Getting Back to School

hello,

with high schools opening soon there is great need for books, textbooks, bags, pens, shoes, shirts, sweaters, rain coats, soap, lotion. etc. these are the top needs as the students begin the new school year in february 2009.

this year five of our orphans qualified for higher level grades and were called to various high schools to go and study.

the form one students are to report to school in February and i hope by then we can be able to send these kids to high school. getting an education will help them so that their lives will be like ours where they are able to go to high school, then college and later find work. so far, in january we have managed to cover the basic school cost of several primary children and now we need to concentrate on these 5 older students who start school soon.

i've listed the cost for all items* for each of the 5 orphans who have moved on to higher grades below. you will see the cost in several currencies, for one student and then for all 5 students.

One Student
- 28,150.00 (Kenyan Shillings)
- $370.39 (US)
- $433.08 (Cdn)
- £234.58 (British Pounds)
- $269.77 (Euros)
- $516.19 (Aussie)
- $538.88 (Singapore)
- $2827.92 (Hong Kong)
- 32,892.40 (Japanese Yen)

Five Students
- 140,750.00 (Kenyan Shillings)
- $1851.95 (US)
- 2165.40 (Cdn)
- 1172.90 (British Pounds)
- $1348.85 (Euros)
- $2580.96 (Aussie)
- $2694.44 (Singapore)
-$14,139.56 (Hong Kong)
- 164,462 (Japanese Yen)

Fee Payment Schedule

The school year is for a total of 9 months with 3 terms (3 months each) per year. Half of a full year's payment is needed up front. The remaining half can be paid in 2 parts if needed.

Minimum due January 2009

1 student- 14,075. 00 (Kenyan shillings)
5 students 70,375.00 (Kenyan shillings)

a payment would then be needed again about 3 months later (march/april 2009). we have opened an account to try and set aside money for these students to help us plan ahead. we really need your help and we gratefully accept what u can do to help these kids.

we can receive funds through money gram or western union (see the information in the right side column). if u want to send funds through international bank to bank transfer, let us know and we can tell you how to do that. i also have a mailing address but that method is very slow and is insecure as cheques can be lost in the mail.

the photos below show the school kids lined up to return to boarding school.



i want to let you know that everything here in kenya has gotten harder since last year. the costs of everything has gone up and education fees have also gone up very recently making it even harder to get an education.

the December 16,2008 issue of The Standard, Online Edition described in graphic terms what happens to children who do not get an education or who have to walk far to go to school.

"The children are often sucked into the informal employment sector where they are exploited by their employers, and exposed to physical and sexual abuse.

Ms Phelomena Elizear, the secretary for Embakasi Constituency Right to Education advocacy group, says distance to learning institutions present a big challenge to the girls. "Parents are reluctant to send their children to school because they are at risk of being waylaid and raped," she says. The problem is compounded by insecurity and poor infrastructure."

click the news link for an article in the Daily Nation news for more information on school costs http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/512242/-/u18940/-/index.html
we want to do what we can to help these kids that God has entrusted to our care..and will send them to boarding school as God enables us through your help. please pray with us and, if you can, send us your support today. May God richly bless you.

Because He lives
Jonah

* books, textbooks, bags, pens, shoes, shirts, sweaters, rain coats, soap, lotion. etc