Friends of Kenya - Friends of Kenya News, News from Kenya, Project News

Help Kenyan deaf student in U.S. to learn

2012-03-30T11:45:03Z

From Cheryl Hermann—

I am a teacher for the Deaf in St. Louis and a new student recently came to my school. He is from Kenya and uses Kenyan Sign Language, KSL.

I am trying to find someone who can converse with him in KSL (so he doesn’t feel so alone), and help us understand his primary language (so we can build upon that). We can SKYPE to help make this happen.

I know there are huge numbers of Deaf Peace Corps Volunteers (current and returned), and I’m hoping to find some help from some of these wonderful people.

If you are interested in helping one student from Kenya find success at school here in the States, please contact me, Cheryl Hermann, at one of my school email addesses: cahermann@ssd.k12.mo.us: chermann@pkwy.k12.mo.us.

We remember Wangari Maathai

2012-03-30T11:45:52Z

Friends of Kenya expresses sympathy in the passing of Wangari Maathai. Her work and dedication have helped improved the lives of people, particularly women and children, not only in Kenya but throughout the world. Her influence in the areas of protecting the environment and in supporting the rights of women extends well beyond the borders of her country.

Many years ago, the Friends of Kenya group that met regularly in Washington, D.C., invited her to come to their dinner meeting and speak about her work when she was visiting the U.S. We were pleased when she accepted our invitation and spoke about her work and about Kenya. Later, when she returned to D.C. and spoke at another venue, we met her there and made her an official member of our group—complete with a Friends of Kenya teeshirt.

We were thrilled when she deservedly was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming a symbol worldwide of what can be accomplished despite hardship and opposition by her own government and others. She is truly a hero.

We remember Wangari with admiration, and, collectively and individually, we will continue to support those issues that were so important to her.

Asante sana, Wangari Maathai, for all you've done. Now be at peace.

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary in D.C.

2012-03-30T11:46:25Z

This is certainly an exciting year for Peace Corps! Happy 50th Anniversary!

While there have been many celebrations throughout the year and around the world, Peace Corps, the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA), and Friends of Kenya are celebrating the Peace Corps’ 50th Anniversary in Washington, D.C., the weekend of September 23–25. Please click on this link if you have not already checked out all that is happening or if you want to register for activities:

http://www.peacecorpsconnect.org/resources/peace-corps-50thanniversary/september-events/

Friends of Kenya is looking forward celebrating this very special occasion. We are planning several activities in conjunction with the anniversary weekend and also encourage participation in PC/NPCA activities! (And, by the way, Peace Corps Kenya will celebrate 50 years in Kenya in 2014!) (Click the attached pdf file to read the full letter with activities and schedule.)

Friends of Kenya suspends project grants

2010-12-18T04:30:11Z

Friends of Kenya has suspended grants for projects in Kenya until further notice. FOK has donated more than $50,000 in the last 20 years for local projects throughout Kenya that contributed to a community. The funds for these contributions have come from membership and individual contributions. (Click title for more information and how to contribute to grant funds.)

Looking for a Kenya RPCV for Board

2010-02-18T04:56:43Z

I am an advisory board member of Education For All Children, a New Hampshire-based, non-profit that basically offers scholarships to Kenyan secondary students who qualify (need, academic achievement, etc.). It was started very recently by a couple from this area who fell in love with Kenya while traveling there. Please see our website.

http://www.educationforallchildren.org/about/

So, the question is, are there any Kenya RPCVs out there who might like to participate as a board member in a purely advisory manner (not that you couldn’t be more involved if you wanted)? If you live in northern New England, even better. (Click title for complete article and contact information.)

Obama’s Country

2009-02-15T10:50:47Z

Commentary by Bob Gribbin

Kenya is abuzz with Obama. Remember that Kenya declared a national holiday upon receiving news of his election. Obama’s picture is painted on matatus, tee shirts, coffee mugs, and printed on kangas worn by market women. Dozens of newborn babies are now named Obama. Maasai beadwork features his image as well as the stars and stripes from the “O” of campaign posters. Matatus bear the names “Obama Express,” “Fastest Obama.” Senator beers are ordered by asking for an “Obama.” Obama’s books are jumping off the shelves. Indeed on flights in and out, I saw a dozen Kenyans avidly reading his tomes. The airwaves resound to Obama songs. Even Obama numbers have been incorporated into the dance performances by Maasai morans at tourist lodges. (Click the title to read full article.)

Appeal to help a student

2008-08-20T12:44:18Z

Hello Friends of Kenya,

I am an RPCV (Tanzania, 1983-86) and now live in Edmond, Oklahoma. We have a student here from Kenya, Dan Nyagol, who will be in his second year at the University of Central Oklahoma studying to be a medical technician. His sponsor was his brother, who is married and working in Kansas. His brother was visiting Kenya recently, got arrested and was injured, and has not been able to help Dan. Dan owes some $1,000 and is still facing tuition needs for this fall.

Some of us are trying to help him out. If you can help him out too, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations to his scholarship fund are tax deductible.

Checks should be made out to "UCO Foundation" / Dan Nyagol scholarship fund.

Send to:

Office of International Student Services
University of Central Oklahoma
100 North University Drive
Edmond, OK 73034

Thank you so much!

