Sahaya International is proud to support the Candlelight program in Kenya. These programs are run by Bishop Fred Afwai and his wife Alice. Sahaya’s founder, Koen Van Rompay, befriended Fred and Alice on his first trip to Kenya in September 2001.
Candlelight’s mission and vision:
We envision a society where all children and youth are respected and valued, are cherished and supported; where all children and youth enjoy a fulfilling childhood and get quality education to realize their full potential.
Many children in Kenya suffer in poverty and don’t have access to the resources that many of us take for granted. However, by providing these children the proper resources, and by igniting their hearts with hope and strength, many are able to fulfill their potential in life. To achieve such goals, Candlelight operates several programs aimed at:
- Quality education (kindergarten to secondary school)
- Nutritional support (including school lunch programs)
- Leadership, mentorship, counseling and life-skill development
- Support to orphan and vulnerable children, including a home for children who don’t have anyone to take care of them.
- Vocational skill-training (sewing project)
Candlelight school- Matopeni (Nairobi):
The Candlelight School was started in 2004 in Matopeni, an informal settlement in Embakasi Central constituency, in the esatern part of Nairobi. The constituency has a population of 621,000 according to the 2009 Kenya Population and housing census. Only 12 per cent of this population is involved in economic activities that generate income while the rest of the population lacks access to jobs. Accordingly, the poverty levels among the households are alarmingly high. Families struggle severely to meet the needs of their children, including access to food, healthcare and quality education. For these reasons, Candlelight school was started, with the aims of providing education and helping to fulfill some of the nutritional needs of the children.
At inception the school was catering for 3 children. The current number of students is approximately 150, ranging from baby class to grad 8. The school has 12 teachers. Most of the students are orphans or very destitute families, that are not able to pay the fees, and thus the school is in need for support:
- While the school is already operational, there is still need to finish the building. The total needed to finish plastering, painting, ceiling, doors, windows and getting proper desks would be approximately $25,000.
- The average salary of the teachers is $100 per month.
- The school provides lunch to the children at a cost of $0.50 per meal. So this means $75 to feed all 150 students.
- General maintenance expenses.
You can make a donation to help cover the salary of a teacher or make a general donation to this program (scroll lower to see how to donate).
A short video about this school, made in 2012 (credit: Alliance for Youth Achievement):
Hands with Hope Home (Kitale):
This a child-centered charitable children’s institution located in Kimoson village, near Kitale (Trans Nzoia county, in westeren Kenya). The facility was originally established in 2012 in Nairobi by Fred and Alice but in 2015 was moved to Kitale.
The home currently caters for 19 children by providing them with all essentials, including food, medical care, clothing and education. The program also supports ?? more children staying with their guardians by helping them with paying their school fees.
School and vocational training programs (Kitale):
These programs were started in 2015:
Kitale Peak Community School: goes from baby class (=kindergarten) to 6th grade. This school has approximately 200 students and 9 teachers. There is a big need for salary support for the teachers.
Peak Senior High School: goes from 9th grade to 11th grade (next year 12th )will be added). This school has approximately 43 students. 6 teachers. There is a big need to support students with their fees. The school also hopes to start a small laboratory for the students in the near future.
Peak Technical Academy: this program has currently 3 students in tailoring unit. The students pay a small fee (KSH 2000 per student) x 3, a male teacher gets KSH 5,000 for part-time. Remaining KSH 1,000 for materials. Full course is about 1 year. Monday through Friday. If it can be moved to a better place more people would buy and connect with companies.
Candlelight Sewing Program (Kitale):.
Alice Afwai runs a sewing program as a means of skills training, employment and income-generation for the school. The sewing project creates many of the beautiful awesome bags and headbands. In the USA, some of these items can be purchased in the USA via the online store DoGoodShop.org.
How you can help:
- You can sponsor an orphan: for a high school student, the cost per year is $500 (approx. $45 per month). You will receive a picture and letter of the child, and can also write back to the student.
- You can sponsor a teacher for $100-150 per month.
- You can make general contribution of any amount that we can use to support several needs:
- the school lunch program
- purchase books and other supplies
- general needs of the orphans who stay at the Hands With Hope home.
- general maintenance expenses.
- extra infrastructure at the schools
Contributions to the Candlelight program via Sahaya International are tax-deductible in the USA. If you like to make a contribution, you can do so in different ways:
- To pay by credit card or paypal, go to our donation page. When you make the donation, enter in the “in honor of” or notes section “Candlelight” so we know your donation is earmarked for this project.
- You can mail a check, made payable to “Sahaya International” to us. Add in the notes field “Candlelight”.
Sahaya International
1504 Portola Street
Davis, CA 95616
Many thanks for your support!
Click on individual pics below to see larger version
