The Lewa Projects June-July 2009 Report by: Sarah Curry

Overview The Lewa Projects… Were founded by Phyllis Keino Are located in Eldoret, Kenya Have been supported by Christian Relief Services and Bread and Water for Africa for almost 20 years Phyllis Keino

The Lewa Projects…

Were founded by Phyllis Keino

Are located in Eldoret, Kenya

Have been supported by Christian Relief Services and Bread and Water for Africa for almost 20 years

The Lewa Complex The Baraka Farm Kipkeino Primary School The 500 acre Lewa Complex includes the Lewa Children’s Home as well as the Baraka Farm and Kipkeino School

The Baraka Farm

Kipkeino Primary School

The Lewa Children’s Home

Mission Statement The goal of the Lewa Children’s Home is to provide a safe, nurturing environment for children that have been either orphaned or abandoned in the local community (the Uasin Gishu district) by providing its children with nutritious foods, a first-rate education. The Lewa children are not just residents of an orphanage, they are part of a (big) loving family.

The goal of the Lewa Children’s Home is to provide a safe, nurturing environment for children that have been either orphaned or abandoned in the local community (the Uasin Gishu district) by providing its children with nutritious foods, a first-rate education.

The Lewa children are not just residents of an orphanage, they are part of a (big) loving family.

Founded in the 1970s by Phyllis Keino and her family Currently cares for 110 children, ages 0-20+ and sponsors 76 more in the community The Lewa Children’s Home

Founded in the 1970s by Phyllis Keino and her family

Currently cares for 110 children, ages 0-20+ and sponsors 76 more in the community

About the Home… All of the Lewa children receive: Shelter Food Clothing High-quality education Health care … and a whole lotta love Baby Salim

All of the Lewa children receive:

Shelter

Food

Clothing

High-quality education

Health care

… and a whole lotta love

About the kids… Most come to the Home through the local Hospital Phyllis is the legal guardian of every Lewa child They receive support until they’re grown and on their own two feet

Most come to the Home through the local Hospital

Phyllis is the legal guardian of every Lewa child

They receive support until they’re grown and on their own two feet

Meet the kids! Samson Mohammed Edwin and Marcus

Elizabeth (a.k.a. Baby Liz) Bernard June (a.k.a. Lady) Christian

Norman (a.k.a. Chichi) Tara Tilda Me and Kipchoge

Outreach Programs To give back to the community, the Home also sponsors kids at the nearby Kapsaret IDP camp with school fees, supplies and food The Home even built a nursery school for the camp’s youngest school children and continues to pay the 2 teachers’ salaries Children at their home in Kapsaret

To give back to the community, the Home also sponsors kids at the nearby Kapsaret IDP camp with school fees, supplies and food

The Home even built a nursery school for the camp’s youngest school children and continues to pay the 2 teachers’ salaries

Kipkeino Primary School

Kipkeino Primary School Located across from the Home, this school provides education to the Lewa kids as well as children from the local community

Located across from the Home, this school

provides education to the Lewa kids as well

as children from the local community

About the School… Consists of Nursery through Class 8 Run by School Administrator Paul Scott of the UK Currently teaches 288 students Employs 15 teachers and 40 non-teaching staff Rose and Brian on their way to school

Consists of Nursery through Class 8

Run by School Administrator Paul Scott of the UK

Currently teaches 288 students

Employs 15 teachers and 40 non-teaching staff

More about the School… The curriculum includes: Math Social Studies Science English Kiswahili Religious studies Art Physical education

The curriculum includes:

Math

Social Studies

Science

English

Kiswahili

Religious studies

Art

Physical education

Sports! As an International Olympic Committee-sponsored school, sports are very important at Kipkeino. Students showcase their athletic abilities once a year at the school’s famous “Sports Day”.

As an International Olympic Committee-sponsored

school, sports are very important at Kipkeino.

Students showcase their athletic abilities once

a year at the school’s famous “Sports Day”.

Baraka Farm

History of the Baraka Farm Founded in 1988 to provide income for the Lewa Children’s Home On the same 500 acre plot as the Home and School Taken over by Dutch manager Jos Creemers in 1994 He shifted the focus from crops to animal husbandry The farm is now broken into 5 parts: Animal husbandry Dairy processing Forestry Horticulture Water projects

Founded in 1988 to provide income for the Lewa Children’s Home

On the same 500 acre plot as the Home and School

Taken over by Dutch manager Jos Creemers in 1994

He shifted the focus from crops to animal husbandry

The farm is now broken into 5 parts:

Animal husbandry

Dairy processing

Forestry

Horticulture

Water projects

Jos Creemers, Baraka Farm manager “ Everything we do here is for the children.”

Animal Husbandry The farm has 2 cattle herds: Dairy (150, 65 being milked) Boran (beef, 50) Also currently has a herd of 75 sheep which are both sold and used for meat

The farm has 2 cattle herds:

Dairy (150, 65 being milked)

Boran (beef, 50)

Also currently has a herd of 75 sheep which are both sold and used for meat

Dairy Processing 65 dairy cows output an average of 1,400 liters of milk per day The Home/School use approx. 300 liters per day, the rest is either processed or sold The Baraka Dairy project produces: High-quality milk Fermented milk (“mala”) Flavored yogurt Cheese

65 dairy cows output an average of 1,400 liters of milk per day

The Home/School use approx. 300 liters per day, the rest is either processed or sold

The Baraka Dairy project produces:

High-quality milk

Fermented milk (“mala”)

Flavored yogurt

Cheese

Forestry The farm also plants and raises sapling trees as well as flowers and shrubs both to use around the School and Home and to sell to locals Trees act as a natural boundary for the Lewa complex and also help prevent soil erosion

The farm also plants and raises sapling trees as well as flowers and shrubs both to use around the School and Home and to sell to locals

Trees act as a natural boundary for the Lewa complex and also help prevent soil erosion

Horticulture The Farm grows the following crops: Maize, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, peas, beets, pineapples, oranges, and mangos (among others) Only a fraction of these crops are used by the Home/School while the rest are sold for profit

The Farm grows the following crops: Maize, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, peas, beets, pineapples, oranges, and mangos (among others)

Only a fraction of these crops are used by the Home/School while the rest are sold for profit

Water Projects In order to provide water to the Lewa complex, the Farm has built two large dams and one water well (pictured) Kenya is currently experiencing severe droughts that will prove to be a major challenge to the Lewa projects in the coming year

In order to provide water to the Lewa complex, the Farm has built two large dams and one water well (pictured)

Kenya is currently experiencing severe droughts that will prove to be a major challenge to the Lewa projects in the coming year

Thank you Bread and Water!

Bread and Water for Africa (US) Bread and Water for Africa UK Pain et eau pour l’Afrique Wasser und brot für Afrika Donate now to help us support these very important Lewa projects!

Bread and Water for Africa (US)

Bread and Water for Africa UK

Pain et eau pour l’Afrique

Wasser und brot für Afrika