Melissa Shackford

Friends of Kenya Supports a Nomadic Kenyan Student

2008-08-13T01:24:31Z

Friends of Kenya awarded a grant to the Nomadic Kenyan Children’s Educational Fund (NKCEF) to help send Marriel, who is Maasai, to secondary school where she can strive to achieve her goals of teaching her local community to read, write, and use better hygiene.

Marriel is in Form 1 (9th grade) at St. Brigid’s Girls School in Kitale. She is 16 years old, and one of 3 children. Her favorite subjects are science and English, and she promises to work hard to pursue her education.

She will attend secondary school through sponsorship from NKCEF, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping children from nomadic communities attend secondary school.

For more information about NKCEF and how to directly support their scholarships for Kenyan students, visit their website at http://www.nkcef.org.

It’s your membership and support of Friends of Kenya that allows us to funnel funds to worthy organizations, such as NKCEF, and community projects in Kenya. Contributions to Friends of Kenya projects are tax-deductible. To make contributions, go to http://www.friendsofkenya.org/project/donate_project. (Click title for full article and link to photo.)

Students Send Books to Kenya

2008-12-31T09:40:59Z

Students at Newton-Lee Elementary in Loudoun County, Va., worked together on a year-end project to send books to Kenya.

Books were donated from a book drive, brought in from home and collected from a few teachers’ personal classroom libraries.

Newton-Lee’s Community Club members and second-grade teacher Jensy Richards’ class got together to pack and send 50 pounds of gently used books to Kenya’s Camel Book Drive.

Richards’ class, which worked on several other projects locally during the 2007-2008 school year, decided to go abroad for their last project. The second-graders asked Newton-Lee’s Community Club (made up of fourth and fifth grade students) to help out.

Funding, in the form of a grant of $500 from Friends of Kenya, helped to pay for postage to mail the books and to buy new books from the Camel Book Drive’s wish list at Amazon.com. With funds remaining, another book drive is planned for this coming year. (Click title read read entire article.)

Come to the Peace Corps Reunion in Colorado

2008-09-04T05:53:17Z

A Peace Corps reunion entitled, “Peace Corps & Friends: A Celebration,” will be held in Fort Collins, Colorado, on the weekend of August 22–24. Organized to celebrate our contributions to the world through the work of the Peace Corps, the event is sponsored by Beet Street, an initiative of the Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority, known for its dynamic cultural and arts programming. Highlights include keynote addresses by Jody Olsen, Peace Corps Deputy Director (RPCV-Tunisia); Kevin Quigley, NPCA President (RPCV-Thailand); and Carl Pope, Executive Director Sierra Club (RPCV-India). Additional keynote speakers, soon to be announced, will also be featured. (Click the title for the full article)

Submit your View of PC in the 21st Century

2008-09-04T05:54:53Z

WorldView Magazine
Call for Submissions

The Fall 2008 issue of WorldView magazine will center on the theme “Peace Corps for the 21st Century.”

In three years, Peace Corps will celebrate its 50th anniversary. How has it fared in that time? What is its legacy—and its future? Can a bigger, better and bolder Peace Corps be part of an overall “smart power” effort to restore U.S. standing in the world to better help address pressing global problems? (Click title for the full article and how to submit your ideas.)

Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Washington

2008-09-04T05:57:50Z

The Honorable Raila Odinga, Prime Minister of Kenya, spoke at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., on June 17 on the topic of “Kenya: A Way Forward.” (Click title for full article.)

Resettling Kenya’s Internally Displaced Persons Public Event

2008-06-19T03:27:36Z

Tuesday, June 17, 2008
2:00–4:00 p.m.
U.S. Institute of Peace 2nd Floor Conference Room
1200 17th St, NW
Washington, DC 20036

RSVP: To RSVP, send your name, affiliation, daytime phone number, and name of the event to Morgan Miller at cmorris@usip.org.

The most recent post-election violence in Kenya resulted in the displacement of about 600,000 people. This is in addition to the 380,000 people that the United Nations estimates have remained internally displaced since the clashes of the 1990s. (Click title for full article, topics, and speakers.)

Rotary Call for Applications for Peace Fellowships

2008-09-04T05:58:24Z

The Rotary Foundation announces a call for applications for the 2009-11 Rotary World Peace Fellowships (RWPF) and January and June 2009 Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies (RPCS) Program sessions. The deadline for completed applications to be submitted to The Rotary Foundation for these sessions is 1 July 2008. (THIS IS FLEXIBLE.) Programs are open to anyone, regardless of citizenship or country of residence. (Click title for complete article.)

See Photos of Kenya

2008-09-04T05:58:58Z

Irene Abdou writes: I'm a Niger RPCV (1995-1999), and also lived in South Sudan for two years in 2005-2006. When I lived in South Sudan, I traveled in and out of Kenya very frequently, and spent a lot of time there. I'm also a photographer and have a few photos of Kenya, taken mostly at the Coast. Here's a link to her Kenya photo gallery: http://www.photoswithsoul.com/section136113_74880.html.
____________________________________________________
Irene Abdou Fine Art Photography & Creative Images
Germantown, MD
Tel. 202-367-6071
E-mail: photoswithsoul@gmail.com
On the web at http://www.photoswithsoul.com