Children's Education Fund Start With One Volume One

7/27/2019 Children's Education Fund Start With One Volume One

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A New Approach To Child Sponsorship

What happens if the sponsor

is no longer able to support a

child? In the fall, if that

happened we had to look for

another sponsor.

While there are some who are

able to afford the $600-$700

commitment per year it was

difficult to find sponsors for all

the children who needed help.

While we are still not able to

help every child in need, we

have expanded the sponsor-

ship program and changed its

structure for the Children’s

Education and Welfare Fund.

Our pilot program now allows

an individual or group to sup-

port children with whatever

they are able to give as often

as they wish and still maintaina one on one relationship with

any child or children they

wish. Have an extra $20 this

month? Send it to the Chil-

dren’s Education Fund. Want

to support a child but can’t

afford $50-60 each month—no

problem. You can make

monthly donations of any

amount you wish. Cont’d page 2

Since our inception, Start With

One has remembered what

our Lord taught us—that we

should tend to the needs of

widows and orphans. In that

spirit we have been able to

sponsor children on a one

sponsor to one child basis.Each time a need would arise

for a child or children, we

would go and search for a

sponsor for that child. This

meant that one family or one

organization would have to

make a pretty large yearly

commitment and usually for

many years—until the child

completed secondary ( high )

school.

In the fall of 2012, we started

looking at another way to “dosponsorship.” If we look at the

needs of an individual child , it

is immediately apparent that

those needs vary from child to

child. Without knowing the full

story of a child—where they

live, with whom they live, etc

it is impossible to cater to

those needs. Two members of

the Start With One team visited

the home of every child en-

rolled in the program. We

have met those who are trying

to take care of these children.

We know where they live. We

have seen their “homes.”

Some of the questions we

asked ourselves as we prayed

about this program were:

Even if a child has a parent,

are they in a “safe” situa-

tion? Some of the children in

the new program have a

mother who may have turned

to alcohol or prostitution be-

cause of extreme poverty. Or

live in a household where the

father abuses both the wife

and the daughter.

What happens if a child does

not perform well in school?While we pray that all of the

children in this program go on

to finish high school, we are

following them all closely to

prepare some for trade school.

We intend to see a child

through high school or until

they have a viable skill that

will allow them to provide for

themselves.

Inside this issue: page

A New Approach

cont’d

2

Child Spotlight:

Collins Kiprono

2

Volunteer Spotlight:

Sarah Waithera

3

Dental and Health

Assessments

3

Georgia UMC Teams

Visit

4

Aylett Country DaySchool making a

difference in the lives

of children in Kenya

4

Letter from “the field”

Letters from your

children

5

9

First Term 2013

There are 35 children enrolled in the pilot Children’s Education Fund program. Thirty one children are enrolled in

Holy Trinity Academy as of January 2013. Four of the total of 35 are in their first year of high school. Children in the

program range from age 3 to age 18.

START WITH ONE KENYA CHILDREN’S EDUCATION FUNDWe believe that in order for a child to thrive, their needs must be met physically, mentally and spiritually.

To make a donation, go to www.startwithonekenya.org



Collins Kiprono is in class 4 ( fourth grade.)

Collins was born in 2002 but we are not

sure of the actual date. Collins’ Mom is

doing the best she can for him, but needs

our help to get Collins through school.

Collins is a special needs child. While

Collins will tell you in almost perfect Eng-

lish that he had polio , we are quite sure

that Collins has cerebral palsy.

Kenyan children with disabilities are often

forgotten or institutionalized. We are

pleased that Collins is not set apart in any

way. Collins is blessed to have a Mama

who was able to find Holy Trinity Acad-

emy. In this school, Collins is in a class with

20 other students.

Last year, Collins’ marks ( grades) were398. To give an idea of how bright he is,

the best score for the national exam this

year was 430 ( out of 500.)

The other children at Holy Trinity are ex-

pected to help Collins with some daily

living issues at school, as well as incorpo-

rate him in games. They are taught to be

thoughtful and assist Collins in any way

that they can.

He is happy and his sense of humor will

grab you right away. He has an incredible

sense of humor and a very quick wit.

In a picture you can see that Collins lookslike the other children. But his right side

was affected by the cerebral palsy. His

right leg is significantly shorter than the

left. We were told by a doctor on a team

from the US that a shoe with a lift as well as

a brace would help Collins seem even

more like the other children.

Plans are being made now to have those

shoes made and a brace fitted for his leg.

