Angaza 2008

Dedicated to Rev. Francis Rai Ndoro

Editorial

This is the 5th issue of ANGAZA annual e_newsletter proudly brought to you by KAG School. The present edition is dedicated to the late Rev Francis Rai Ndoroh, the founder member of KAG School.

In this issue you will find an account of the post election violence that hit Kenya in the beginning of 2008 leading to serious loss of life and property. More than 1000 people were killed with thousands displaced from their homes. Normalcy could only return after the signing of a Peace Accord that gave birth to current government of national unity.

The passing on of Rev. Francis Rai Ndoroh was a big brow to KAG fraternity. Until his death Rev Francis was the pastor of KAG Church in Msambweni as well as the manager of KAG School. We shall surely miss this man of God.

As in the past editions, the present issue highlights the achievements KAG has made in educations and extra curriculum activities including sports and community service. The kids corner as well as letters from our sponsors make a good read. We are very proud to be associated with the success of the KAG School. I hope you will find the issue informative, entertaining and educative. Merry Chrismas.

Editor

School Board of Management

• Chairman: Joseph Gathonga
• Ag. Manager: Rev. Mohamed Jerumani
• Coordinator of international links: James G. Kairo
• Treasurer: Caroline Wanjiru
• ANGAZA Editorial Board: Dr J. Kairo and Enock Amosa

School Administration

• Headmaster: Mr. Harrison Kamere
• Accountant: Mr Alphose Okumu
• Curriculum Heads: M/s Doris Bagubagu, M/s Joyce Njeri
• Students Councilor Discipline: Mr. Christopher Michael and Irene Onderi
• Games Mistress: Grace Katana

A test of Democracy

An Account of Post-election violence that hit Kenya in early parts of 2008

Narrated by Dr J. Kairo, KAG Board Member

On December 27, 2007, I spent a good part of the day in the polling center. I was among the 9.0 million Kenyans across the country that took part in the general election. There were 9 presidential candidates contesting for the presidency in the last year’s election. The most popular candidates were, however, Mr Mwai Kibaki of the ruling party and Mr Raila Oginga representing the opposition party.

Kibaki hails from central Kenya and is a Kikuyu by tribe. Kibaki was seeking re-election to lead the country for further 5 years. On the other hand, Raila hails from western Kenya, a Luo by tribe and it is the first time he was seeking for the big post.

Cry my beloved country. A victim of post election violence

On 28th December, Kenyans were glued to their TV for the presidential results to be announced. Unfortunately, the results of the highly contested polls were not released until 31st December 2007. The delays in the release of the results caused tensions and anxiety throughout the country. Initial results indicated Raila leading by more than a million votes. In the night before the winner was announced, the gap had reduced to less than 40 thousands.

As the gap between Raila and Kibaki shortened, there arose opposition suspicions. Worse so was the Electoral Commission of Kenya’s decision to suspend the tallying of the presidential polls to another day; signaling that even if President Kibaki was finally declared re-elected, it was a tarnished victory.

Much of the problems centered on two issues. The inordinate delays by the Electoral Commission of releasing presidential results; and the opposition suspicions over the way President Kibaki overnight closed the gap on his main challenger, Mr Raila Oginga.

When the results were officially announced, President Kabaki was in the lead with about 4.6 million votes against Raila who managed 4.3 million votes. There was no outright winner in this election.

The results brought protests in most parts of the country. The worst hit areas being the western part of the country in Kisumu, Kakamega as well as in the Rift Valley province. In Eldoret town for instance a group of women and children that hid in a church were burnt alive. Those that managed to escape fire were hacked to death with machetes and crude weapons. Similar incidences occurred in Nairobi, Mombasa and in the Rift valley. The violence led to property loss exceeding US$5billion; the annual budget required by the government to run the health and education sector in the country.

Normalcy could only return after the signing of a Peace Accord that gave birth to current government of national unity. Although there are few people still stacked in the internally displaced camps, we are grateful for the efforts made to bring peace into our beloved country.

