January Web site update
January started on a sombre note for all at Barnardo’s owing to the tension that arose after the disputed presidential election.
Most of the children were away visiting their relatives during the December holidays and were expected back on 29th December for the New Year celebrations which turned out to be low key, since many children had not been brought back owing to paralysed transport and insecurity situation.
January, as usual is a busy month at TBH since children are moving a class upwards, some are joining new schools. All these activities and general home operations were affected by the post election chaos in the following ways:
Delay in children being brought back to TBH from their holidays; this led us to advising the guardians to take a temporary measure of getting the children admitted into nearby schools till the situation calms down.
Delays / postponements in school re-opening for first term
Delays in students reporting back to school
School transfers owing to insecurity in areas such as western Kenya where some 7 tbh children were schooling.
Some staff were unable to report to work leading to some staff taking on added responsibility and shifts to cover for the affected ones.
Cost of foodstuff, transport and other essential supplies skyrocketed over the period calling for more operation funds.
A nosedive in the number of local walk in donors
Outings and other social activities for staff and children were curtailed.
With the foregoing, it is evident that it has not been business as usual. All the same, the situation is now relatively calm and majority of children reported back to school in the month and have settled well. Weekend activities took place with children having renewed energy for sporting and choir. There was an invitation for 20 youngsters to the phoenix theatre for a hilarious play ‘Pull the other one’ a farce by Normal Robbins about a typical case of the ‘mother in law syndrome’.
We continue to pray for our country so that the mediation talks can succeed for peace and normalcy to return.
With the assistance of Balcraig foundation, we are managing to issue bread and floor donations directly to camps for internally displaced persons (IDP) in Nairobi and directly to Red Cross.
Through the Government vetting system, we anticipate an increase in requests to admit newly orphaned children.