Beverly School of Kenya September Greeting

Dear Friends:

Tom and Abdi are keeping me busy this week! They arrived in Nairobi on September 20, 2007. We spent most of our time on the architect selection (see below) and visiting Jackson in Kisii, Hillary and Vincent in Kisumu. To travel 300 kilometers in Kenya can take over 9 hours. The roads are bad! Some highlights from this week:

• We visited Mogusu Otiso Jackson affectionately known as Jackson at the prestigious Cardinal Otunga High School about sixty kilometers from Kisumu. The Maher family are supporting Jackson with Abdi’s sister Grace serving as his new Mom.  Although Jackson will not be able to attend the Beverly School, since he is already in 1st form (9th grade), his life story shows the importance of education to help orphans. Jackson was living in the same horrific conditions as our Hilary and Vincent (our first two selected students for the Beverly School) in the Nyalenda slum in Kisumu. An extremely bright and motivated boy, Jackson qualified to attend Cardinal Otunga but as an orphan, he did not have any means to attend such a school.  I cannot even fathom how he was able to keep surviving no less excel in school as he witnessed his 15 year old sister go off to get married.  Grace went door to door among the poorest of the poor to pay the first semester’s tuition and bills. The Maher’s now support Jackson’s school and living needs. Jackson recently finished his second semester with a ranking of 8 out of 294 students!  We did notice that one grade went down - mathematics from a B+ in the first semester to a C- in the second semester. When asked, Jackson said he had trouble with the assignments without a scientific calculator.  Without flinching, Jackson said he would improve at least 20% in his math grade with this new calculator.  Besides needing this calculator, some new clothes and some medicine for a painful but hopefully minor ailment, Jackson is thriving. He told Tom he wants to become an airline pilot. I cannot conceive of where Jackson would be without this schooling.  Can you imagine how many other wonderful things this boy could do with the proper resources to support his talents!

 Tom with Jackson outside his school.

• With Grace’s wonderful care, Hillary and Vincent are doing well in Kisumu.  Hillary is getting some extra tutoring for his reading and English language. We really do not know how many years he was out of school as a cobbler supporting Vincent. This 13 year old boy has been through so much so soon in his life.  It is great to see him be a student and a child enjoying life with his brother. As many of you know, Hillary is quite an artist.  In addition to our note cards, Hillary has designed our new Beverly School of Kenya T shirt. Hillary giggled in excitement when he saw his drawing on the T-shirt!

Abdi, Vincent, Alice, Hillary and Tom at Grace’s house in Kisumu

• We have these T-shirts available for sale, in different beautiful colors.  They are awesome!  Thank you Chris and Mary Hartnett for all your help and expertise.  The price is $25, which includes shipping. We have men’s shirts in khaki in M, L and XL and women’s in blue or pink in S, M, L. Please send your order to Nancy Maher, 6 Prides Circle, Andover, MA 01810 (checks only please). Thank you Nancy once again!

Hillary displays his T-shirt!

• Construction Update: We are excited to announce we have selected Edon Consultants International LTD as project architect and lead consultant. This is a well respected Nairobi firm with solid school experience.  We are refining the master plan, exterior elevations and floor plans for the primary school building, guesthouse and medical clinic. We hope to begin construction in mid-late November with opening at the end of June.  The barn is also under construction and will be completed in October. The barn will allow us to store food in advance of our opening as well as our new tractor expected any day now and other important equipment.  Our new water well, known in Kenya as borehole, is now flowing in North Kinangop.

Our new architectural team visiting the site with the water drill in the background

• To complete this project, we need your help.  As you can see from Jackson and Hillary, the power of education can transform lives and break the cycle of poverty.
• Despite keeping me very busy, I wanted to thank Abdi and Tom for all their help this week on these critical construction matters as we move forward on many important tasks.

Thank you all so much for helping to make this dream happen for all our Beverly School children.

Warm Wishes,

Alice

                  www.beverlyschoolofkenya.com
                  alice@beverlyschoolofkenya
                  abdi@beverlyschoolofkenya
                  tmaher@easterndevelopment.com

206 Boston Road
Sutton, MA 01590