Education for Life

We have Moved!

2010-03-16T10:58:00.002+03:00

Thanks for checking in, we have moved our regular updates to our new home page. Our blog will now be updated within our main website.

Please click on the link to take you to our new site www.educationforlife.net

Thanks again for supporting our work here.

Xx Glyn & Jane

Virtual Kili Climb

2010-02-05T13:50:00.005+03:00

It's the start of the new school year so we thought it would be good to start with a walk. Not just any walk but a "Virtual Kilimanjaro Climb." The idea is not just to walk, but to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. If you could go straight up and down the mountain, the distance would be approx 12 kms, so as a school from Nursery to High School we will attempt the distance in the soaring temperatures of Mombasa. There will be markers on the way just like the real climb so for example the Nursery children will only walk to Marangu Gate while High School and staff will aim for Uhuru Peak. The photos show students, staff and some parents joining in and having fun on our last walk!

Last time we did the climb we managed to raise around £800 and use the funds to buy much needed text books for the school, Nursery equipment and a table tennis table. This year we are aiming for over £1,000 to help Tumaini Timbwani buy much needed school equipment and help needy students with a bursary.

If you are not able to join us in Mombasa on the 26th February to walk then could you sponsor us? Follow this link to Just Giving to see how the fundraising is going.

Thanks. Xx Glyn, Jane & Maureen

Mwaka Mpya

2010-01-08T15:43:00.007+03:00

Mwaka Mpya, that's Swahili for Happy New Year. We would like to wish you all a very Happy and Blessed New Year.

Tumaini Timbwani has opened for Term I, 2010 and would like to say a special welcome to new members of staff who have joined us this year. Ann is our High School Laboratory Technician, Lucy Class 1 Teacher & Sarah Kiswahili Teacher for Primary School. We would also like to say a special thank you to Mr. Duncan who has taken up the position of Primary Head Teacher. Together we are looking forward to an exciting year as Tumaini continues to grow.

Thanks again for all your support through 2009 and we look forward to giving you regular updates throughout 2010. Xx Glyn, Jane & Maureen.

Happy Christmas

2009-12-22T10:25:00.010+03:00

We would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas from everyone at Tumaini. We are having a lot of fun getting ready for Christmas. It's been all hands to the deck decorating "the room with no name, but many uses." As you can see they are enjoying a much deserved cup of tea. The children really enjoy decorating the place and it adds a really festive feel; especially as the weather is currently pushing 40 degrees! Mtavi and Nasib worked really hard to build a stable and manger for our Nativity Set and the children really love our woolly characters. Now the decorations are up and rehearsals are complete we are ready for our Christmas day service and performance by our very talented children (and puppets).

We hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year. Xx Glyn, Jane, Maureen & June.

Graduation Ceremony

2009-12-04T15:30:00.007+03:00

We have come to the end of another school year here at Tumaini, it's been a great year as was reflected in our Nursery Graduation and closing ceremony. Top overall student in upper primary was once again Emmanuel Shikku who achieved an average score of 415/500 over the year, he was very happy to receive a bicycle, especially as next year he will be in Std 8 so will not be eligible for the competition. I know the competition will be tough next year, keep up the good work!

We would like to thank everyone who has helped make 2009 a great success and look forward to Standing Together in 2010! Xx Glyn & Jane

RainMan Fire Fighting

2009-10-08T11:02:00.008+03:00

This week we have been really blessed to receive a donation of Fire Fighting equipment to the school. Thanks to Cheryl Robinson from Nebraska, USA who asked Marc & Alex from RainMan to make all the arrangements. This realeased funds that had been set aside for this to be used for other needs. The excitement mounted as we could see the water pumping through the red fire hose, then suddenly water shot out under amazing pressure. The RainMan will pump 300 ltrs of water per minute, that's a lot of water! Certainly enough to give a few hundred kids a good soaking! We certainly had a lot of fun learning how to use our new pump, if you would like to see some more photos and see if it's possible to knock a coconut out of a tree follow the link
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/timbwani/RainmanOctober2009?feat=directlink

On a more serious note we are really thankful to all those that have helped us to bring some security and piece of mind to Timbwani as there is no Fire Engine in our area! Xx Glyn & Jane

Home at last!

2009-09-29T15:36:00.006+03:00

Thank you so much to everyone that visited me and prayed for me while I was in hospital. Last Thursday I was admitted to Mombasa Hospital with a Rotator Cuff Tear, which means that somehow I tore tendons in my left shoulder and in the process broke off a piece of bone that was then floating around in my shoulder joint. I'm pleased to say the operation was a success, the tendons are repaired and the bone removed. I'm back home and resting but have to go for physiotherapy for the next 10 days and then have the stitches removed, but at least I'm able to use my arm now. The hospital staff were amazing and really looked after me, I think they were a little surprised at the amount of visitors I received, especially on Sunday. As you can see I had a room with a view, if you have to be sick it's certainly a good place to be! Thanks once again Xx Glyn & Jane

Need a hair cut sir?

2009-09-24T11:46:00.007+03:00

We have managed to set up another small business, the Swahili word "Kinyozi" means barbers. With the help of Second Chance in Sleaford we have set Joel up with a small kinyozi. He is now able to "shave heads" with his new Wahl Shaver. So far business is good, Joel charges 30p for an Adult and 20p for a Student. This is a great start and we know Joel will do well. Thanks Xx Glyn & Jane

New Term New Taps!

2009-09-12T10:39:00.004+03:00

We have just started Term III of our academic year, this is a very important term as our students have only a few weeks before their National Exams, Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). The good news is that we managed to finish installing our new automated fresh water drinking system. The tank holds 1,000 litres and fills automatically from our underground storage tank. Thanks for your continued support allowing us to improve the service we give. Xx Glyn & Jane

New Water Taps

2009-08-24T14:44:00.007+03:00

Hi, just in case you thought we had a relaxed time during the school holidays! Thanks to a generous donation we have been able to undertake some much needed maintenance work. Our previous fresh water bowser had completely rusted through and was leaking very badly so our Fundis (maintenance team) came up with this ingenious idea. Drinking water is now automatically pumped from an underground tank into the new 1,000 litre tank with 4 new taps. This should provide a much more hygienic way for children to get a drink. Kai and Omar are busy building another larger tank for the feeding programme to make it easier for the ladies to get water. The project is still underway as the finished base for the water tank will be clad with Galana Stone and the water tap surround will be tiled. Thanks Xx Glyn & Jane

Marking Day!

2009-08-14T09:44:00.006+03:00

At the beginning of July George planted his Sukuma Wiki (Curly Kale) seedlings, he has cared for his crop each day with regluar watering and weeding, until it was ready to harvest. Jane cooked up a wonderful mix of Sukuma Wiki and vegetables to have with our meal, it was a real treat. We now have to wait for the examiners to give their grades for all our Agriculture students, but if the taste test is anything to go by they should all get Grade "A". Well done! Xx Glyn & Jane

National Music Festival

2009-08-08T10:51:00.005+03:00

This year the Final of the Annual National Music Festival was held at the Aga Khan School in Mombasa, out of the hundreds of schools that entered, 14 qualified for the finals. Tumaini Primary Boys Choir qualified for the final, singing a set piece about riding on a donkey in Quebec, most of our students have never seen a donkey or know where Quebec is! They practiced and practiced until even we knew all the words to the song. On the day they gave an outstanding performance and scored 87%, which gave them 3rd place overall. We are really proud of them, Tumaini Primary Boys Choir is officially one of the best choirs in the country, especially as 2nd place scored 88% and 1st place scored 89%. Well done boys and especially Joel our Choir Master who put so much effort in. Lets make it 1st place next year! Thanks Xx Glyn & Jane

New Business Start Up

2009-07-31T12:00:00.009+03:00

Vivian is one of our "Tumaini Kids" who finished High School last year, to date she has been unable to find work, but thanks to a generous donation from Second Chance in Sleaford we have been able to set Vivian up in a small business. Vivian wakes early to make the mixture for a Kenyan favourite, Mandazi, it's a kind of doughnut. They are fried fresh each morning and sold to staff and students at break time, they are very tasty, not sure how many calories but it's worth it!. As you can see they are very popular. Vivian plans to introduce chips and other small items next term. Well done Vivian, with a bit of help from Mary our house mother! Not forgetting Second Chance for making it all possible. Xx Glyn & Jane

Agriculture Field Trip

2009-07-25T11:39:00.006+03:00

Our Form IV Agriculture students had a chance to learn first hand about dairy farming at the coast. Our local farm has around 45 Jersey cows producing very creamy milk! It's an amazing place, different grasses are grown as feed to produce high quality milk. Nothing goes to waste as Bio Gas is produced to make electricity and to pasturise the milk. I think the tasting session at the end of the tour gave our students a taste of heaven. Xx Glyn & Jane.

Joseph & His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat

2009-07-20T10:16:00.005+03:00

Wow! What a performance, on Saturday Tumaini students and staff put on a fantastic performance of Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Maureen and our music teacher Joel worked really hard to bring an idea to reality. Peter Juma one of our Tumaini Kids gave an outstanding performance as Joseph, it was great to see staff and students working together to tell this memorable story in a way never seen before by many. Thanks to all those that worked so hard, God bless. Xx Glyn & Jane

Sports & Fun Day

2009-07-13T15:05:00.004+03:00

What an amazing day! We are due to start end of term exams next week so to give children and staff a time to relax we have just had our sports and fun day. What was even more exciting was the fact that it was on our new plot of land. We had to clear a lot of bush but what a great day was had by all, once again staff won basketball and netball while high school boys won the football match. As you can see it's serious stuff for a fun day! So until next time, thanks Xx Glyn & Jane

Seedling to Nursery!

2009-07-03T10:19:00.005+03:00

It's the time of year that our Form 4 Agriculture students prepare for their end of year project, this year we are growing Sukuma Wiki (Curly Kale). George carefully plants his seedlings, he will record its progress in his journal and submit his findings as part of his final Agriculture exam. The seedlings are doing well as you can see from the nursery photo below. Now we can bring our own fresh water to the school projects like this are a lot more affordable and successful. Thanks once again for helping our students excel. Xx Glyn & Jane

Time 4 a Game!

2009-06-27T10:50:00.004+03:00

Our football pitch is now in a playable form, thanks everybody for all your hard work clearing the land. As you can see lower primary boys are having a great time in a safe and secure environment, can you spot the ball? There is still some work to do to level the land but as least it's now usable. Thanks for following our progress. Xx Glyn & Jane

An Exciting Day

2009-06-23T12:44:00.005+03:00

It really was a day full of anticipation and excitement as Standard 5 Primary Class set off to Moi International Airport, Mombasa. None of the children had ever been to an airport or ever seen an aeroplane close up. They all did really well and enjoyed completing their questionnaires. All in all a great day was had by all. Thanks Xx Glyn & Jane

Breakthrough!

2009-06-11T19:32:00.008+03:00

It's not quite the Berlin Wall but it's a major breakthrough for all of us at Tumaini. We completed the boundary wall and as you can see are well on the way to joining the new land with the existing school plot. There was a mighty cheer as our guys pushed over the wall and the two plots became one! We plan on using the reclaimed blocks to build a half way house for people in need of a home, watch this space! Our task now is to clear the land and make it into a sports field fit for an international team! Thanks again for all your support. Xx Glyn & Jane

Building at Last!

2009-06-04T16:14:00.008+03:00

We have had a long wait but finally we have started to build. Today we managed to join our new wall to the existing school compound, there was a lot of rejoicing!

We worked fast and everyone played a part, Rebekah carried blocks for Mr Ben to lay while Maureen was a Wendy (you'll know what I mean if you are a Bob the Builder fan!). Once the wall is complete we will start to clear the land in preparation for a much needed playing field.

Once again inflation is eating away at our budget, if you are able to help in any way please drop me an email. Thanks Xx Glyn & Jane

Thanks Greg & Nicola

2009-03-31T15:16:00.004+03:00

Last Sunday was a great day for Greg and for Education for Life. Greg ran the Reading Half Marathon in an impressive time of 1 hr 43 mins and raised £280 for Ed 4 Life, you can see him in the white T-Shirt crossing the finish line.

Nicola was due to run with Greg but had to withdraw under doctor's orders, sorry for that, there's always next year! This year's event saw 17,000 people out running on the streets of Reading with the finish line at the Madjeski Stadium, home of Reading Football Club just in case you are not a fan!

Everybody here in Mombasa would like to thank you guys, we are facing a tough time and your fundraising will help feed many children during the Easter Holiday. Asante Sana Xx Glyn & Jane.

New Land

2009-03-07T10:19:00.004+03:00

We have some really exciting news. Last week we received the Title Deeds to a new plot of land, the land is adjacent to our new High School plot and is approximately 1 acre. The land was given to the school by a local business man, Asante Sana. We have put a gate in our existing wall while we wait for planning permission to build a wall around the new plot.
We plan to use most of the land for a sports field for both Primary and High School. If you would like to know more or could help with the cost of building the wall we would really appreciate you dropping us an email. Thanks again Xx Glyn & Janey

BBC News!

2009-02-27T18:07:00.007+03:00

Hi, it's certainly been an interesting week! On Tuesday I was contacted by the BBC in London as a follow up to the piece they wrote last November. I was interviewed on the phone about how the weak pound is affecting our work.

