Wajibu wetu flyer eng jan15
-
Upload
yutaka-kamioka -
Category
Government & Nonprofit
-
view
55 -
download
0
Transcript of Wajibu wetu flyer eng jan15
Wajibu Wetu means “our shared responsibility” in Swahili
What is Wajibu Wetu?
Wajibu Wetu is a children’s orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya. It cares for about 30
resident children and supports a similar number in its outreach programme.
The children are referred to the
orphanage by the authorities at
the age of 3 to 6 in the absence of
a parent or guardian to look after
them. Their parents may have
died (for instance, from Aids) or
they may be unable to take care
of them (because of substance
abuse, for example). In some
cases, the children are taken
away from their parents or guardians because of abuse or malnutrition.
For many years Wajibu Wetu has been supported by a group of UN staff in Nairobi
and their friends and families. We now face the challenge of having to build a new
orphanage and need your help to realize this.
The staff at Wajibu Wetu – on the right George and Jane
The Wajibu Wetu Approach
The Wajibu Wetu orphanage is run by husband and wife George and Jane Kithioma
with the assistance of a small staff and a handful of volunteers. When a child is
referred to the orphanage, the first course of action is to try to find a family member
to care for them. Occasionally, a relative will live in Nairobi, but more often they live
in the rural areas of Kenya. If the orphanage succeeds in tracing a family member,
they are encouraged to take the child in. Wajibu Wetu provides family members who
agree to do so with a small monthly allowance for the child’s upkeep and school fees,
etc. Only when a family member cannot be found who is willing or able to care for
the child, is the child is admitted to the orphanage.
When they arrive at Wajibu Wetu, many of the children are traumatized and unable
to communicate or play. They are also physically or mentally underdeveloped. It is
heartwarming to see how, within a matter of months, they are able to laugh and play
again and start attending school, thanks to the intensive support they receive at the
orphanage (Jane is a professional counselor). All the children go to school. Some
who have already graduated and now have a job come back and help out, with night
shifts, for example.
We Need Your Help
Wajibu Wetu is entirely funded by private donations, from Kenya as
well as from Germany and The Netherlands. Some donors finance
school fees and food, some an annual trip to the coast; others
donate food or clothing or take the children on outings they look
forward to with so much excitement.
At present the orphanage is housed in a number of buildings
constructed on rented land (see the photograph above). The houses
are built of metal sheeting and are of poor quality. Following the
recent death of the landowner, the orphanage was ordered to vacate
the land. A German donor has generously purchased a piece of land
just outside Nairobi for Wajibu Wetu on which a new orphanage can
be built. Staff members of the United Nations Environment
Programme, headquartered in Kenya, have taken it upon themselves
to realize the new accommodation and have been raising funds for
this.
At the end of 2013, the International School of Kenya (ISK) decided
to demolish a number of its old buildings to make way for larger
ones. The ISK offered the UN volunteers one of these old school
buildings for the orphanage. We have since dismantled the building
and moved it to the new site. We now need approximately USD 45,000 to reconstruct it.
To date we have managed to raise USD 17,800, and, with another USD 6,250 pledged, we
are looking for the remaining USD 20,000.
Furniture (beds, tables, chairs) Security (steel window grills) Inside (floors, painting) Electrical wiring and plumbing Kitchen Finishing building interior (plastering, interior walls, doors, toilets, showers, etc) Reconstruction of building (foundation, walls, roof) – materials and labour Transport materials old building to WW site cost of dismantling old building
USD 45,000 20,000 6,500 2,000 0
Fun
ds
to R
ais
e Fu
nd
s R
ais
ed
The New Building
In July 2014 we started constructing the new
accommodation. The old school building will
be adapted to include a second floor so as to
provide a new home for 50 children.
We are managing the project ourselves: a UN
architect has drawn up the plans, another
colleague the structural details, and a UN
finance officer is keeping the accounts. Rob
de Jong is responsible for the overall project
management together with Wajibu Wetu’s
manager, George Kithioma.
The photograph shows the
building prior to demolition,
and the architectural
drawings our new plans. The
new orphanage will have
boys’ and girls’ bedrooms and
bathrooms, a large living
area, kitchen, office,
storeroom and light tower.
The Old School Building
Our Progress
In July 2014 we started levelling the site. We then laid the
foundations and the floor (20 metres in diameter!). In August
we started building the walls, installed the windows and door
frames and completed the exterior wall. After casting the ring
beams, in November we started on the roof. Our biggest
challenge was positioning the 26
wooden roof poles - each weighing
some 700 kilos - on the roof. Once the
roof is complete – hopefully in January
2015 - we can start on the interior. We
have six people working on the
building – two masons, one carpenter
and three boys to assist them.
Whenever possible, the children of
Wajibu Wetu help at the weekend.
Since there is no running water or
electricity on the site as yet, all the
work is being done by hand!
How You Can Help
All contributions are welcome, whether in kind or financial. We still need the
following:
Bricks and cement to build interior walls
Wooden beams to construct the second floor (we
already have the wooden flooring itself)
Wood to build the interior staircase
Toilets (8) and showers (6)
Tiles or wood to cover the floor
Tiles for the washrooms
Cement to plaster the walls
Paint for the walls
Interior doors and windows
Steel bars for the window grills
Sinks (6) and taps
Plumbing for the bathrooms
Electrical wiring and lighting
Beds: 10 single beds and 20 bunk beds, bedside tables and closets
Dining-room tables and chairs for 60 people
A complete kitchen (we already have two
professional ranges)
Other items such as a television, computers, cutlery.
Contributions can be made as follows:
BANK TRANSFER CASH/ CHEQUE
In Europe: Rob de Jong, ABN AMRO Bank, The
Netherlands - IBAN NL48ABNA0426709098
In Kenya: We have opened a special Wajibu
Wetu account in the name of Rob de Jong and
Maryam Bashir: KCB, UN Gigiri, Nairobi, Kenya
- account no. 1114477974
In Nairobi : Cash or cheques can be given
to Rob de Jong or Maryam Bashir
In Paris: Cash can be given to Eric
Verschuur at the UNEP office
A 100% of all monetary contributions and donations in kind will go to the
orphanage: there are no management or overhead expenses. The finances will be
managed by a UN finance manager. A full financial report including the receipts will
be made available to all sponsors, accounting for all the contributions received. The
names of all sponsors will listed on a wooden plaque at the entrance to the building
in recognition of their support and they will be invited to the opening ceremony. For
those considering in-kind donations, such as building materials or furniture, we
have access to a minivan for the collection of goods.
For more information about sponsoring the new building, please contact Rob de
Jong, e-mail: [email protected], phone +254–20-7624184, skype: ROBDEJONG21
On behalf of the children, thank you for your contribution!