We met Grandma Mary and her six grandchildren in 2008 when they lived in Mai Maihu in the Rift Valley. They lived in extreme poverty and all the children were malnourished and suffering form multiple ailments. We decided to enrol David and Joseph, the two eldest boys in a local private school so they could catch up on their education. A few months later, we arranged for the family to move to a nicer home down the road.
Helen Mbugua, a teacher at Mount Kenya Baptist School, and her husband, Washington, agreed to take care of the children during the three school holidays each year. The children still visit Grandma Mary regularly but her house isn’t large enough to accommodate all the children. Grandma Mary lives with her niece, Phyllis, son-in-law, Justice, and their three children, Myriam, Alex and Joyce.
The children are now thriving. David scored in the top 5% in the country in his grade 8 exams and is now attending a National school for top students in Nanyuki. Joseph and Samuel will take their exam this year followed by the rest of the children.
You can read a longer version of the whole story – 2008-2012 here:
Video: Peter looking at a computer for the first time.
Watch as the children demonstrate how to make a soccer ball out of plastic bags and string:
