OCC/MCO News May 2015 

Recent Events

School Results

We want to take this opportunity to congratulate all our school teachers for the commitment and effort they have shown in their work. We were able to realize one of the best results in Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in recent times.

We enrolled a total of 113 pupils who wrote the examinations and 80% scored 250 marks out of which 95% qualified to join government run schools. The girls who comprised 49% of the total candidates performed equally well with 98% qualifying to join secondary schools. We are delighted and look forward to even better results this year.

The challenge is that most of these students may fail to join high school due to a lack of school fees. Our top student who scored 400 marks nearly missed joining high school and was preparing to repeat the exams again before a well-wisher came in to support them.  

Staff

Mrs Doris Omollo who has been the head teacher at Kariobangi Community Outreach (KCO) retired at the end of last December 2014 having served successfully for the past 12 years. She has been ably replaced by Mr Michael Ochieng who had been serving as her deputy head teacher.

Mr Samson Ruwa who has been the head teacher at MCO School 4B also retired at the end of March 2015. He has been replaced by Mr Philip Amollo, who too had been his deputy teacher. Mr Ruwa served for three years as the head teacher.

It's our prayer that the new team will fit well and steer the two schools to another new level.

Savings For Life

Mathare Community Outreach (MCO), in partnership with various international organizations, is strategically planning to improve livelihoods of our targeted population in Mathare Valley and its environs through various programs, the most recent one being ‘Savings for Life’. The Savings for Life (SFL) model is a savings-based financial service which facilitates the mobilization of group members’ savings and on-lending among members only, with no external liabilities.

Savings for Life programs use the Village Savings and Loan Association methodology focused on promoting community based savings and credit groups. It uses community structures like self-help groups comprising of up to 25 members. Members meet weekly and save at least a minimum of KSH50. Members are able to take loans repayable within 3 months. Interest is charged at 10%.

This program was started at MCO with a staff of 4 in July 2014. Our target is 5,580 member participants (with their families is approx 27,900 members) by the end of 2017. So far SFL has attracted and trained 21 groups with over 300 members.

A Bible Study is used to generate spiritual transformation, not simply financial or physical transformation through savings activities alone. The 32-week Bible Study explores the restoration God desires within man’s four key relationships: Man with God, others, the environment, and himself.

The SFL methodology reduces dependency syndrome hence empowering the vulnerable communities spiritually, socially and economically. It is expected to result in improved livelihoods, to improve incomes resulting in improved ability of caretakers to send children to school, and reduced cases of child abuse and child labor. 

Buildings Demolished

Our children’s center, Kariobangi Outreach Children’s Home, was partly demolished in the month of January to make way for a new sewerage line being constructed by the government of Kenya through Athi water. One permanent boys hostel which housed 12 orphans was completely demolished which has forced us to squeeze the boys into the remaining boys hostel which also had been partly demolished. One girl’s hostel was also partly demolished destroying their bathroom. The girls are now forced to visit toilets outside the room.

Other structures completely demolished were a five door boys toilet used both by children in the school and the center. A firewood shed was also completely destroyed. This has exposed the firewood to bad weather, especially when it rains, resulting in a delay in preparing meals for the school children and the ones in the orphanage if the firewood is wet. Other areas demolished included the perimeter wall, kitchen, a boys toilet and the playground. 

The center urgently needs to rebuild a new hostel and toilet as well as a new kitchen. The government promised compensation but it will not be done as soon as was expected. It may take over a year and this will not augur well for the safety and comfort of the children. We need to start doing new construction. A girls toilet also needs to be put up inside the hostel to enhance their safety at night.

Theft

In January 2015 thieves broke into the organization's computer laboratory located at No 10 head office and stole a server, laptop and assorted accessories. The laboratory, which was only started in September 2014, was to introduce computer studies as well as embrace an online study based on Kahn Academy to high school students learning at MCO mixed secondary school. It was a dream come true as it was going to offer our students the ability to be computer literate in line with the government requirements. This is a major set back to the institution.

It was a double tragedy when in the month of March thieves again broke into the offices of the director, administrator and reception area and made away with mainly electronics e.g. laptops, desktops and cash. It is suspected the same thieves carried out the second break in. No property has since been recovered. Very important data was lost in the process and may never be recovered. Replacing the lost items has not been possible since the we lack the necessary finances to purchase new ones. 

The organization now urgently needs to beef up its security and strengthen both doors and windows by putting stronger burglar proof doors and windows. It will also be important to insure the same property in future.  

Prayer and Praise Points

Prayer

· Pray for the two court cases - one is about a bus that got involved in a fatal accident and another case involving a land dispute in Maseno. The two cases have been going on in Bondo and Kisumu courts respectively.
·  Pray for the staff and organization safety following the two break ins
·  Pray for funds to rebuild Kariobangi Children’s Home and the other buildings
·  Pray for more funds for our scholarship program to enable us to sponsor more students in the program

Praise

· We give God glory for the sterling performance in national examinations. At primary level one pupil was able to score 400 marks out of possible 500 marks. A feat the organization has not meet for a number of years.
· We thank the Lord for a successful staff party. Each staff carried a present home. 
· Appreciation to MMMM for availing funds to support Kariobangi Outreach Children's Home mainly on personal effects and medical attention