A New Approach To Child Sponsorship ( continued from page one)

CHILD SPOTLIGHT: COLLINS KIPRONO

Page 2

Start With One team members will visit the

families of “our” children at least twiceannually. Based on the type of need, some

parents are able to make some purchases

for their child. For some children we are

providing tuition—for others, we provide

everything. This also means that the time

we spend at Holy Trinity with our children

is very important. We want them to know

us and we want to know them as well.

The average cost for a child in the program

is about $600—again, some more, others

less.

In addition to the education costs for these

children , we have also done health and

dental assessments on each child. If a child

is not physically and emotionally well, they

will not do well in school.To ensure that the child is healthy physi-

cally, mentally and spiritually, it is impor-

tant that we be present for these children.

We have seen many faces change from

those of despair to those of hope.

We will spotlight one or two children each

term. There will also be a general report

on each child and a list of special prayer

requests for the program.

Pray that God continues to help us help

these children.Karen , one of the last children enrolled in

the program went from shy little girl to a

little girl with a beaming smile and lots of

curiosity.

Collins is pictured here with a mem-

bers of a team from North Georgia. It

is important to us that everyone who

comes to join us in mission here gets

to meet our children. We are and want

you to be keenly aware of what is hap-pening in the lives of our children.



First Health Assessments– Medical and Dental

In January, retired nurse Sarah Eastwood

spent a month with Start with One. Part of

what she helped with was the initial health

assessments for the children in the pro-

gram.

This meant a basic check of each child for

immediately discernible health issues. For

example, after looking at the first 6 chil-dren, it was painfully obvious that oral hy-

giene and the care of teeth was a major

area of concern. A list was made of those

children who urgently need to see the den-

tist.

We were thrilled to see that other than the

usual maladies found in children in this

area, our children are healthy. We are able

to supply medicines regularly for those

who are in need. Sylvia, one of the younger

girls, has an umbilical hernia and will

have had surgery by the time this newslet-

ter reaches you.

Dr. Muchiri ( a Kenyan friend) agreed to do

dental assessments for our children on

Easter Sunday afternoon. We packed up

our mobile dental chair and headed to

Holy Trinity. Dr. Muchiri and his assistantfirst held workshops on proper dental hy-

giene and the importance of brushing.

After this, each child was seen by the den-

tist for a check of condition of teeth and

gums.

A few children had broken teeth that will

need to be removed, but others require

only fillings.

These children are well on their way to

great health!

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: SARAH WAITHERA

Page 3

Mama Shiko presents students with

awards at a ceremony at Holy Trinity.

Meet Sarah Waithera—but you’ll never

hear anyone call her that. She is Mama

Shiko. Mother to three of her own chil-

dren and “mother” to many other chil-dren. Mama Shiko is an integral part of

all that we do at Start With One.

Mama Shiko played a vital role in the

initial start up of the Children’s Educa-

tion Fund. She is able to speak to the

children in their native language. She is

able to assure students who have never

interacted with “mzungu” ( white peo-

ple) that we really are not going to hurt

them.

During the initial interviews with the

children, Mama Shiko was often intears. She is able in a glance to tell

which children are hurting, are very

poor, or are living in terrible

conditions. While we are learning to

discern the needs of our children, Mama

Shiko is guiding us in understanding

Kenyan cultures and the issues we mightface.

She is strong and courageous. She is

someone that both the children and we

at Start With One trust. More than once

she has interceded for us to get the best

price on something we need to purchase

for the children. More than once she has

thanked us for what we are doing for the

children in Kenya.

As seen below, Mama Shiko has many

talents. When the truckload of 2000

buckets for water filter systems came in,Mama Shiko was the first to jump in to

help. She is pictured on the left assuring

Karen that coming to live at Holy Trinity

would be a good thing. Below and right,

Mama Shiko plays football with two boys who

were rescued from the streets of Nakuru.

Thank you Mama Shiko from Start With One

and from ALL of your children.



In just a few months during the fal l of 2012,

middle school students at Aylett Country

Day School raised nearly $700. Aylett

Country Day School is a coeducational,private day school with children from EC 3

to grade eight located in Virginia. Susan

Eastwood of Start With One started her

education there in first grade. Susan’s ex-

perience at Aylett has been a driver for the

type of education she hopes every child in

Kenya will receive.

Susan’s nephew, Alden, is in eighth grade

at Aylett. He and his classmates wrote pen

pal letters to each of the children in the

program, saved their coins in water bottles

and more personally, gave a pair of their

own shoes to a child in the program. Susan

provided their teacher and mentor, Kathy

Watkins, with a list of needs for the chil-

dren in the program.

There were many items on this list. Start

With One was overwhelmed by the choices

that the children made.

First, they wanted the children to be

healthy. With the help of a family in North

Carolina who gave money for the water

filter, a large water f iltration system was

put in in March of 2013 that will provide

fresh drinking water for all 250 children in

Holy Trinity Academy. Mosquito nets were

hung over every bunk in the dormitory.

