Dear Friends of Vumilia,

Happy Spring!  A time to rejoice in rebirth, a time to be grateful for simple things, and a time to re-connect after hibernation, if you live where I do!  I hope you enjoy this news update from Vumilia and keep them in your thoughts and prayers throughout the year.

Vumilia News … bad news and good news …

Sadly, Vumilia lost one of our girls earlier this year.  Dorcas, whom many of you will know because her picture is on our thank you cards, was only eight years old.  She passed away after the chicken pox swept through the girls’ home and she developed complications due to her HIV status.  Unfortunately, one of the complications was being seen as a last priority at the local hospital, where she went untreated for hours and finally passed away in the company of one of the house mothers.  Rose had in fact rushed from Nairobi to tend to the girls, taken them all to the doctors and ensured that they were fine before returning to Nairobi, but Dorcas got ill that night.   The Vumilia family was very saddened by her death – the only one Vumilia has experienced.  Dorcas was a bright, energetic and determined girl, who was fortunate to have four great years with Vumilia, in the company of her birth sister and her sisters in the home, too.  Deeply affected by this loss, Rose became determined to establish a health clinic in Kabras, and … well, shall I share the good news?

Good News:

Vumilia opens health clinic in Kabras: Within months of Dorcas’s death, Rose managed to find a location, obtain a license, and convince the Ministry of Health and a local hospital to second a “medical officer” and regular medicine supply to the clinic.  For the first time, Kabras has an actual health facility, albeit a simple one.  Vumilia will charge modest fees on a sliding scale to ensure sustainability, covering rent and other necessary supplies/staff.

Vumilia purchases land: Thanks to Rose’s vision and the generosity of several donors, Vumilia is now the proud owner of a six acre farm and future permanent home for the Vumilia girls.  The farm is on the edge of the Kakamega forest, within walking distance of a school, and in a more private location than their current rental quarters.  Here, Vumilia plans to develop traditional housing for the girls and organize family units with a mother and 4-6 girls of different ages.  There will also be a community room, library, athletic field, etc.  All this will require your support, but will provide a permanent home for more than twice as many Vumilia girls.  For now, Vumilia has planted vegetables and will not have to purchase these from the market this season. 

Vumilia girl enters High School: Sheila Juma, now 15, has been with Vumilia for two years.  She has succeeded in entering High School in a boarding school in Busia, thanks to your generous contributions. Her success has inspired the other girls in the home to work even harder – they see that they really could go to high school and have a better future.  Anne, the first girl who lived at the girls’ home to graduate from high school, is exploring her future options right now.

Community Outreach Continues: Vumilia home-based health care workers continue to reach out to community members, serving 250-400 new patients per month.  This outreach keeps the VCT clinic (Voluntary Counseling and Testing – free HIV tests) active, and has created more demand for health services, so the medical clinic will be a very welcome addition. 

Sex Education Activities Deepen: Kathy Tate-Bradish visited Vumilia again this February to reinforce sex education training provided in 2008, and to provide a workshop for seventeen additional teachers.

Christmas presents from Oak Park Girls to Vumilia Girls: Thanks to Michelle Hess for organizing a group of girls from Oak Park to send adorable, girly care packages to the Vumilia girls for Christmas.  The presents were actually delivered in February, shortly after Dorcas’s death, so they provided a comforting distraction.

Funding During the Recession … Let’s spread a global safety net: With the recession, Vumilia contributions are down, and foundations have also held back or are delivering funds more slowly than in the past.  As a result, Vumilia is in need of contributions to support the girls’ home, and to provide scholarships to promising girls in the community.  Unemployment is also on the rise in Kenya, but of course there is no unemployment insurance there, so more families and children are in need than ever.  We hope you will take the opportunity to strengthen this global safety net and contribute to Vumilia at this time.

New US Fiscal Partner – the Africa Children’s Haven: (Our previous partner in the US, the National Heritage Foundation, fell casualty to the financial crisis.) We are grateful to the African Children’s Haven for supporting Vumilia as one of its projects. African Children’s Haven acts as a fiscal agent for Vumilia in the United States, and is also a great partner. Its founder, Ed Sulzberger, has years of experience in international development and in supporting community-based NGOs, so we are looking forward to having his guidance and advice as well.

To make a donation:

1. Make check payable to: African Children’s Haven

2. Write in the subject line: Vumilia Fund

3. Mail to:

African Children’s Haven c/o Mary McVay, Vumilia Fund Manager

641 N. Humphrey Ave

Oak Park, IL 60301

You will receive an acknowledgement of your gift along with a receipt.

You can also donate on-line through the African Children’s Haven website, although additional handling fees are deducted from your donation: www.africanchildrenshaven.org

Please visit the African Children’s Haven website to find out more about them and their support for children in Africa.

Thank you so much for being part of the Vumilia community.  As always, your thoughts and prayers are very valuable to the women and children of Vumilia. 

Salama (peace),

Mary McVay, Vumilia Fund Manager

708-660-8140