If you would like to read the article you can click on this link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7905879.stm

Thanks Xx Glyn & Janey

Sports & Fun Day

2009-02-21T07:50:00.007+03:00

It's that time again, mid term exams! So the Friday before we get down to the serious stuff we have a sports and fun day, everyone from Nursery to High School and Staff are involved. This year we have egg and spoon, sack races and some very close relay races. The competition between staff and students was very hot! Dr. Winston was called upon on more than one occasion, this time it was Omar who needed help as his staff team lost 2-1 to High School in the Football Final. Staff managed to redeem themselves winning Netball and Basketball, while the students finished ahead on aggregate winning both the running races and volleyball.
A great day was had by all, and I'm sure there are some aching limbs this morning. Thanks Xx Glyn & Jane

New Classes

2009-02-13T19:37:00.007+03:00

It's taken some time but at last we have Home Economics or Cooking Classes, boys and girls alike had a great time making chapati and beef stew. The smell was amazing and apparently it tasted fantastic as well, I think our cooks were secretly impressed! This year we are hoping to introduce more practical classes both to Primary and High School.
Aaron seems quite at home pounding the flour to make his chapati, washing up time was fun aswell!
Thanks to all our loyal followers, sorry the updates have been a bit sparse lately but I'm back on the job now. Xx Glyn & Janey

Asia comes to Africa

2009-01-16T01:52:00.003+03:00

This week our children were treated to a taste of Asia, as a team from Youth with a Mission arrived from Korea. Our children were amazed to see such fantastic national dress and dance. Our visitors performed traditional songs and dramas. The girls loved the fan dances, while the boys loved the magic show. It was a wonderful day, thanks to all. Xx Glyn, Jane and Maureen

Happy New Year & Congratulations

2009-01-09T01:06:00.005+03:00

Happy New Year from us all at Tumaini. We would like to say a massive thanks to our sponsors who have been with us through out 2008. Our K.C.P.E results are now in and we can congratulate our top 3 students Emily Auma achieved Grade B+, Hassan Seif achieved Grade B and Peter Juma and Feisal Shibe achieved Grade B-. As a class the mean grade was C, so congratulations to all. We are now looking forward to enrolling students into Tumaini High School. Xx Glyn & Jane

Give a Smile for Christmas

2008-12-13T16:52:00.006+03:00

Can you Give a Smile this Christmas? Due to the current ecomomic climate many of our children at Tumaini do not have a decent pair of shoes, t-shirt & school bag. A full school uniform helps a child to feel part of the school and enjoy all the activities to the full, especially games. A good pair of shoes, t-shirt and a school bag are out of reach for most families but are an important part of the school uniform here in Kenya.
For £25 you can give a gift of a pair of shoes, t-shirt & school bag for a child a Tumaini.

You can send us a Cheque or donate online.

Make a Child Smile this Christmas

Fresh Water, O Yes!!!!

2008-12-05T14:45:00.005+03:00

O Yes, we are now able to deliver fresh water to the school. Our Mitsubishi Canter has a 2,500 litre water tank fitted to it. We now buy water at £4 for 2,500 litres rather £10, it's a great saving! The water is piped to a distribution point located 4 miles from the school where we now collect water, it's takes on average 2 hrs to make a delivery!
Today the Canter is being used to collect Timber and Floor Tiles to enable us to finish our last High School Classroom, if we did not have our own transport it would have cost us £45 today just to get the building materials from town to school.
Thanks for the blessing. Xx Glyn & Janey

Janey's School of Driving!

2008-11-28T18:19:00.004+03:00

Our Water Truck is on the road and "Street Legal" but before anyone is allowed on the streets they must pass through "Janey's School of Driving" We had a lot of fun, reversing between cones into a pretend garage. The funniest thing was when Jane put a piece of cardboard on the floor, drew a red line across it and said reverse and stop the back of the truck over the red line! Mbaraku and Austin just laughed and said "It's impossible!" Janey promptly jumped into the cab and showed them how it's done! At the end of the session all passed and we still had 3 cones in tact!

So on Monday we will make our first water delivery, watch this space for more pictures. Thanks again for all those who helped us to buy the water truck. Xx Glyn & Janey

Parent's Day

2008-11-22T08:45:00.004+03:00

We have come to the end of another school year, the children were really happy to sing, dance, recite poems and perform drama's in front of their parents.

Once again the competition was tough for the top student overall for the year, this year the award once again goes to a different student, David Mwenda Ikunga of Std 3, well done David. I think he will have to work hard if he wants to maintain his position as he joins upper primary in January.

