Interim Report to UK Trust AGM 2011

Restart is doing really well. I am delighted with the general atmosphere there and how all the children are looking so well, they are very happy and confident and there is a tremendous difference in all of them.

We have 59 boys and 9 girls, and Dan Nderitu floating between Restart and Craft. Plus we have a security firm supplying us with 1 night guard.

All the children attend either nursery, primary or secondary schools and I am delighted to report that they are all doing extremely well and a good many of them are extremely clever. We do have some school leavers that we are busy placing at the moment. For example Emanuel is working as a trainee driver at a flower farm in Naivasha, Isaac Mwangi as an apprentice for Crazy Crafts in Nakuru and James Ekwom is working on our agricultural and herbal projects full time. These three boys are supported for one month until they get their salaries, then we assist them in looking for a room or a house to rent. Then they are on their own. They have effectively left the Restart and will only come back for visits to see us and to report how they are doing. George Kamwaki is learning carpentry and we hope to arrange further training for him in Karen at a Catholic organization called Don Bosco.

We want to set up a channel of training with the National Youth service in Gilgil as well as the aforementioned Don Bosco. Especially for the older boys who aren’t capable to go on to secondary school or feel that they are too old to continue on with formal education.

Medical

We now have two medical officers, a male and a female who attend to our children once a week. We pay them 2500 shillings each per month but it is well worth it for our peace of mind with the children’s health.

Staff

The staff consists of Fred and George. George is new this year; he is very experienced in working with youth, is a great music teacher and works with the students in our schools as well. He also deals with all medical problems and is a frequent visitor to Kijabe hospital, taking children there for eye tests, dentistry and any serious illness that they have including a hernia operation and a lymph gland infection. The 3 younger gaps are Elphas Onyachi, Victor Juma and Dickens Otieno. We have two matrons, Nancy Nduta and Dorcas Muthoni in the kitchen cooking and cleaning. With two matrons in the Girls wing, Veronica Wanjiru who looks after the very young toddlers and Stella Nafula who looks after the other children. In my estimation all these people are doing a great job, they too have changed and grown in stature. The proof of this is the tremendous change in the children, which is obvious for all to see.

We now have a young graduate with a degree in Sociology here on attachment. He was brought up in Langalanga, is very keen on the Restart and so is an added asset albeit temporary.

New Restart Building

I am going to the USA on the 7th of July to try to raise funds for a new Restart building.

My first talk will be given on the 13th of July in Sonoma, California. Then on to Seattle where talks have been arranged and I will try very hard for a “Seattle supports Sanata” campaign as I believe I am going to be talking to a large number of people.

I want to explain to you the reasons why this building is very important.

1. We do not own the Restart building at present, nor the girls section.
2. The children have no bathing facilities.
3. We need more space regardless. There is a huge demand for little girls to be rescued. The girls on the street are even more vulnerable than the boys and are used as prostitutes for men of all ages. We have two at the moment who have been used in this way. It is disgusting and a disgrace and show how totally degraded the Gilgil streets are.
4. The church where the women work is falling down, it is dangerous and is condemned. This is a tremendous risk for me. If we have a new building for the children the women could move into the Restart building, would not need bathing facilities, we wouldn’t have to make any more improvements and each project could be in a separate room. The rent would stay as is and the craft would pay it.
5. If we had a new building we would own the whole place. The staff would be accommodated. It is by far the best thing to do for all concerned.

The restart is a huge success, we have produced good, responsible young people. We deserve to go from strength to strength because what we are doing is actually working and working well. With your continued help and support we are succeeding in every way and our children are being uplifted. Ladies and Gentlemen thank you so much for your friendship, your kindness and your total support which is truly appreciated.

Mary Coulson