Godfrey-retired teacher, Silvia, Norah and Catherine 

OOI is currently sponsoring five students (Catherine Mutakale, Joan Asilikwa, Norah Vulingwa and Silvia Masitsa, Felix Arungula) who could not have otherwise afforded fees to attend secondary school. Catherine Mutakale, one of the top performing orphans at Shisasari Primary, gave powerful speeches about her struggle as orphans and how the food program affected her.

Catherine just graduated (2011) from Musoli Girls boarding school. Joan Asilikwa- grade 11 at Lirhanda Girl's boarding school. Norah Vulinga Sitendi-grade 12 (2012) at Moi Girls Shibuye boarding school and Sylvia Masitsa attends grade 11 at Mukhonje Secondary boarding school. Felix-grade 10 at St. Patrick Naitiri High School.



Silvia was chosen for a scholarship by a family of volunteers on our Summer Trip 2007. It costs between $600-$800 per year to attend secondary school. OOI pays for all school fees, transportation to and from school, personal necessity shopping (soap, sanitary napkins, etc.) school supplies, school uniforms, and other needed items.



Catherine

, pictured above was ranked number 6 out of all students from Shisasari Primary School. In an interview, she told about how her trouble began when she lost her mother who did not work but struggled to provide for her children. After her mother's death, Catherine was left to take care of her younger brother. Struggle for survival became her mission and she had to take odd jobs to support herself at such young age. Her studies began to suffer.

However, OOI's food program changed Catherine's life, because she was then able to get a meal at school. Catherine indicated that she would like to become a lawyer. Catherine just graduated from high school (2011). On her part, Norah has indicated that she would like to become a journalist while Joan and Silvia would like to become nurses. These are dreams that you can help come true.


Pictured above, Joan Asilikwa during Orphan's celebration party in 2009.

Clothes & Shoes

We collect gently used clothes to take to Kenya and distribute to orphans. In 2007, 2008 and 2009 we gave out clothes at a party for orphans. Many students do not have extra clothes and the uniform they use for school is worn even on the weekends.


Volunteers sorting out clothes for orphans 


Volunteers sorting out clothes for orphans 

Volunteers sorting out clothes for orphans 

In 2007, Community Christian Church in California collected money and our group purchased shoes for each orphan according to their size. For most students, this was their first pair of shoes. Please call us if you would like to collect clothes and shoes. We will send them and distribute them on our next trip.

Pen Pals

Students from Rodeo Hills Elementary in California and Lyons Elementary School in Colorado send letters and pictures to Shisasari Primary School as a pen pal exchange, which benefits students here in America and in Kenya as students share their life experiences with each other. Students collected school supplies: pens, pencils, erasers, crayons, and books to send with their letters.

 


Above: Sharing Porridge. Below: Orphans eating porridge



Lunch is a mixture of whole kernel corn and beans. The breakfast and lunch is served at Shisasari Primary School at 10:00am and 1:00pm. It costs about $15 to feed an orphan per month. Also, operation orphans hire a cook who prepares meals for orphans.
Donate now to support OOI's Food Program.  

Kindergarten Program

Kindergarten is the foundation of all learning where children learn the basics, become accustomed to school, and begin their early socialization. 

OOI sponsors a Kindergarten program at Shisasari Primary School, since Kindergarten is not free in Kenya. We pay 3 school teachers to teach over 130 students. All of these students are also given a porridge breakfast.

Parents in the Shisasari Community reported that it was too difficult to send their children to Kindergarten because of the cost. They sent their children to school starting in first grade.

Spring Water Projects

Shisasari is a community of over 10,000, most of whom are subsistence farmers. The community has 3 unprotected spring water sources where everyone, including over 650 students at Shisasari School who fetches water from there.

OOI is partnering with Engineers Without Borders, Sacramento Chapter to work on bringing clean, healthy drinking water to the Shisasari Community and Shisasari Primary School. In 2007, four engineers went to work on the existing spring site and to survey and plan the future project. There is a plan to complete another spring source with a water pump going straight to the proposed orphans’ secondary school project. They will reinforce the spring with a concrete pad and a fence.


Mourise, a local volunteer working on spring water hole. 

Other local volunteers work on the spring water hole for Shisasari community

Malissa-an American volunteer working on spring water hole for Shisasari community

Anthony Isayi drinks clean spring water

City Piped Water

In 2011, we cemented, cleaned and protected one spring water source (above) for the community and connected clean city piped water to Shisasari primary school. 

Community member digging trenches for city water line.


Anthony Isayi and Kakamega district water officer Mr. Kulundu inspect the water line.

Completed water faucet at Shisasari school

Donate now to support OOI's Food Program.