Making KAG the School of Choice

A summary speech delivered by Harrison Kamere, Headmaster KAG; during the School Closing Day held on th Nov. 2008

Ladies and gentlemen. From our humble beginning in 2001, KAG School has grown to be a school of choice in Msambweni district. The current enrolment has risen to 285 children of which 150 are boys. There are 17 teachers and 7 support staff currently employed by the school. We are very grateful for the continued support we have received from our partners throughout the world. We are particularly grateful to the Emily African Program for making our dreams a reality.

Part of KAG Teaching Staff

Our achievements have not been without challenges. One of our greatest challenges since 2001 has been to ensure that we construct a new classroom every year. Since 2001, we have managed to construct a total of 8 new classrooms. Our UK partners particularly, have been very innovative on this. Through Mama Rosemary and Dilys the team has organized African Fayres to fundraise for the school.

The geographical location of our school is a big challenge the school has to live with. Msambweni district is among the resource poorest regions of our country. The area is agriculturally poor, mostly due to poor rains as well as wildlife. With shortages of food and lack of formal employment, most parents cannot afford to feed their children nor pay school fees in time.

In the early part of this year, the school was seriously affected by post election violence that hit our country. Some parents had to free their homes for safety. During this period the school had to survive with the minimum. We thank all those that who worked tirelessly to bring our country back on track.

This year, KAG fraternity was seriously affected by the loss of a father, brother, and mentor Rev Francis Rai Ndoro. Rev Francis initiated several development projects in the school including a dining hall for the for the nursery section of the school. Rev Francis was our liaison officer; he always spoke well for KAG School. May God rest his soul in eternal peace. Amen

We cannot forget the financial crisis that has hit the world this year. Apart from directly affecting our sponsors, the fluctuating shilling has made it very difficult for us to plan ahead. The strengthening shilling has very much affected the British Pound and the Euro where most of our sponsors are based. For instance in 2005/6 the pound was cashing at KSh 140 to 150; today you will be very lucky to exchange at KSh 106 to a pound.

With your partnership and cooperation KAG School will for sure provide you with the education you all dream for your children. For years ahead we plan to start boarding facility, construct a library and IT room, and a dining hall. Indeed we want to make this school of choice in Msambweni District and beyond. Merry Christmas and happy new year 2009’

2008 Academic Report

Prepared by Omosa, KAG Academic Master

With profound gratitude the curriculum department wishes to commend members of staff for their dedicated efforts in improving the academic performance of our school. Overall there was good improvement from 1st to 3rd term. With a working average of 350 marks out of the possible 500; the best performance overall were standard 3, 2 and 1 in that order. Our first candidate for the national KCPE will be in 2009. We urge all stakeholders i.e. parents, the school BOG, administration and the pupils to work as a team and realize our dreams and achieve our goals.

Remember success comes to those who plan, prepare, pursue and are willing to endure pain in order to achieve their goals and to improve in our minis cores.

Visitors Book

In 2007 our school received a number of visitors, both from within and abroad;

• March 2008: Area education officer Msambweni, Mr Kandingo made an official trip to the school
• August 2008: We were privileged Earthwatch volunteers in our school. The group planted commemorative trees.
• November 2008. The school hosted Jim Donnan and Mike Williams from Emley African Schools Project, UK. As usual the two brought stationery, game equipments and bought text books.

Investing in a Future and Hope at the KAG School

Msambweni District is a newly created district from the large Kwale District. Situated in the south coast of the coast province, the district is a densely populated area. The sad fact however is that most of the populace here are poor. The main economic activity is fishing. Hundreds of children sleep hungry every night. Morning finds them in the ocean-fishing. Going to school was a luxurious thing, infact it had never crossed in their minds that one day they will go to school.

I am convicted this was the reason KAG school was born. I have learnt that almost half of the school’s populations are orphans. The school has given them a future and a hope. The children have grasped the opportunity hungrily and hold it jealously into their hearts. Hundreds of orphans and needy children regardless of their tribe and religion have a reason to smile.

2008 Graduation ceremony at KAG School

I wish to thank the sponsors, directors and the teaching fraternity for hearing the silent cry, for wiping away the tears and dedicating their life to the children’s future. Thank you for lending a hand, for giving them a future ….and a hope.

