Dear neighbours,
The school in the Mathare slum of Nairobi has just resumed from the April holidays.The number of new children is increasing and this leaves us with two urgernt needs;desks and room.As I said the rental and temperal structure we are renting is very small and cannot hold this big number of children.Now we have to think very quickly of abigger place for the learning to take place conviniently.
The need for desks seem to be rising since children are finding it difficult to write from their laps.We are appealing to the well wishers and the neighbours to come to our rescue of this bad conditions underwhich children are learning from
Another good concept that can help in this learning process is if children can get sponsors who can cater for their school fees.The money paid by sponsors in form of school fees on termly basis can help to meet reccuring costs such as affording to pay well trained teachers whom we cannot afford paying for their services now.
We shall be greatfull if you look into this remarks and give it apositive consideration.
Thanks alot.
Richard.

HI Richard,

I think to set up a sponsorship programme, you first need to have a kind of a webpresence (a blog, a website, or just a page on facebook)- for an example have a look at http://kilelejuniorschool.yolasite.com
The most important is to communicate your sponsorship programme, and we as neighbors could think about where best to post messages about the sponsorship scheme (question and answer sites about child sponsorship, facebook, blogs etc).
You could set up a new task for this, to make it clearer that you look for help for a sponsorship scheme.

For the desks - maybe we should look for villages on Nabuur in Nairobi that are working in vocationl training, and you might be able to team up - would help them and you. There is no village that comes to my mind right now - any ideas anybody? I´ll have a look around.

Maria

Hi Richard,
With the desk i hope there are neighbors nabuur can help, if there is any technical or vocational project center . But all the same i wish i can help, thus if the PTA can get some few timber and then let the technical skill teacher during technical skill time, he helps the student on make the desk. All the same you can talk to the Head master of the school and see if you can fix a speech and prize given day, invite some big men in town, let the students act a drama to show they do not have desk. Beside make appeal for fund during the speech day. I will get back to you and see what i can do in person since i am (Appertey Patrick) a Civil Engineer. thanks fro the hard work you are doing to help the student. God bless you Rich
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shearing Christ with all

Hi maria,
I am happy to see your much concern about the sponsorship program.I have taken a look at the Komarock one and it pleases me to have one like that.I have wished that Marina Klimi have a view at it and it is of that kind I would like her to design for us.I am working on posting her some photos as soon as I get a digital camera.
I have also read from a desk making volunteer on the site but I hope if I discuss with him we can see what to do next.I know of a volunteer who can make desks for us but the only problem is money to buy timber.Let me hope as we get along in this discussion then we can come up with a concrete solution.
Regards.
Richard.

Hi patrick,
I am happy to hear from you.The children of Mathare are in need of a better sitting way that can enable them learn well.Your concern for us is welcome and we wish to know how you can be of help to us.We have a volunteer who can make the desks for us but we are left with the need for timber which need to be purchased.We are looking forward to hear from you and the contribution you can make is most welcome.
Thanks alot,
Richard.

Hi Richard,
Great to hear that you are in contact with Marina for the website.
As for the desks, could you tell us how much the timber would cost and how many desks you need? Maybe there is a way fundraising the money. Would it be an idea to perform a drama or songs in your church community and to appeal for funds, or are people too poor in your community?

Let´s work on this desk question,
Maria

Best idea is to check with Simon Peter in Kameke - he has built a school and desk and benches for the children - the latter I believe was approximately $500 for the tree - but then after that I found out the were several other expenses - ie nails, planing the wood at a factory. So, best advice is to get someone to volunteer a tree/trees and the men volunteer cutting down labor, then the final expense, planing and nails should be the only out of pocket expense.... Find out how many students and the size of the desks and benches -

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Ginger :)

as i can say is that the only thing we need is to draw some small satsifying quatation then i personal having the carpentry skill will be there to organise the workmanship as soon as posseble!!

Hi Maria,
It is good that we can now take the question of desks seriously.on your question of church fundraising,I should let you know that Mathare is keeping the very poor people whose little income is sometimes little to sustain them with food.So no much can be raised from this community.
I hope the best way is to look for another way of fundraising perhaps from the neighbours.At the moment, it seem to be abusy schedule for every organisation that has been assisting us and nothing is coming in even our feeding program no longer continues.Anyway, we can discuss on feeding later.
I don't know which way can best be for fundraising?.I know we are in need of 40 desks at the moment.These can help up to 100 children if we are to avoid anear future need of the desks.I have made the accontability and it will cost up to $600. With this money we can make desks and solve the problem of desks for agood while.Find out if it can work.
Regards Richard,

Hi Ginger,
Nice to hear from you and great to see that you have concern for Mathare children.I believe Simon's plan is good but unfortunately it cannot work in a town like Nairobi where there are no trees and most of the timber is imported from the DRC .In kenya the gorvenment is embarking on a re afforestion program and it becomes hard to get timber from within the country except in the rural area which is very costly to transport timber from adistance to Nairobi again.
I know with approximately $ 600 ,we can make the desks required.We have carpenters from the community and they can offer us voluntary service.
Looking forward to hear from you again.
Cheers,
Richard.
Richard.

HI Maria and Ginger,
I was interested with the desks discussion.I wish that we pick on it again.
Best wishes,
Richard.

Hi Richard,

I am so sorry to come back only now, I was quite busy with other projects. But back now.
Did you hear anything from Oyango, who proposed to be able to make the desks? How much would this be for him to get the material?
You say 600$ for the wood. That´s quite a sum that might be diffiuclt to get. Is there maybe a possibility to recycle wood? ( I mean not to import it but get old wood and make squares for tables from it?) It would probably not be the most beautiful, but we have to think creatively.

Any ideas on this? Have a look at this for example, wouldn´t such a platforme be ok and easier to build?
http://www.sagoodnews.co.za/education/innovative_desks_fall_into_schoolk...

http://www.lapdesk.co.za/main.html

Maria

Hi Maria,
I have not heard anything from any body again on this task.I have seen the sitting of the children on the sites you have reffered me to. I am finding the Kenya one cheaper since we have to use timber.The best way of making this exercise much cheaper is by buying timber at whole sale price and we make the desks right from the school premises rather than going for the ready ones or bagaining on each desk.In anyway there will be spending.I don't know if neighbours could be in position to raise some funds for us and then I can find a way of topping up.
Thanks,
Richard.

Richard - I just looked up the sites for the lap desk Maria sent you - could be interesting if we can get a sponsor - I have copied down to page from the site that gives you phone numbers in Uganda - I don't know what part, doesn't say. you will need to contact them to get prices for a small quantity - say 300, 500, 1,000 and is it more to imprint say the alphabet around the edge and maybe some math in the middle, as well as the Sponsor's name??
http://www.lapdesk.co.za/main.html

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Ginger :)

HI Richard,

I was wondering about an alternate to the many desks you need. I was wondering about tables...I was thinking about four long large tables that are much lighter than all wood tables. In America we have tables that have legs that are made of steel, but hollow inside. The legs are thin and fold up so that you can move the tables. The wood would just be the top of the table. It's covered with vinyl or another material. Students can sit around the table to do their school work. If this is of interest to you, I can research American table companies that do business in Kenya. Perhaps they could donate some tables and chairs.

Let me know if this idea is of interest to you.

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Have a wonderful day.

Sharon