I made a Facebook friend with a man from Kenya. I have other Facebook friends in Africa and sometimes they just beg for money and sometimes they are good friends.   So when Wanjala Sikulu first sent me a friend request I checked him out as I do with all new friend requests, Trolls have been a problem in the past, better safe than sorry, and he looked like he would be a good Facebook friend from what he posted.  https://www.facebook.com/wanjala.sikulu

Well shortly after I accepted his friend request he instant messaged me and said hello.  I thought OK here we go.  He is either pushing his business, begging for money, or looking to hit on me.  If I have learned anything from history that people that lead with just “Hello” and nothing else usually have an ulterior motive.

So it turned out to be a sales pitch for the orphanage he supervises.  He sent me a link to the GoFundMe page, https://www.gofundme.com/24a8rr9p, where I could donate.  I give to charity and from what he wrote me, which is below, I don’t think giving straight to the person that needs it is such a bad idea.

So I donated 10 bucks.  It is all I could afford.  Then I thought this would be a nice story to share.  They are only trying to raise 20,000 dollars for everything.  That is not that much.  And when you compare that to how much work was put into the proposal points to the fact that it is not another “Nigerian Prince” scam.

So I contacted the person that put this together, Heather McCray Boltz, and she wrote back this.

“Keith Harmon Snow is a mutual friend and his Facebook connection to Johnstone is how I first came to know Johnstone Sikulu Wanjala. He (Johnstone) messaged me and told me about his cause. I felt very moved to act on behalf of the Orphans and this wonderful group in Kitale Kenya. I work full time as a victim advocate for abused mothers and abused children in the United States so unfortunately can only help part time but we have had some success in the go fund me. The Orphans have food now to last thru the end of September. They continue to be in need of additional funding for food, their lease $ for facility, school supplies, and computers/video cameras. Any help you can lend to get the details of their cause out to the public would truly be a blessing.”

On the GoFundMe page Heather writes this.

“Hello,

My name is Heather Boltz and I work as a domestic violence victim advocate and an activist for child safety. Recently, I was introduced to a cause that has touched my heart profoundly. The Sima Community Based Organization in Kitale Kenya that is helping orphan children (orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic )with their food and shelter needs and also promoting and providing education for them. The ongoing issue is there is not enough ongoing funding to support all of the needs this organization has found are in urgent demand.

The children that are living in the makeshift orphanage in Kitale, are without food. When these kids are hungry, they cannot learn. Their basic needs must be met then the longer term needs addressed. This program is helping change the lives of 212 kids who had no place to call home until this organization stepped in to help them find sanctuary. They need your help. The organizer of the group and Pastor, Johnstone Sikulu Wanjala shares that even $100 helps them feed these kids for a week. I can’t feed my family of 7 here in the U.S. on $100 a week let alone 212 children.

This is your chance to help right now, today, feed a child. 100% of your donation is given directly to children who need it.

The immediate need is most certainly for food. But once there is ongoing help with this then the need for assistance with educational supplies, technical supplies, and even ultimately a bigger space to house more orphans can be addressed. This organization is pre-vetted by this writer and is doing wonderful work for these kids. Please help keep a child from going hungry, do it today. This is really happening in 2016. We must not turn away from a child’s suffering.  These kids deserve an education and the ability to change their circumstances because of that education but it cannot happen until their hunger is cured and that is what we need your help with today.

Spread the word by sharing this page and, if you are able to, please donate! Every dollar will make a difference, and every donation is welcome and truly appreciated! Thank you for all your help!

Some of the supplies that are greatly needed are as follows:

**Urgent** Immediate Need-
Bags of Maize
Bags of Rice
Bags of Beans
Cartons of Cooking Fat
Kerosene

Ongoing Need-
School Uniforms
English Textbooks
Science Textbooks
Social Studies Textbooks
Mathematics Textbooks
Pens
Pencils
Notebooks
Geometry Tools
Television with DVD Capability
Laptops
Video Camera
Generator & Fuel

There is also a threat of the space that the organization is renting for school use will be taken from them. They are behind on their rent because there has been such an urgent need for food they were not able to pay the last three months of rent.

As you can see the situation is very immediate and is in need of your assistance. Thank you again for your time and for any ability you have to help these precious children.

May God Bless you for your kindness on behalf of the orphans in Kitale Kenya and for your human rights activism.

Sincerely,
Heather Boltz”
Volunteer Fundraising Ambassador for The Sima Community Based Organization

What is the “The Sima Community Based Organization”?

Sima Community Based Organization is a CBO that caters for the vulnerable and less privileged orphaned children. It has 84 boys, 128 girls totaling to 212 children. Their ages range from 6 to 16 years. These children attend classes based on the Kenyan 8-4-4 system of education. Sima CBO has 5 teachers serving these children on a day-to-day basis. At the age of 6 years one is eligible to join nursery class. After one year of intensive studies the child is upgraded to standard one. At the age of 13 years a child should be in standard in eight; only if the child did not repeat any class below him/her. Some children attain ages of 16 years to be in standard eight because of repetition of classes. After standard eight the children join secondary schools through bursaries and donors/sponsors to further their education. Most who are unlucky to get sponsors or donors we have to organize funding to teach them skills that will make them earn a living in the society.

Sima CBO gets its funds from wellwishers, fundraising, membership and the local community. These funds are not reliable as most of these tend to make last resort help for the less privileged orphans. The CBO has temporary building that caters for the livelihood of the children. The structure needs renovation and massive overhaul to modernize it. These children need to have a feel of not being neglected or have a negative attitude towards life. This has adversely affected their performance in class and may need to give them psychological support to upgrade their standard. Their teachers rely on books that some are torn and miss some pages.

