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What can you do?
We use to say that what
we are doing, may seem like a drop in an ocean of hopelessness.
But it means everything to the children we are helping!
We therefore find it is nice that people all over the world
can get the opportunity to "make
the whole difference" for a child
in Nairobi - by regular support of a child as a personal sponsor, or
through general contributions to our work in
the slums.
Maisha
Mema sponsor
Our main area of operation is in the slums of
Soweto. Over 250 children are presently getting
sponsored there. The sponsorship covers everything
that have to do with school, and also medical
expenses. Presently, the
children are getting lunch three days a week at school,
and a fruit the other two week-days. From school the children
come to Clubhouse
to get help with their homework, thus also securing them
a much safer daily life away from just roaming around
in the slums. And all of the children are also
involved in different kinds of activities in Clubhouse,
like sports, singing, dancing, arts and craft and other
things. By giving
a minimum of NOK 250 (US$ varies quite a lot, but
rounded: US$ 40 /
GBP 25) or SFR 40 a month, you in fact save a child from the
slums or streets, and give that child a possibility of
becoming a resource in its neighbourhood.
You get a small 'life
story' and a picture of 'your' child, and can exchange letters
with her or him.
Maisha
Mema Family sponsor
We normally reckon about three times as much for the
resident children compared to the children living with
their guardians in the slums. So for
NOK 750 (rounded US$ 120 / GBP 75 a month) or SFR 120,
you give a child a secure place in a Maisha Mema Family.
This includes accommodation, food, clothes, school and
all the safety a family can give. You get a small 'life
story' and a picture of 'your' child, and exchange letters
with her or him. Since the children in this category are
fairly 'expensive', they fit well for a Bible group, a group
of friends or a school class.
Friendship
is important!
As you can read about in the Clubhouse page, a variety of different activities within art and craft
ensure that the children are occupied with healthy and
building things. Football and other sports activities
make sure they use their bodies in both a healthy and friendship
building way. Especially some of the girls, who otherwise
are more or less treated like dirt according to the customs
in the slums, have seen their self-image grow considerably
through these activities! As the same activities also run in the school holidays,
we hinder the kids in falling back to destructive habits
like drugs, casual sex and roaming around. This way, the
Clubhouse activities are definitely also a social rehabilitation
program.
We also find it extremely important, that the child sponsorship
is not only about financial support for school and
other necesseties!
The most important thing is the relationship we develop
with these children. We believe very strongly in developing
friendship, trust and care with the children. This cannot
be bought by money! If we also mention that all the children
in our programs are secured medical coverage through the
sponsorship, we feel that the possibilities of these children
growing up to become useful citizens of Kenya, is quite
big.
As mentioned, you get a small 'life story'
and a picture of 'your' child when you become a sponsor, and
can exchange letters with
her or him. In this way, a relationship can also be built
across country boundaries, and make these children even
more loved and cared for.
And you can also "Give a
new sponsor"! If you give a new sponsor
to Maisha Mema, you
have used your time well in life, and another child gets
a chance! And
for you who believe in Jesus: "Give
a prayer"! The children and adults in
Nairobi need friends who are thinking about them, care
for them, and pray for them - in a daily life which is
not always easy to cope with alone!
Please
write to us if you want to give a
Donation,
sponsor a child, or have any question.
We are happy to
hear from you!
E-mails:
info@maishamema.org
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