The children of Aylett also wanted the chil-dren to have fun. A team from Georgia

came and put

up basketball

goals, a

net and an-

other team

built soccer

goals. .

Georgia UMC Teams Visit Holy Trinity

Members of the team installed basketball

goals and a volleyball net that had been pur-

chased by Aylett Country Day School stu-

dents.

Aylett Country Day School—Making a difference in the lives of Kenyans

For more information about school

partnerships,

contact Susan Eastwood

[email protected]

We were blessed with two teams inthe first semester of school this year.

We always try to have work and play

involved when it comes to teams.

Getting to know our children, mak-

ing relationships with them is so im-

portant. They need to know there

are people in the US praying for

them and keeping them close in

their hearts.

Other team members helped assess the

needs of the children. Shoe sizes and condi-

tion as well as number of uniforms they had

Children and missionaries take a

ride on Lake Naivasha.

Crafts are always a big hit.


Donate Now! Select Children’s Sponsorship



Page 5

Letter from “the field”Since I was a teenager, I have felt a “pull” for lack of a better word toward Africa. But then I got busy with MY plan for my

life. Marriage ( although that didn’t happen until I was 37) , children ( that never happened) and last of all career. The career

did happen and I was blessed to work with an amazing group of people for 20 years. But none of that was in my plan.

In 2006, I was able to go to Sierra Leone on a mission trip. That trip turned me upside down, inside out and shook me until I

nearly fell apart. God had figuratively taken me by the shoulders and said—You are to be my hands and feet in Africa.

I felt the call to Kenya and started coming in 2008. How I got here, what happened in the 6 years between that first trip and a

decision to become a missionary is a very long story.

The decision to become an advocate for children and their well being did not take long. For me it has always been about the

children. The children of Kenya are full of hope and despair… paradox surrounds me here. But it went further than merely pay-

ing school fees for children who could not afford to go. God was telling me to remember the “whole” child. It is not enough

just to pay school fees. We must constantly keep watch and protect them. In Kenya, that can mean so many things. Protection

from disease, protection from predators– both human and animal. It means protection that allows them to ( as my St. Marga-

ret’s school prayer said)… “grow in age as they grow in grace.”

We cannot help every child. But we can help those the Lord puts in our path. On the second trip to Kenya, I met a bright young

girl named Mary Wambui. While the story of my relationship with Mary is a long and tough one , I want you to get the basic

reason why she has inspired me to assist children, one at a time and with intent. Mary did not go to school. Mary had asked me

for help, but I was “busy” on the mission team working in the clinic. I left Kenya not really knowing if she was back in school

etc. She was tugging on my heart. My friend and brother Peter ( who is Kenyan) was able to find her after we left. She had in

essence been sold as a house girl—the equivalence often of a slave. Peter brought her back to his home. She was put in school.

What we did not know, was that she had married and had a baby. She was 14. I had not acted fasted enough.

Two years later, I moved to Kenya full time. The first month we were here, a friend came by to say she had news about Mary.

Mary had just the night before taken her own life.

In memory of Mary, and most of all because our God calls us to, I will not forget the ONE. Start With One… or 35 in this case.

But care for the children… don’t just pay their fees. CARE for them.

I look forward to helping you watch our children grow. Already, some are leaders in their classes. Some are making top marks

( grades) in their schools. All of them are learning to be followers of Christ .

We understand the commitment you have made to “our children.” Please know that the goal of this new approach to sponsor-

ship is to be sure that no child is forgotten or lost—that there is never a need they may have that is not being met.

With this in mind, we will be updating all of our supporters on EVERY child at least 2 times yearly. In this issue, you will have

a list of the names and class level of each child. Please keep this picture directory and pray for these children by name.

In subsequent newsletters, you will get a spotlight on one or two children. In each newsletter, you will receive any updates on

health issues or other issues as well as updates on the children’s progress in school.

We will also use these newsletters to advise you of special needs that may arise.

We at Start With One say thank you to you—Your children say thank you as well.

In His Service,

For information on a specific ch ild at any time or

more information on how you can get involved, please

send an email to [email protected]



Page 6



Page 7



September 2012 to May 2013 in Pictures

Page 8

We take this space to say thank you . Thank you for your monetary support.

Thank you for praying for each and every one of these dear children. Thank

you for remembering the teachers at Holy Trinity and the missionaries

at Start With One.

For more information on how to help, send an email to

Susan Eastwood

[email protected]


Donate Now! Select Children’s Sponsorship

Documents

Children's Education Fund Start With One Volume One