Mr. Omosa, English Teacher, KAG School

Noticeboard

• During the 2007/08 FY the school employed four new teachers: Mary Nyamboke, Grace Duda, Nicholas Kimani, Nelson Ouma, Enock Omosa, Jencita Mutisya, Rose Wanjiru, ll together the school has now 17 teachers.
• Following the death of Rev Francis Rai Ndoroh, the church has appointed Rev Mohammed Jerumani as the new pastor of the KAG Church. Rev Jerumani will also serve as the new Manager of KAG School.
• Our current enrolment stands at 285 children, 54 of whom are sponsored. Towards the end of 2007, we had a total of 250 children and so have increased by 35 children
• Next term starts on 6th Jan 2009

CLUBS AND SOCIETIES

Environmental Club.

The KAG School Environmental Club is involved in keeping the school compound tidy by planting flowers and trees of different variety. During the month of April club members participated in ‘Sherehekea Mazingira 2008’ art and poetry competition organized by the Kenya Wildlife Service in which we managed position 3 overall. In June 2008, we participated in the 14th edition of National Marine Environment Day. The theme was ‘protect Kenyan’s reefs. The future plan of the club is to start a botanical garden in the school whereby we can plant different plants of economic importance

Drama/ music club

During the 2008 the Drama Club managed to reach national level with oral verse and poetry after beating all schools in coast province. We hope to do even better in the years to come.

Scouting

In 2008 the scouting club participated in two camps whereby lifesaving skills were introduced to members. Certificate of participations were awarded to members.

Games department

Friday is a the official games day at the KAG School whereby teachers and pupils come to school in games attire. Among the games activities undertaken are: - football, netball, volleyball, rounder and more recently cricket. Through playing different games learners develop essential skills and attitudes. I urge everyone young and old to take part in games as a way of exercise too. It is exiting, try it.

An encounter with a thief

Officer: Thief what’s your name?

Thief: My name is mwizi fame.

Officer: How old are you?

Thief: I wish I knew.

Officer: Why did you steal?

Thief: Because I wanted a meal.

Officer: How did you become a thief?

Thief: I was taught by a Jokief.

Officer: Is Jokief alive?

Thief: No, but his teachings thrives.

Officer: What if you go to jail?

Thief: Then I will wail.

By Paul Karanja.

Family Affairs

Mother: My son why are you crying?

Son: When I say someone repeat the same.

Mother: It is an echo.

Son: It is not an echo, it is Ekoyo.

Father: What’s the matter?

Son: You have married my mother.

Father: Now, when I grow up, I will marry your mother.

Mother: Why are you crying my daughter?

Daughter: While walking somebody follows me at the back.

Mother: It is a shadow.

Daughter: It is not a shadow, it’s an ogre.

Daughter: Why are you sad?

Son: Father abused mother I love you.

Daughter: He has not abused her.

Son: No I will report to the chief.

By Masika Said & Hadija Mchambi

WHAT OUR SPONSORS SAY

We are Happy to be Associated with the KAG School in Kenya

Narrated by Mrs Susan Muscroft, Headteacher, St Peters School Birstall, England

Greetings to KAG School from St Peter’s School, Birstall.

Boys and Girls in our school were delighted to be given this opportunity to tell you about St Peter School UK and particularly why we enjoy helping through sponsorship of KAG School. This is what they had to share.

In comparative terms St Peter’s School is a big school with an enrolment of 200 pupils. As a rule all pupils in the school wear school uniform. Our teachers guide us through education and teach us to listen, check whether we understand what we have to do and help us if we are stuck. We are quite a wealthy school with plenty of money for paper and pencils. Electricity provides the school with power for lights, computers, DVD players and many other machines which aid us in our learning. We don’t have blackboards any more – we have Smartboards connected to the computer – they are great fun!

Inside St Peter’s Classroom

We eat our lunch at school in the dining room. We sit on long dining tables and we use knives and forks to eat. Our playtimes are fun and if anyone is lonely the ‘playtime buddies’ will help out. We walk to St Peter’s Church sometimes to celebrate Harvest, Christmas and St Peter’s Day. It makes us really happy to think we can help KAG School.