We are continuing with our building project and hope to have the High School classrooms completely finished by the end of the year.
Now the school year has finished we are about to launch our Christmas Campaign "Give a Smile for Christmas" in preparation for next year. Full details will be posted on the blog in the 1st week of December but if you would like more information before then just drop me an email. Thanks again for helping to make 2008 a successful year. Xx Glyn & Janey

Cut & Paste!

2008-11-14T14:30:00.005+03:00

So we have had another great week, Primary Students have completed their National Exams and we are cutting tiles for our third High School Classroom.
K.C.P.E results will be released at the end of December, we are hoping that most of our students will qualify for a place in Tumaini High, next week is the last week of term for the rest of our students who are looking forward to performing songs and dances in front of parents and teachers. and hopefully receiving a prize for most improved or cleanest student!
We will start plastering our final High School Classroom on Monday so that we have all 4 ready for the start of the new school year in January. We hope you have a great weekend. Xx Glyn & Janey

Oh heck! What next?

2008-11-10T11:14:00.002+03:00

So today is the day! Form 4 have finished their exams, there are mixed emotions around the place, a lot of relief mixed with fear of the unknown. The world awaits! The results will be out at the end of February and those fortunate enough to be offered a place at University will be informed by September, so it's a long wait.

Thanks to all you who have supported us to this momentous day, some of our students have been with us through thick and thin, through different schools for the last 8 years. It's been a journey well worth taking. Thank you all. Xx Glyn & Janey

Empty Pot!

2008-10-24T15:42:00.005+03:00

Hi we have had a good week with the KCSE exams going really well, so far students have completed papers in English, Swahili, Geography, Physics and Christian Religious Education. They still have a long way to go as exams continue until the 10th November.

Thanks to all those who are helping with our feeding programme, especially those who have made extra commitments. From next month we will be increasing the amount of food that we cook, I have to admit that as I went outside to see the food distributed today that I cried as the food ran out! There were still at least 50 children waiting patiently who left hungry, I wanted to run inside and take food from anywhere and give them something!
Hopefully this won't happen next month! We know that we still need to increase the portion sizes, if you can help please contact us. Xx Glyn & Jane

K.C.S.E.

2008-10-17T19:04:00.005+03:00

Wow! What a week, but we made it. The Fundi's (Builders) have really worked hard and as you can see below the class needed for exams is finished. Today the invigilators came and set the desks out, ready for an early start on Tuesday, as Monday is a public holiday. We also managed to get the hallway plastered and a window fitted, the front office ceiling finished and undercoat applied to the walls so that the invigilators can use the room. Our third classroom is painted and ready for tiling after the exams finish on the 10th November.

Our Form 4 students are ready if a little nervous, please pray for them, they have a tough 3 weeks ahead. Xx Glyn & Jane

Deadline Approaching!

2008-10-10T15:25:00.002+03:00

It's been a busy week and our deadline is fast approaching, exam time tables were handed out yesterday, students wandered around with a worried look on their faces, will our classes be ready? Yes we said confidently. The whole team has worked incredibly hard this week, including today, which is a public holiday. The floor of the first classroom is almost complete, we hope to have a ribbon cutting ceremony by Tuesday! The second classroom has a new ceiling and the first notice board finished. By the end of next week Form 4 students will have the classes they need for their exams. Thanks guys. Xx Glyn & Jane

Getting There!

2008-10-03T15:20:00.006+03:00

Well we've come to the end of a busy week, thanks guys for all the hard work! This week has been unbearably humid, so we're all a bit whacked! Progress has been good, the first classroom will be ready for tiling on Monday and the ceiling is almost complete for the second classroom. We have put windows in the third classroom, but plan to leave that as it is until the other two are fully complete.

Thanks to all those who have given to our water project, if you don't know what I'm talking about drop me an email for more information. Thanks Xx Glyn & Jane

2008-09-27T10:35:00.004+03:00

We have had a busy week, as you can see a lot of sand had to be sieved for the plasterers. So by the end of the week we have two classrooms plastered and floors laid ready for tiling.
Rob and Steve have been busy on the ceilings, they very carefully set out the panels so that the ceiling boards would go up easily, only to find all the ceiling boards were all slightly different sizes, so this morning they are busy trimming the boards with a stanley knife!
Next week we hope to get one classroom painted ready for the final stage of tiling the floor. Thanks from all of us here.

Back in Business!

2008-09-19T14:22:00.004+03:00

Yes it's good news, we have started building again. As you can see our cement mixer is working to full capacity so that the plasterers can finish the walls and floor ready for Mr. Rob and the joiners to start on the ceiling. Not to be left standing, the joiners are busy making windows for the next classroom.

