Suzie is back in Tenwek, Kenya for 6 weeks — and getting reacquainted with our former students who have graduated from Threads of Hope, and meeting the new class of six students. We’ve had 17 in total graduate thus far, and this class will make 23. The lady in orange with the baby graduated one year ago — she has busy making school uniforms and mending clothes in her village. (Earning 2 to10 $/d and she is a really good seamstress).
The lady standing next to her is now an assistant teacher at Threads of Hope (6 $/d and works about 3 days per week).
The lady in the blue jacket has two children, was formerly begging for food door to door around the mission compound. She now makes aprons, bags, purses to sell in the visitor’s gift shop, and does mending etc … again making 2 $/d. The lady sitting with baby below is from the first class (she graduated 2 years ago). She and one of her classmates cleverly took a sewing machine to a nearby boys boarding high school and they walk there every day to do mending , repair zippers , rips, etc…. and they earn $5 each x 6 days a week!
Around the table, we find the new class who have been in school for about a month. They all are in early 20’s – three have graduated 8th grade and three graduated from high school … one is married and others are single – total five children among them. One of them walks one and a half hours each way to get to the sewing school, and another has a one hour walk each way.
Thank you to Suzie for being our boots on the ground and being Waneta Trail Sunrise’s conduit again. and for helping dreams come true for young women in Tenwek – it is a joy to follow up and hear their success stories.
This article is based on Suzie’s update of 27th February (Thanks Suzie, this helps spread the message).
As an aside, I somehow missed this last year. Our Rotary grant in action!
Waneta Sunshine Rotary 