being girls.

extreme right is Shilene

1. Abel Ibrahim – he ran away on the 2^nd of August. His reason for running was that he was involved in some theft cases where he stole some stuff from a team members' house.
   
2. Tabitha Wanjiru and Sharlene Shiriago – the both ran away on the same date which was on the 16^th of August. Tabitha’s reason for leaving was because she had a hard time adapting to the environment and so influenced Sharlene to steal some money (Ksh.1000) and then run away.
   
3. Angelina Kanini – she was one of the students who did not spend so much time with us. She was only in the program for a few weeks before she took off.

Reintegration

Lucy Wairimu

1. This year, we had three students who really wanted to be taken back to their families and so they were re-integrated back. Mary Gathoni who was in Fast track, Sarah Wanjiru who was in computer skill and Lucy A Wairimu from Middle class.

Reports

One of the students called Kevin is harvesting ready onion while Beatrice is holding one of the biggest onions from the farm.Students spend part of the afternoons daily on the farm tending to crops and learn how to take care and grow food. Victor and Ben helps take care of all our crops in the farms and help train or kids on how to take care of animals.
The Irish potatoes we planted in August are almost ready for harvesting

 At the Orchard we have  been working on the weeds, watering and taking care of the mangoes that we are going to harvest in January. Since we are having light rains, weeds will be a menace. And now we are planting new trees like grapes and strawberries.

These are some of our students doing some activities on Saturday. The students working in groups helps create teamwork and by this they are able to value each other and know everyone is important. The kids discovered that each participant has valuable contribution.

Sometimes the teachers experience difficulties when dealing with the teams, when one team feels inferior, as a good organizer we promote accord and understanding between the teams, carefully speaking positively of each group in the presence of the other.

Amina and Fauzia''s home visit

We started the journey early in the morning. We arrived in Isiolo where we met their Aunt (she is physically challenged but she has a sewing business. She is very hardworking.)

After a short visit with their aunt, we proceeded to Marsabit. This was a challenging journey because the students did not know their home county very well. We arrived in Marsabit at around four o’clock and we had to board another vehicle to their grandmother’s place which is approximately 12 kilometer from Marsabit town. On the way we met a priest and since the girls did not know their home I sought the help of the priest. We spent the night in the church and the priest really helped us to trace the family. Through him we were able to trace Amina and Fauzia’s family.

When we got there so the relatives were shocked. They kept staring at me and the girls without any words. Their grandmother, aunties and uncles were all at home and they welcomed us really well. Their grandmother was in a shock like state because she had never seen Fauzia’s and Amina for such a long time.

For long on one told us where Amina’s and Fauzia’s mother was. Later we learned that she was in Marsabit town and we were told that she would come the following day. She was staying with a friend in Marsabit town so Amina’s uncle called her friends and informed her that her niece has visited. We were told that she would come home the following day.

At around 1 pm on Saturday, their mother finally came home. Amina cried because she had not seen her mother for a long time. All of them walked into their grandmother’s house happy. They later attended a wedding party because one of their relatives was getting married.

Later I met their mother and she was drunk. The relatives begged us to stay for one more day and we did. On Monday we boarded a bus and went to Isiolo to say to the rest of the relatives goodbye. We met their other siblings. Their younger sister and brother were very happy to see them. They live in poor condition but their reunion was very great. It had a very positive impact on the girls and it also challenged them to work extra hard and change the situation back at home.

Report by Hellen Muga

Duba's goes home!!

We visited Duba’s family in Isiolo. We woke up very early in the morning to prepare at around.4.30 am. The journey started at 5.00 am. We arrived at Isiolo town at 1.00 pm. We then boarded a motor bike in order to commute to the interior part of  Isiolo.

When we arrived the mother was not at home we visited the next neighborhood where the grandmother lived.  They hugged each other as tears of joy dripped down. Duba was told that his father had passed on  in August and his relatives came to the streets of Nairobi to look for him but could not find him. 

His other siblings were very happy to see their lost brother. The mother also broke into tears after seeing Duba. It was a great celebration because even the neighbors came to join in. Many people had despised the Duba's family, all were shocked to realize that Duba now is different, disciplined, know Christ and has  a skill in catering. He ran away from home five years ago. We slept there until the following day which was a memorial service for his father. Duba’s siblings are still young and in school except for his older sister who is being trained in hairdressing and beauty.

