A warm welcome to the third edition of the Pamoja newsletter this year. This time, I’m not writing from Maua Villa but from Germany, and I’m excited to share with you the latest updates from the past few weeks at our children’s home.

New batteries for our solar power system

Shortly after you read in the last newsletter that our drinking water was flowing again, we faced the next challenge: our solar storage system needed an upgrade. The batteries that store electricity from our solar panels for nighttime use had reached the end of their lifespan and needed replacement. We replaced the four lead-acid batteries with a single lithium battery, which we were fortunately able to finance from our savings, avoiding the need for an additional fundraising campaign. 🙏 Mueni has left us a message.

Maua Villa Farm

Our permaculture farm is thriving, and we’re delighted with a bountiful harvest. Currently, our menu includes tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, eggplants, okra, as well as kale, spinach, onions, cauliflower, lettuce, and amaranth. Additionally, our chickens are laying eggs diligently, providing us with two fresh eggs every day. Kioli and Katwell, with support from Felistus and Meshack, have everything well under control on the farm since our farm manager Ben left. 🧑‍🌾

Our new common house

Work on our common house has been on hold over the past few weeks. Due to the holidays and the floods in June, the schools were closed for an extended period, and all the children stayed with us at Maua Villa. During this time, we’ve already made extensive use of the common house for eating and learning, and we love it – even though it’s not fully finished in some areas. For example, the large metal sliding door and the flooring inside the house are still missing. We’ll tackle these tasks now that the kids are back in school. 🙌

Kevin is transferring to a new school

As you know, eight of our children are currently attending (Junior) Secondary School. Earlier this year, Kevin (14) also transitioned to Junior Secondary. We initially chose a school for him with a lower academic level, focusing on practical skills and real-life learning.

This school is part of the Vision Center in Matuu, which also runs a children’s home. However, over time, Kevin became increasingly unhappy and shared that he felt like he was just living in another children’s home. He asked if he could transfer to a different school. Ideally, he would like to attend a catering college and train for a career in the hospitality industry. We fully support his ambitions, but to enroll in a catering college, he needs to complete his Secondary School education.

After discussions with Kevin, Meshack, Felistus, and his family, we collectively decided that he could continue the school year at St. Benedict School. Kevin has now started the final term at his new school, and I sincerely hope he settles in well and spends at least the next two years there to complete his Junior Secondary education.

Funding for Secondary School 2025

By the end of this year, we aim to secure the funding for Secondary School for the nine children who will be attending in 2025. To help the children understand the significant costs involved in their education, I asked them how they think we could raise more donations. The creative outcome of our conversation can be seen in this video.

If you’d like to support the funding of school fees for Mueni, Nthenge, Njenga, Kevin, Mutoko, Damaris, Kaluki, Mwau, and next year for Shiko as well, you can do so through our project page.

Talent show

As I briefly mentioned before, the school holidays (the so-called Mid-Term Break) have come to an end. To wrap up this wonderful time at Maua Villa, with all the children present, Teacher Victor came up with something special: a talent show where each child had the chance to showcase their unique skills. We enjoyed amazing dance and theater performances, listened to fantastic poetry, and admired beautiful paintings. It wasn’t just a lot of fun for everyone involved, but it also gave our talented children a great boost in self-esteem.

New Beginnings for Brian at Maua Villa

As more children move on to Secondary School, we’ve more spots available at Maua Villa, at least outside of the school holidays. We want to gradually and carefully fill these spots, giving each child enough time to settle in and build relationships. To continue offering a home to our older children during the holidays, we’ve decided to widen the metal beds so that they can be shared when everyone is home.

Recently, Brian moved in with us. We don’t know his exact age, but we estimate he’s between 6 and 8 years old. His mother, Mwelu, was unable to care for him due to mental health issues, physical disabilities, and HIV. Brian has had a challenging past; he lived with an aunt who mistreated him and didn’t send him to school, and he even experienced a near-suicide attempt with his mother.

Although Brian seemed a bit anxious and nervous during his first few days, he quickly expressed that he felt comfortable at Maua Villa. Within a few days, it felt as if he had been with us for much longer, partly because he already knew some of the children from church. We are delighted to welcome Brian and to be able to provide him with a loving home and a secure future. 💛

Satellite internet provides stable connect

I had been considering switching to Starlink satellite internet for some time and had been closely following its development in the Kenyan market. When the hardware was offered at half price, we seized the opportunity. The long-standing frustration with unreliable mobile internet and quickly exhausted data bundles is now a thing of the past. We’re thrilled to have a stable connection for video calls, homework, news from around the world, and, of course, entertainment.

Pamoja Africa at PayPal

You might have noticed that when making payments through PayPal, you’re asked at the end of the payment form if you’d like to donate a small amount to a good cause. If you set Pamoja Africa as your favorite in your PayPal account, we’ll be shown as your preferred charity for future payments. Just one click on the heart symbol on our PayPal page is all it takes. Thank you!

In closing, I’d like to thank all the readers of our newsletter for your attention and ongoing support! Every step, every project, and every success story would not be possible without you. It’s incredible how much we’ve already achieved together – and with your help, I remain optimistic and excited about everything that lies ahead ☺️ Thank you so much for your amazing support! 🌟

Yours Anja with great support from Heike & Jochen