Covid-19 leaves social impact with pregnancies
As the Covid-19 pandemic began to ease around the world, schools in Kenya and the Masaai Mara area began reopening in January. That’s when teachers and administrators started to notice something. Some of the girls in the primary and secondary schools were missing while circumstances had changed for others that had returned to school.
The pandemic will leave many lasting effects, one of them being many of these girls will soon be mothers. Pregnancy in these young girls ages 14-16 means some have not returned to school and others will leave during the school year.
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Students enjoy new experiences thanks to volunteers
At the Oloosinon Primary School, over 700 children in grades K-8 come from far and wide to attend school. Some travel over 2 hours each way, each day, just for the chance to learn.
Large classes are normal at the school like these 55 students in grade 2. Some classrooms are filled with 60, 80 or 100 children.
Students study math, science and even English like other students around the world. However, some of the other subjects like music and art, and even some of the fun recess games we are familiar with, are missing from the school day for them.
Sticks for ...
Returning “Home” – Feeding the Soul, Part 2
Continued...
It wasn't long after that trip in 2013 that Carrie and I decided we wanted to go back to Africa. For Carrie, she wanted to meet the two children she sponsored and for me, I wanted to go back and continue to work with the community, work with the school and of course, see the children I sponsor as well. So for the months that followed, Carrie and I planned our next trip to Africa. We developed a slide show to show the school while we were there. Upon our last visit there, the children asked us great questions about life in the states. Being a ...
“Returning Home” – Feeding the Soul, Part 1
In 2011, I took my first trip to Kenya, staying at Mara West and doing volunteer work through Africa Mission Services. My sister and I joined a medical team (a dream of ours since we were young) who traveled to Africa to do work in the Masai community. From the time I arrived in Africa, I felt deeply connected to the land, people, culture and all stunning beauty that is Africa. From that moment on, I knew I would be making many more visits back to this amazing country. For me Africa was a place I had talked about since I was very young. I always dreamed of travel...
NetApp Volunteer Team (Part 1) – Completes Dinning Hall!
It was last September that Mei visited Mara West as a safari client and the vision of a dinning hall at the Oloosinon Primary Boarding School was born. Since then, many joined her vision and worked to make the project a reality. Several groups joined AMS this year in working on this project - from laying brick walls, to building the roof and furniture, painting, and more! On Thursday of this week the team of 16 volunteers did the final touches in preparation for the opening ceremony which took place September 12th, 2014! A special thank you to all who contributed to this ...
Delays… Meetings… & Hopeful Progress
Long dreamed and talked about, the secondary school for the local Maasai community has had its delays... Today, the school board and lands committee met with Pastor Charles - father to director of Kensington Cares, about overcoming the land disputes and moving ahead with the project. The committee, parents and elders were all in good spirits and made promises to see this project move forward. We are hopeful that in the next few months ground breaking will be taking place!! We look forward to working with many of you in the years to come on making this dream a reality! ...
Painted!
Thanks to the skills of a few local painters the interior walls of the Oloosinon Primary School cafeteria are painted! We are looking forward to the arrival of the NetApp team from California in just three short weeks to complete the project! Plans include the painting of murals, painting the exterior, installing two cookers and having the grand opening September 12th! Children and school staff alike are getting excited to have their first meal in the new dinning hall!
LLU Church Mission Trip
Slightly ahead of schedule, the LLU mission group landed in Nairobi July 7th at the early hour of 1:30 AM. With only one piece of luggage missing, the group loaded up and began their journey towards the Mara. At the half way point the group enjoyed a hot breakfast before arriving at Mara West Camp.
After a much needed night of sleep, the group started their first day at the project - working on the Oloosinon Primary School cafeteria. The school children welcomed the group with a few traditional songs and dances - even getting a few of the group to join the dance!
The ...
Oloosinon Cafeteria – Plastered!
Child Sponsorship Program
In September of 2011 a child sponsorship program was started with a Sabbath School program at a church in Parsons, Tennessee. At that time I had no plans of starting up a sponsorship program with AMS but within a couple of weeks I received an email from Kensington that a woman’s group was coming and the leader was interested in sponsoring two girls. In October the Broad Horizons Women’s Group visited the Emurototo Primary School – and in total sponsored 17 children! Since that time others have heard of the program and it has grown to now involve over 40 children!
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