Tumaini Children's Ministry - April 2021 Update
Nyeri, Kenya
Christian greetings from Tumaini/Huruma Children’s Ministry in Nyeri, Kenya.
We continue to pray and trust that you are staying safe and healthy during this COVID pandemic. Kenya has now recorded over 154,400 cases and 2,500 deaths. Between mid-March and mid-April, the country experienced its fourth surge in cases. Supplies of the AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in Kenya in early March and over 650,000 have been administered. Kenya’s population is nearly 54 million, so it will be many months before there is adequate vaccine coverage. Nyeri county, home of the Tumaini Children’s Ministry, is a rural county, yet has experienced more than 720 confirmed cases.
The pandemic has brought a lot of uncertainty, yet the staff at Tumaini and Huruma are working hard to sustain daily operations and care for the children. We were saddened to learn from Anne Wandimi the manager at Tumaini Children's Home, that Ms. Monica Kagume, chair of the Tumaini Board, died from COVID infection in early March. Her leadership and love for the children will be greatly missed.
Education
The school schedules have changed due to the pandemic. Final examinations for both high and primary schools, normally given in December, were administered in March.
Tumaini had 20 primary school students take their final (K.C.P.E) exams. We are very proud of Mercy Wanja Nyaruai who scored 371 points, which earned her a chance for a scholarship from Equity Bank. 16 Tumaini students completed their final high school exams on April 21st. They will be leaving the home by the end of April. The COVID restrictions in Kenya have led to an interest in online learning opportunities for children. Tumaini partners are looking for ways to help expand the capacity of e-learning at the home and in school computer labs.
Work continues on the Vocational Training Center. It is now in the ninth phase of construction.
God bless you,
Anne Wandimi
Read more about Tumaini Children’s Ministry HERE.
THE NEED
The Outreach Foundation is raising funds for operations for the Tumaini Children’s Ministry which feeds, houses, clothes, educates, and cares for these children; $2,200 per scholarship for e-learning and an additional $20,000 for the vocational training center. You may make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.
Monica Kagume (4th from right, with hat), pictured here from 2018, was the chair of the Tumaini Board.