Although the CBO is trying to cope with the upgraded Kenyan syllabus, the teachers are facing challenges of using low-class teaching materials and aids. Funds received are not enough to purchase standard items for teaching. There is a disabled neighbor school with 39 children. The school is also facing a tirade of challenges as most people shun the disabled and view them as a curse. With the schools here in Kenyan 8-4-4 system, Sima CBO is glad to have been associated with you.

The current needy issues for this second term include textbooks, teaching aids e.g. chalk, rulers, squares, dusters, geometrical sets etc, clothes, feeding utensils etc. Your help to offset these items’ bills will be of paramount importance to us.

Here we have our information project and we would like to requesting you to stand, sharing and learn our project so that may help our project in Kenya. Sima Community based Organization has gone a step ahead about orphan, disable children and vulnerable children.

We have started a school to help this orphan, disable and vulnerable children It is vital for children’s futures that they attend school and take full advantage of their education. Education is also important for their psycho-social development. Schools can provide children with a safe, structured environment, the emotional support and supervision of adults, and the opportunity to learn how to interact with other children and develop social networks.

Education can also reduce children’s risk of HIV infection by increasing their knowledge, awareness, skills and opportunities. However, children affected by HIV are less likely than other children to be enrolled in school or attend regularly. Children’s education has been devastated by HIV. There will be lasting consequences for the futures of all children, but especially those from households affected by HIV.

The effects are being felt in the following ways:

– Low enrolment of children in schools affected households are unable to pay for schools fees and materials, and the children

– mostly girls

– Often have to do domestic work and care for sick relatives. When there are few resources available, providing food and medicines for a sick relative often takes priority over a child’s education

– especially a girl’s education. – Poor school attendance and performance this may be due to increased domestic responsibilities; poverty and the need to earn; poor health and nutrition; difficulties in concentrating in class; and stigma and discrimination by teachers and other pupils.

– Economic strengthening many orphans and vulnerable children live in great poverty. In many cases, this poverty has been caused or worsened by HIV. HIV-related illness and death affects the economic coping capacity of children when:

1. ill parents and breadwinners produce decreasing incomes and deplete family resources until their eventual death
2. Families become larger, as orphans move in with relatives who may already be living in difficult circumstances
3. There is increased expenditure on medication and funerals
4. Inheritance and assets are reduced or in order to generate income obtain credit.

In some part of Kenya, communities and extended families do not have enough resources to provide economic support to the ever-increasing numbers of orphaned and affected households. These poor households are struggling without support to meet their children’s basic needs of food, clothing, education, housing and medical care. This section considers the effects of increased poverty and lack of economic opportunities on children’s lives.

INCREASED POVERTY Orphans and children from affected families are more likely to be poor because of:

1. Reduced household income While parents are too sick to earn money, and after their death. This leads in turn to reduced access to health care, food and education for the children and even in some cases the loss of their home and property. Usually, sick parents cannot remain as productive, so less income or food is produced for the family.
2. Increased expenditure on health care. Households with a family member who has AIDS-related illnesses use a high proportion of their income for medical expenses.

III. Funeral costs. In some areas where death rates due to AIDS are high, communities many no longer contribute towards funerals costs, leaving bereaved households to meet all the expenses themselves. Funeral costs are usually high: there is a long period of mourning, with large number of mourners to be fed, and many families have to deal with several funerals in close succession.

1. Debt. Sometimes parents die leaving unsettled debts.
2. Depleted resources. Common coping strategies used by households in times of economic difficulty deplete the family’s resources and compromise the children’s futures.
3. Life chances. Children in affected households or who have lost their parents many have to earn money to contribute to household income. Such children start work earlier than their contemporaries and often either leave or miss school, affecting their chances of achieving functional literacy. In extreme cases, girl children may sell sex to support themselves and younger siblings. Sometimes girls may get married for economic security.

– Poor quality education and crisis in the education system the high number of teachers with HIV has resulted in teacher absenteeism, irregular classes and fewer teachers in schools. This increase teacher to pupil ratios, reducing the quality of teaching/ learning and the support teachers and schools can provide to vulnerable children. Some children may pull out of school altogether because they are afraid of getting HIV from their teachers. This is particularly so in rural areas, where many people are still misinformed about HIV transmission.

– Poor educational achievement Many factors contribute to the poor educational achievement of orphans and vulnerable

1. Poverty and the need to work
2. Domestic responsibilities
3. Psychological stress
4. Stigma and discrimination
5. Lack of adult support
6. Ill health and malnutrition
7. Poor quality education.

In Kenya, children in orphaned households faced with heavy domestic responsibilities said that needed books, pens, uniforms, school fees and money for school trips. We are requesting to your cooperation with us and assist in form of any resources, ideas, advices, spiritual and prayers how we can come up to save the children’s future life. But find attached our organization profile. Please if you need more information, registration certificate and photos do not hesitate to contact us. But find our organization profile attachment.

Yours in Christ Name
Johnstone Sikulu Wanjala
Programme Coordinator
Sima C.B.O. ,
PO BOX 1691,
Kitale 30200 Kenya.
Mobile phone: +254-735 754 816.

If you are into helping in this kind of cause, check them out to throw on your list of charities to give to, if you are so incline.

If you are Catholic and want to honor Saint Theresa formally known as Mother Theresa, what better way is there than feeding a child.

So share this story and lets see if we can get this cause viral.  If we can get this link shared 2500 time and each person donated 10.00 they would make their goal easy.  So even if you don’t donate, please share this as someone else may.

This is a good cause in my opinion.  Here is the GoFundMe page again, https://www.gofundme.com/24a8rr9p