We are against the clock as Form 4 National Exams start on 21st October so we must be finished by then. Watch this space for weekly updates. Xx Glyn & Jane

Fresh Water, If Only!

2008-09-15T19:49:00.004+03:00

Once again we are facing problems with a reliable supply of affordable fresh water to the school.
The main cost is transportation currently 87% of our total water bill is the cost of getting the water to our school either by man power or water truck.
Can you help us overcome this? We have written a proposal, if you would like a copy of how you can help just send me an email to mombasa@educationforlife.net
Thanks Xx Glyn & Jane

Finsihed!

2008-09-01T10:57:00.004+03:00

Wow! What a roof, it took a couple of weeks but as you can see Juma and Joyce are very happy with their new roof. They can now all sleep safe in the knowledge that they will not get wet! We will be starting building work again at Tumaini in the next couple of weeks, Asante Sana Rotherham New Life for your continued support. We are hoping to finish the remaining 3 classrooms, inflation and exchange rate permitting! We will keep you updated as the work starts. Xx Glyn & Janey

Room with a View!

2008-08-22T14:50:00.011+03:00

This is Juma's House or as he's better know in the village "Baba Mpole" or "Polite Grandfather" Juma lives in a mud house with a Makuti (Palm Leaf) Roof with his wife Joyce and 3 grand children. When the heavy rains came the house would leak, but more of a concern was because the walls are made of mud the water would soak in and cause them to collapse. So this week thanks to generous donations we have been able to start on a new roof to ensure Baba Mpole, Joyce and their grand children sleep well at night. I will keep you up to date as the roof takes shape. If you would like to help someone like Juma, please drop us a line. Xx Glyn & Jane

Sight Returning!

2008-08-20T16:07:00.004+03:00

Great News! Said is doing really well after his operation. His sight has improved tremendously, however, he still needs to go back to the clinic for regular check ups, we have been told that his sight should return gradually but he might need a further operation.

Please continue to pray for Said, he's a lovely little boy who's enjoying his new gift. Xx Glyn & Jane

Edinburgh Marathon

2008-07-23T11:49:00.003+03:00

Well done Lucie! 4 hrs 37 mins & 42 seconds to complete the 26.2 mile Edinburgh Marathon.

Lucie ran the Edinburgh Marathon to raise money for Education for Life and has raised £1,300, also thanks to ING Real Estate who matched Lucies fund raising. The photo shows Lucie with her running partner and boyfriend Mike. Thanks guys!

Are you up for a challenge? Can you do something similar? Go for it, give us a call. Thanks Xx Glyn & Jane

Sports & Fun Day

2008-06-26T09:31:00.009+03:00

Last week was Sports & Fun Day, the whole school from Nursery to High get involved, what about staff you ask? Yes they are fully involved in all the games, more about staff vs students later!

So Nursery started with a Banana race, lots of shouting and jumping up & down, I'm not sure what happened to our little boys banana!

Kenyans love to run, and today was no exception! You can almost hear the excitement as they cross the finish line. So onto Staff vs Students, football was a resounding victory for the students both primary and high school boys beat the staff! However, basketball was where the real action was and a nail biting game over 4 quarters ended in a Staff victory 25-21 points and season tally of 3 matches to 1. Well done guys!

Rain, rain, rain!!!

2008-06-20T10:49:00.006+03:00

Wow! What a wet week, the guttering was working to full capacity and amazingly our Africa water tank was completely full in 2 days! It's quite a contraption, but it works, well done Kai and the team! The result as well as much needed water was a beautiful rainbow over the school.

Today is our Term II sports and fun day, we are hoping for a dry day so that all can enjoy. The match of the day will be High School Boys vs Staff at Basketball, so far it's 2 games to 1 to Staff, and last time we only beat them by 1 point!

I can see!

2008-06-12T19:50:00.002+03:00

Said is 5 years old and has been with us at Tumaini since January '07. He had very little sight and therefore struggled to learn with other children who are able to see. Around two months ago, following tests, our Special Needs teacher Mr Kibe was told that Said could undergo an operation to gain some sight and that as he is below 7 years of age, there's a good chance of success. The operation took place last week and Said is now recovering. The surgeon made a hole in the lens of both eyes to allow light to pass through to the retina. Said is able to see more than he could see before and he has a check up on 26th June. Please pray that his eyes heal quickly and that Said gains good sight.

Orange or Grey?