We want your school to have all the things needed for you to be able to learn. We care about your school and it’s great that we can help Winnie and Ahmed attend. We know that life is much harder in Kenya and it means a lot to us to be able to help in some way. We hope that our school link keeps on growing and goes from strength to strength in years to come.

From our school to your school…..Merry Christmas!

A way to make somebody happy….

Narrated by Mary, Emley West Yorkshire, UK

My late husband Lawrence and I became involved with the Emley African Project in 1998, when together with others we helped with the education, sent gifts etc to a young Kenyan called Mweru. He was very delighted with the wrist watch Lawrence sent out to him with Rosemary and Jim. Then sponsorship started and we sponsored a 5 and half year old Christian boy called Pius Mwaura. We exchanged letters and it was a joy for us to send via Jim, gifts of toys and clothing and delicacies for his family. We now sponsor a little girl Saumin (pictured) from the leprosy community in Msambweni.

A small group of friends have become the African Fayre Committee and we raise funds in many different ways, each of us doing what we are best at. I bake Cornish Pasties, Sausage rolls, Lincolnshire plum pudding and making my delicious Mint Jelly, from the mint grown in my garden. Our big African Fayre event is held on Saturday in November, but our preparations begin months earlier. My mint jelly is made in June when the mint is young and at its best.

My friends are busy all the year round knitting children’s garments and soft toys and making jams and marmalades.

Our homes become warehouses, for we are always on the look out for a bargain in the shops which we can add to our collection of items for sale at the African Fayre.

We hold the annual event in our local church of St. Michaels the Archangel and the church becomes a market place of stalls, stall holders and shoppers. In recent years we have included a section of the church where tables and chairs are placed and lunches are served by our band of helpful catering ladies and delicious bowls of home made soup made by Rosemary or freshly made sandwiches are for sale. They are enjoyed immensely by the shoppers.

A raffle is held, for raffles are a real English tradition and a good way to fund raise. We have numerous stalls of crafts, books, bric-a-brac, home bake, jams, African crafts and tom bola, thus our Church becomes a very busy market place. Hard work, yes, but we have fun too and our aim is always to help those less fortunate than ourselves- our Brothers and Sisters in Christ in MSAMBWENI.

One of the first letters we received from ‘our’ little boy Pius read “How is you?” “I am Happy”. Those words will remain in my heart forever. With Gods help we will continue to make other children happy too.

God Bless you all

Emley African Schools Project

We are a small group of friends who help raise money for the K.A.G. school in Kenya. One of the ways we raise money is to show film shows of the school and pupils and sell our carvings and jewelry bought in Kenya.

Each November we have an African Christmas Fayre where we sell jams and baking, serve lunches of soup and sell Christmas crafts, African crafts, books and have raffles and tombolas. Here are some of the photos. All the team would like to thank you for the tee shirts and calendars

Rosemary baking scones

Dilys and Mary selling the baking

If you want to help a child at the KAG School….

• School fee per child per year is approximately US$ 280 (equivalent to £125 or €185). This money is enough to buy lunch, stationery, uniform, pay teacher and transport the kid to school for one year.
• You can also give a one of donation inform of desks (1 desk will cost £30).
• Sponsors are encouraged to send their support through Mrs. Rosemary Donnan, 15 Tyburn Lane Emley, Huddersfield, HD 8 95R ENGLAND.Or directly to the school account using the address below:-

• KAG Nursery & Building Project
• Kenya Commercial Bank (LTD) *
• A/C No.: 094 113 121 558
• Swift code : KCBLX

*for a follow-up please let us know when you send donation directly into the school account

Kid’s Corner

AIDS in Africa

Oh Aids!
The mention of your name
Scares me out of the skin,
Out of the darkness, you crept in,
And swept our continent,
From North to South,
And from east to west,
Thousands and thousands,
You’ve killed,
Spoiled the beauty of our continent
Causing no meaning of life
Yet you are not satisfied.
Aids! Do you have mercy?