Lastly I was taken to see river Ewaso Ng'iro because it is near their home. It was a home visit to remember.

The relatives were very happy with MITS for rescuing their child.

Progress of students...

Mitchel Saumu: She has never been in class or school. When she came we started by taking her to nursery so that she could get the basic foundation for 3 months. She had negative thoughts about education/reading because she could not bring herself to mastering anything.  So we decided to take her back to class and do a one of one kind of learning. We really gave her books so that she could also try and read with the aid of her residential supervisors. After 3 terms she could read the alphabetical letters. The problem with her was that she could not concentrate and master basic concepts. her thoughts were mostly of her home and parents and siblings. After two exams given to the class and her not performing as the other students, she saw this as a challenge and decided to improve.
As much as she loves reading now, she loves Swahili books because its simpler to read which will later transfer to English words. We have full confidence that with time she will be able to improve her reading and speech in English.

Phylis Wambui: Since she came she was not able read a word or even write because she had never been in school. It was so hard since she is also expectant and this troubled her so much and felt she could not make it in class. After numerous session with our school counselor, she changed her views about life and education. So with her too, we started from the lowest level of learning ( reading the alphabets). With this she can now read a complete sentence. Her attitude has also changed. Kori Holt, anytime from now we should be expecting a new young lad or las...name i guess you already know....

Francis Karani was one of those students who would not settle in class.  We had to talk to him and make him know the importance of learning and studying for his future. Lately he has become one of the best students. He is working hard and portraying a good example to his peers. He also assists those kids who are having difficulties when it comes to session in the computer lab. We have realized that he hold a leadership role in his class, so we are trying to bring that out in the most positive way possible. So Lloyd and Susan (sponsors) worry not, he is headed for greater future.

Salim Mohammed is also another student who has lately shown so much interest in learning. During the end of term exam he performed very. He has really improved and also tries to brag tot he entire class of his progress.When he joined MITS his reading level was poor, he fewlt ashamed of almost all the time. He would sit in class, quiet or try and make trouble for others. Salim is of a Muslim background, but has found more love and care form MITS family. He says out of all the homes and schools he has attended, he has not found such as MITS. Larry and Kitty (sponsors) we share in the pride of Salim's progress.

Teens raising babies on the Streets

When a couple become parents and get their first child, most of them usually don’t have a clue on how to raise this young baby that they have been blessed with. We experienced the same when we got our first child, my daughter Naledi. We were and still are overjoyed and ready for the challenges ahead. At that time we would ask ourselves how hard can it be, we have helped in raising some of our relatives child so clearly we know what we are doing. Honestly! Half of the time is guess work and following advice from 20 people, all with their own style.

This week I got an opportunity on Monday to visit the streets and met a lot of different people. In one of the bases that we visited, we met Mercy with her baby James. When we arrived at the base, they were all gathered around a carton boxes that were also being used as plates. Food had been collected from the trash pile that was just next to them. Sitting under a tree nearby were two babies one of whom was around 2 years and then a younger one of 8 months whom I later James. James had something on his mouth and was choking on something that he was trying to eat. When I went closer to check him out, he was trying to eat a piece of dirty sugar cane that his mom had given him.  He also had a piece of meat that he was choking on. I asked who the baby belongs to, a young girl in her mid teens came up. I told her to remove what the baby what eating. She removed a piece of meat from James' mouth and what struck me was...she did not realize the danger she had put her son from choking to death. When she told me James’ age, I realized that he was the same age as my daughter, 8 months and I just was sad and wondering what kind of life baby James had gone through,  how many miss-haps he had gone through because his mum did not have any clue on what is to be done, how many days he had gone without food, sleeping in the cold etc.

 Another sad thing was when we came, Mercy (James’ mum) had a glue bottle in her mouth which meant that most of the time she was high on glue and was not paying attention to mothering responsibilities. Does she have a clue as to what James needs; does she take him to the clinic for regular check-ups as required? So many questions going through my mind. If Naledi has parents who still need to learn a lot and sometimes don’t know what to do or

have to consult, what about James growing up in the hands of a teenage mum living in the streets.

By Joel.