Kenya Stockholm Blog

Vumbi Dekula Band at Lilla Wien

DEKULA BAND “Ngoma ya Kilo”

Place: Lilla Wien Bar & Restaurant
Time: 21.00-01.00
Date: 15-16/January/2010
Friday-Saturday
Address: Swedenborgsgatan 20
Pendeltåg: Stockholm Södra

January 14, 2010 Posted by makozewe | News & Analysis | Leave a Comment

Phillis Home Picture Harvests

January 14, 2010 Posted by makozewe | News & Analysis | 3 Comments

Jacinter’s Children’s Home in Kenya is Fantastic

For several years now, it has housed and taken care of young and vulnerable children. It has become a home to many orphaned children. Homes where many people take a moment to reflect on what they have experienced. A place where they take a deep breath and make a decision to face the future with certainty. Here, they are treated with hearty love and given hope to face the future with brightness.

Jacinter (in glasses) with the kids last Chrsitmas

Most recently, it was a bee hive of activity. During the post election violence, the home hosted more than 500 children and women. All flocked there to save their lives from rowdy youths who were craving for their blood. The home not only welcomed them heartily but also took responsibility of feeding them and giving them a place to sleep.

Established by Jacinta Njoroge to honor her mother’s love for the unaided children, Phillis Wambui Memorial Children’s Home has managed to change lives through the support it gets from friends and partners like Rotary Club of Sweden. The centre reflects what a true change an individual can contribute  in society. Jacinta has gone over the common human “comfort” level and indifferent attitude to the effect that someone “will sort it out” to a personal commitment, patience and persistence to leave love marks to a hundred  needy children.

Set at Kambi ya Moto near Kabarak University, the home is a haven to 72 vulnerable children from all over Kenya. Here, they are bonded with brotherly love and sisterhood while they have “mothers” who give them parental love and assist them solve “kiddish” problems, just like mothers usually do.  Jacinta’s eldest “daughter” sat for her K.C.S.E last year. The youngest, who is also her “new born”, is barely two years.  She had been rescued by Jacinta from her grandmother who couldn’t feed her.

The centre has a Primary school which takes care of outside children. The centre also takes care of their breakfast and lunch, Mondays to Fridays without asking for a penny.

I was lucky to visit the home on a Saturday, just after Christmas, not because of the Party mood (which the children’s faces portrayed) but because the day is set aside by Christians around the world for thanksgiving and prayers. The songs, testimonies, comedies and jokes left me deeply touched. They sang and danced with so much enthusiasm, enough to carry you in their waves.

This revealed great contentment and gratification and a clear indication that their future is full of promises – a note of gratitude which they don’t forget to pass to their “mother” Jacinta.
Despite financial challenges, Jacinta, together with her partners, have managed to set a commendably well equipped home. This is best portrayed by the dormitories which are equipped with comfy beds and mosquito nets.

Mother Jacinta says her best moment is time to spend with the kids. And the few days I spent there marked her words.  Her free interaction with the children showed a lot of concern, care and love for the children. I was really fascinated by how an individual can change lives of almost a hundred children from naught to optimistic citizens.

My stay at the home was filled with fun. Jacinta’s eldest “daughter” took care of my craving for hiking and running. Together, we adventured  up and down the hills  to discover rhino caves. We gave Jacinta a shock of her life when we jogged out and came back with a dignified guest. We had just returned from Paul Tergat’s home.

I left the home shingo upande, but promised to return. And the ripe time, I guess, would be Valentine’s day. To give the children more love.

Shiku Steve

January 14, 2010 Posted by makozewe | News & Analysis | 6 Comments