2008-06-06T10:07:00.004+03:00

If only it were that easy? What am I talking about? Guttering, what else would be so complicated! As you can see the guttering is a lovely shade of Orange, looks OK until you discover the connecting pieces are grey! Watch this space for next weeks photos.

The window frames are coming on nicely, thanks to our tailors who seem to have had their space well and truly encroached upon!

To save costs we are working with our own fundis (maintenance team), the progress is a little slower but will ensure we come within our budget.

Thanks once again for supporting us through difficult times, inflation is now running at 31.5%, which is making it difficult to plan ahead.

Mosquito!

2008-05-30T16:55:00.002+03:00

Thanks for checking in on our progress. Well after 8 years they finally got me! I've been down with Malaria this week, temperature of 39.5 degrees and feeling pretty rough! So after 4 injections and a lot of rest this week (policed by Jane!) I'm starting to feel a little better. Needless to say we haven't made much progress on the classes this week, so after Madaraka (Independence) Day holiday on Monday we are hoping to press on! Xx Glyn

Seeing Blue Again!

2008-05-23T15:16:00.003+03:00

The rain has really rained this week! Amazingly our guys have worked through it all to complete the roof. Thanks Mr. Rob and Steve for keeping it all going! As I write this the finishing touches are going on to the "kofia" or ridge pieces, as you can see from the photo.So next week we will be working inside in the dry, making window frames and ceilings.

Trusses

2008-05-19T11:36:00.003+03:00

So we start another week, the trusses are up! We now have to secure and brace them before we can start with the iron sheets. We had to clear out what looked like a swimming pool this morning after it rained all weekend, hopefully we will get a dry week and be able to complete the roof by Friday.

Timber!!

2008-05-09T11:22:00.004+03:00

Thanks again Rotherham New Life for your help in getting the project off the ground again! We have managed to buy all the timber needed to roof three classes. This week we have started making roof trusses, as you can see we have completed 3 already!
If you notice sticks tied together in the background that's our Form 4 Agriculture project, they have to make compost as part of their National Exams (K.C.S.E). We are now 1 week into Term 2 and students and staff alike are working hard to achieve good exam results.

Thanks again to all who are following our progress. Xx Glyn & Jane.

Changing Seasons!

2008-04-07T14:31:00.000+03:00

Due to the increasing strength of the Kenyan Shilling and the rapid rise in inflation, currently 21.8%, we have decided to postpone the building work for a short time.
If you would like to do any fundraising events to help us through this difficult time as we support the local community and continue our regular programmes within the school, please contact us so that we can help you to organise your event. Thanks Xx Glyn & Jane

Hip Hop!

2008-03-28T10:38:00.006+03:00

Wow! What a day, over 400 young people turned up at Tumaini to help us celebrate Easter. Along with our own artists DJ Joysee, Sister V, Angel C's and DNC we had artists from Nairobi and Uganda perform, the crowd bopped to the beat of Prince Ris, Bamba Fifty and Brayo G! The PA System was at full capacity as the crowd joined in with Fire, Fire, Fire and Choma! The atmosphere was electric, but don't worry you can be part of the day, we have produced a CD of the artists which will be available when we visit the UK in the summer, book early to avoid disappointment!

Work will start next week on the roof for classes 1, 2 and 3. Have a great weekend. Xx Glyn & Janey.

Happy Easter

2008-03-21T10:07:00.004+03:00

This is a great weekend to celebrate and we have a lot to be thankful for, Easter is time for reflection and thanksgiving for the incredible gift of life we have received through the death and resurrection of Jesus. We are planning an incredible music extravaganza, we have local artists as well as some from Nairobi and Uganda performing at Tumaini on Saturday and Sunday with a grand finale on Monday. It's going to be an explosion of music, dance, drama and puppets!

More thanks this week to Rotherham New Life for a donation that will allow us to continue building and finish the roof for Forms 1,2 & 3. We plan to start construction of the roof trusses the week after next, and as always we will keep you up to date with our progress. This is how the project is looking at the moment. We hope you have a great Easter weekend, we are certainly planning to jig, rap, bop or wriggle to the sound of the beat!!! Xx Glyn & Jane

Eureka!

2008-03-12T11:24:00.007+03:00

So the debate is finally over! Form 4 have moved into their new classroom. There was much excitment and a scramble for the best position in class. Each chair and desk was inspected and new rubber feet fitted before being allowed into class. As you can see there is now plenty of space, it's light and airy, a perfect environment to make our next anouncement. We have received our Registration Papers for K.C.S.E exams that will take place in October, our Form 4 students are officially "Canditates for 2008".

