Kenya Spare a Camera is heading back to Cura!

Beloved volunteer Norman is heading back to Cura soon to jump-start his Kenya Spare a Camera project, and he's got a suitcase full of new cameras to bring with him! Many thanks to the generous people who have donated cameras and other equipment so that the photography project can be implemented and sustained as arts curriculum at the secondary school, even after Norman says his tearful good-byes...

Dixie and Arielle -- Two New Volunteers Arrive!

Two NEW volunteers have arrived at Cura this week... Dixie and Arielle, graduate students from Texas! They'll be visiting for two weeks, working with Cura's leaders and additional organizations in Nairobi to develop networks for youth empowerment programs! Karibu, Dixie and Arielle!

Asante, Nurse Rachael!

Rachael Fitzpatrick, who has projects of her own in Tanzania, came to Cura for a visit and brought her nursing expertise, along with textbooks and other materials to donate for use at our Clinic. We are all grateful for your generosity, Rachael!

Pearl Jam and Vitalogy Foundation Generously Support our work in Cura!

We are incredibly proud and grateful to be recipients of a generous donation from Pearl Jam's charitable foundation:

"Vitalogy Foundation supports the efforts of non-profit organizations doing commendable work in the fields of community health, the environment, arts and education and social change. $2 from each ticket sold from the majority of Pearl Jam concerts is placed into the Vitalogy Foundation. As board members of the foundation, the members of Pearl Jam allocate Vitalogy Foundation funds to a number of non-profit organizations that they personally select."

Check us out on the Vitalogy Foundation site, and learn more about some of the other excellent work the band is involved in. We are humbled and honored!

A Clinic Visit from Nurse Rachael!

Photos will follow, but here's what our Clinic staff had to say about this week's visit from Rachael, a nurse and Cura supporter who brought expertise and materials along with her good wishes:

"We thank you all for making the 18th of April happen. We were all very excited and overcome with joy to get a new friend. Special thanks to you, Rachael, for your donations of books and your personal notes, laptop and the rest. We shall make great use of them to uplift the health standard of our facility and the surrounding community. We wish you well and look forward to seeing you again soon."

Thank you, Rachael!
-H

Sunday at the Water Slides -- Thank you, Lilly!!

Cura is wonderful, but getting out and about is great, too... so we like to take the kids on field trips when we can. Incredible volunteer Lilly made the arrangements and got the kids and mothers out to the water slides today -- and everyone had a great time. Here's an excerpt from Lilly's report -- and some sunny, splashy photos from the big day!

The weather was picture perfect, the driver was punctual, cordial and stuck to the price negotiated - I'm hoping to call on him again if we organise another trip in the not too distant future.  When I visited Cura yesterday I asked Moses to help me gather the kids around to announce the trip and oh my gosh, my heart swells and my eyes water just remembering how they all reacted to hear they were going on a trip!!!  It was mayhem for a good 5 minutes before order was restored.  

At the park this morning we were greeted by Davis, the park manager, he welcomed us and quickly got down to the business of the park's safety rules.  Everyone was very well behaved and listened carefully.  The entry tags were fastened on the children's wrists and off they ran to change into their swimming costumes, however, 13 kids did not have proper swimming costumes, I was forced to rent them costumes at Ksh 50 each.  I have to tell you I felt funny doing this, but I had no choice, these kids would have had to sit out the entire day watching their peers have fun.  But Davis totally surprised me, he gave me a huge discount on the entry fees, instead of charging me the Ksh.300 p/c, p/a,  he charged me Ksh.200 and waved the fee for the mothers -- the total for park entry for 48 children was Ksh. 9600.00!!!  I will be writing him a separate thank you note tomorrow.  Now I hope you don't mind me doing so, but because we got such a huge break in the park entry fee, I decided to give the kids one last treat - I ran to Nakumatt and bought 10 packets of chipolatas (small sausages) to add to their lunch which consisted of rice and nothing else.  I live just two minutes from VM, I drove home, cooked the sausages and was back in twenty-five minutes.  Today was just a fab day, everyone had a great time and the smiles on their faces was beyond overwhelming.  By the time 3:45p.m. rolled around these kids were exhausted and ready to head home...after many hugs and goodbyes, they finally boarded the bus at 4:30 and were on their way back to Cura.  

Two Things

ONE:

Here's a note I just received from one of the members of the Cura Clinic staff, regarding the arrival of donated LifeStraws --

Dear Hayden,
I have gone through the website for"Life Straws." It's so amazing,it can be of great help to us here at Cura Home and to the community at large.The most health problems here is due to lack of clean drinking water.To clean/purify the dirty water is a big challenge due to lack of knowledge and resources.Its good because is simple to use, maintain and portable.
Thanks and all the best.
Jane.

Three more straws arrived at my doorstep yesterday, and I'm eager to get them to Cura!


TWO:

Our Facebook page cracked 200 "likes" this week -- if you're one of them, THANKS! If you're not, WHY NOT? Please "like" us and tell your friends!


Cheers,
Hayden