AIDS
Oh Aids!
You’re a deadly monster
You’ve taken our fathers and mothers
Sisters and brothers
Homes are but full of graves
Children are orphans
Women are widows
Why? Just because of Mr. Slim
Others call you kill me quickly
Scientists have gone to the moon
Made nuclear weapons
Yet your cure has defeated them
Aids! Do you have mercy?

Dear brothers and sisters,
Friends and relatives,
Sons and daughters,
And to my loving parents,
Lend me your ears
And get this message right
With a broken heart I’m asking you,
Please, please, take care,
To the youth, stop bad habits
Husbands and wives,
Be faithful to each other
This monster never sleeps
There’s no cure for Aids
Aids! Do you have mercy?

By Kibwana Moh’d

Lazy Lucy

We have a new maid,
Who likes to bake bread,
Her ironing is so bad,
And makes us so mad.

She eats like a pig,
And is just as big,
She’s lazy like a daisy,
And sleeps when she is busy.

She makes mum so mad,
Since mum has to work hard, that is Lucy our maid, waiting to be paid.

By Lukeman Juma

Our Dear Sponsors,

Although most of us have never seen you, we are grateful for what you have continued doing to change our lives .We love you very much .May God bless you and have a merry Christmas and have a wonderful 2009.

Message from Sponsored Children

Obituary

Rev Francis Rai Ndoro, 1962 – 2008

Rev Francis Rai Ndoro was born on 14th June 1962 and passed away on 2nd August 2008 at an age of 46years. He was the last born in a family of two brothers and two sisters. Rev Francis attended Magombani Primary School and Ganze Secondary School, in the present Kinango District, between 1970 and 1981.

Between 1983 and 1985; Rev Francis attended East African School of Theology where he was awarded a Diploma. In 1986 Rev Francis joined the Kenya Assemblies of God (KAG) church; where he served as a senior pastor at the KAG Church Msambweni. Rev Francis was also the manager of KAG School.

In June 2008, Rev Francis was diagnosed of black waters malaria. He received treatment at the government hospital in Msambweni and when the conditions worsened he was transferred to a private hospital in Mombasa. In Mombasa, Rev Francis suffered multiple organ failures and remained in Intensive Care Unit until his death on 2nd August 2008. He is survived by a window and 5 children.

The death of Rev Francis Rai Ndoro is a big brow to the church, school and community at large. He is and will always be missed. May he rest in peace.

List of KAG School Sponsors

KAG has continued attracting sponsors from all over the world. The list is not exclusive

Individual Sponsorships UK

• Jim and Rosemary Donnan x3
• Dilys and Michael Williams
• Mike Penny Isabelle and Felix
• Rita Sparrow
• Shelley and Malcolm Wild
• John Bullimore
• Bill and Pat Sutton
• Mary Roberts
• Algie and Sue Vassis x3
• Beryl Brookes
• Mike and Flo Bradley
• Christine Cummings
• Mrs Joan Kershaw
• Gillian and John Emms
• Shirley Jackson
• Jim Huggins
• Helen and Aidan Downes Jan Edgar and Tony Shannon
• Jenny and Graeme Chalklin
• Rev. Christine Bullimore
• Brian and Pam Westerby
• Jonathan and Julia Watkiss x2
• Jan and Nick Hunter
• Barry Bowden
• Beth Meeds
• Anita Leversidge
• Juliet and Clara
• Mike & Lisette
• Jane Waldron
• Dianne Hughes
• Gill Hague
• Miss Phyllis Jubb x2
• Mrs Jean Haigh
• David And Susan Walker
• Brian And Carol
• Jan and Malcolm Wheeler
• Adrian and Lisa Wheeler
• Rowena
• Laura Vergani
• Annette and Chris Taylor
• Annette and Chris Taylor

Scotland

• Mark and Sarah

Italy

• Paulo Francesco

Belgium

• Fatma and Farid Dahdouh-Guebas

The Netherlands

• Marijke De Boer

USA

• Pete Cypret
• David Grenier
• Dianne Grenier

Cooperate sponsorship (UK)

• Rotary Club Horbury and Ossett
• Saint Peters Primary School x2
• Whitechapel Church
• Morley Rotary Club