Can you help us to move on? We need to complete classes for Forms 1,2 & 3. Our first priority is to put up a roof before the rains start at the end of this month, we can then continue on whatever the weather! Thanks for helping us to get this far. Xx Glyn & Janey

So Close!

2008-03-07T18:43:00.004+03:00

So close, but I'm sorry you will have to wait until next week to see our students sat at their desks. Our fundi's have worked really hard this week and are determined that the classroom will be ready for Monday, so as a team have agreed to work Saturday.
There is much debate in High School, will it be Form 1 or Form 4 that get to occupy the new classroom. They have both put forward very good arguments as to why their class should have priority, obviously neither class has read the blog!

Blossom before Spring!

2008-02-29T18:20:00.012+03:00

It's looks like Janey was right, the walls have now been painted and it looks fantastic!

The windows have been varnished, that's George adding the finishing touches and the notice boards are in place. So next week we start tiling the floor, then apply the final coat of paint to the blackboard and move our Form 4 Students in.

It's been amazing how our team have pulled together to complete this classroom in a realtively short time. Well done guys, and Elizabeth!

News hot of the press, we have just received a shipment of 14 Computers, donated by Tonbridge School in Kent, more details to follow as we unpack the boxes. Asante Sana!

Ladders & Ceilings!

2008-02-22T18:26:00.006+03:00

As another week draws to a close, we have some interesting photos to share with you. The ceiling is now almost complete, what took the time I hear you ask? Well we had to make the ladders first, as you can see no expense spared! The walls have had their first coat of paint, as we wait for the coloured paint to be mixed and transported from Nairobi, can you believe it, there's no coloured Weatherguard paint in Mombasa!!! The external walls and veranda have now been plastered so it's all looking very nice.

Next week we will finish the ceiling, fix the notice boards and then paint with the lovely "blossom" Weathguard specially mixed in Nairobi paint! We will then be ready to tile the floors and move our Form 4 Students in. Thanks Xx Glyn & Jane

Window to the World!

2008-02-16T09:44:00.009+03:00

Hi from Mombasa again, we have had another great week and as you can see have made good progress. The window frames are in, walls plastered and even the blackboard has had a first coat of paint (more amazing than you might think cos the paint takes 4 days to dry and needs a couple of coats, so you've guessed, it's normally the last job! So you have a fully completed class that you can't write on the blackboard, not this time!)

We've ordered paint, Jane's input "Blossom" inside and "Sandstone" outside, I'm assured it will look lovely! Before we paint we have to put up celings and notice boards, so you may have to wait an extra week to see the final out come. Floor tiles are on order so we are looking for a 2 week completion for this first stage. Next week is a crucial time here in Kenya as the reconciliation talks enter what is hoped to be the final stage. Top level meetings will be held on Monday and we pray for good out come. Thanks for taking the time to be involved with our work here, and have a great and blessed week. Xx Glyn & Jane

More Blue!

2008-02-09T09:28:00.000+03:00

Wow! What a week, we started early Monday with a radical new truss design (thank's Mr. Rob). Our team of fundi's (joiners) said "It won't work!" What they meant is we've never done one like this before. As you can see it worked, looks good would use less iron sheets!

So we set about buying 100 iron sheets, it was good to get my sales head on again and go out bargaining, it took all Thursday morning but the deal was done and the sheets were delivered. As you can see it's looking good. The windows have been made to measure and are being delivered today ready for an early start on Monday. Once the windows and door are set we will start plastering inside, messy but fun! Thanks again for being part of this exciting project.

New Year New Term

2008-02-02T10:17:00.000+03:00

We have started Term I, 2008 with some exciting news! Yes we have received our permanent registration certificate for Primary School. Most children have now reported back to school.

High School now has a full complement of students, which means we are in desperate need of extra classrooms. To date we have managed to get 4 classrooms up to roof level, and plan to fully complete one classroom and move Form 4 students in as soon as possible. We will then need further funding to complete the final 3 classrooms. Can you help?

Kenya News

2008-01-22T09:42:00.000+03:00

Due to the current situation in Kenya many people have been displaced from their homes, Education for Life is doing all that it can to help, if you would like to know more about the current situation please visit the BBC website http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/default.stm

If you would like to contact us direct, you can do so though our website http://educationforlife.net/

One Goal

2008-01-20T20:49:00.000+03:00

One of our goals is the pursuance of unity - we do not believe in segregation or separation.

All of our children/students learn together no matter what tribe, religion, sex or ability.

In learning together we learn to love. appreciate, respect and understand one another in our individuality; whilst remembering that each individual has a great contribution to society and together as one we will make one great nation!