I have questions about Kenya - help needed!

[missybb]

Hi there!

I live In Canada and have just sponsored a child through World Vision. She is 3 yrs old and from Kenya.

I am interested in knowing more about Kenya.

What languages are spoken there? What type of items would be most needed that I could send her?

I have looked some things up on the internet but most of it is just geographical and demographical info that can be found.

I guess living in Canada I am a little ignorant of what life it typically like there. Are there regular access to schools, food, fresh water etc etc etc.

Please, I do not mean to offend with my ignorance. I just would really like some first hand advice so that the gifts I send can be most helpful and appropriate for this little girl and her family.

Thanks!

[woodchick]

Check out the Wikipedia entry on Kenya

Kenya (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya)

It's awesome that you want to learn more. Do you have kids? It would be a fantastic lesson in "real life" geography!

[melissabb]

Sorry, I am Missybb, the OP but for some reason I logged into my old usename:dizzy:


Yep, I have kids alright and they are excited about the whole venture!

It's funny, we were in the store the other day looking for some small things that could fit in an envelope and my son pointed out that we could send her a CD of kids songs. When I told him she probably did not have a CD player he was really astounded. I think this will be a great lesson in gratitude for them.

[wagamama]

Hi, my dh works in international development and we lived in Nairobi for two years -- we just left in October. I'm wondering what part of Kenya your little girl is from, and what tribe she belongs to. Some areas are a lot poorer and worse off than others.

But in general, most people get by on a dollar a day. They eat only two meals a day, most often consisting of "ugali" -- a cornmeal mush -- and stirfried kale. They live in tiny ramshackle homes that look like garden sheds to us, and have very few material possessions. Any gift would be prized, I'm sure. We gave a calendar to a family, and a year later, it was still hanging on their wall, even though it was already out-of-date. Books might be a good gift.

She will probably need help with school costs as she gets older. Although primary education is free in Kenya, there are still a lot of costs: textbooks, school supplies, school uniforms, etc.

If you have more specific questions, I can try to answer them.

BTW, my parents and sister live in London, On!

[melissabb]

Wagamama,

Thanks for the advice! So, if I sent crayons and such they would be needed? I just didn't want to send something that would offend them and having them think 'how poor does this woman think we are??"" ..Well, you know what I mean!

Where in London do your relatives live?? Too funny! Such a small world really!

[wagamama]

Yes, I know what you mean -- it's hard even for me, living here, to know what is appropriate to give. To give you a sense of what things are like, we have a woman who cleans our house in the mornings, and she picks all kinds of things out of the garbage and asks if she can have them -- like a burnt, completely ruined pot from a cooking disaster, and very worn shoes with the soles falling off. I've learned to ask now before I throw anything away.

Crayons are available in Nairobi at the big supermarkets, but I don't think the poor children can afford them. They probably can't afford the paper to draw on either!

My parents live near White Oaks Mall, and my sister and her family live near the ski hill. I don't know London well -- grew up in Sault Ste. Marie.

[melissabb]

Another question..

The thing I send will be sent to a World Vision address. Is it safe to send things via regular mail? Will they get there? Will someone take them from the mail? Obviously, I do not want to UPS if I don't have to but I also want her to receive the things I send. Any advice there?

[wagamama]

I got everything that was sent via UPS or airmail, but a package sent by sea from my mom never arrived.

Good luck with everything! Sounds like a wonderful adventure is beginning.

[mamanate]

Hi Missyb
I read all your posting and wagamama's too.Am a kenyan and live in Nairobi but was brought up in Msa.I have worked with WOrld vision but on the relief department as a warehouse manager.What side does the child your sponsoring come from.Mostly in Mombasa kilifi district is the poorest.I've been to the ground didtributing food especially when they were no rains and the situation was very pitiful.If you want to send gifts to the child ur sponsoring you can send clothes shoes.Now that there is free education still going to school is not as interesting in those very remote areas as they have to walk barefoot to school with torn uniforms,therefore shoes will really come in handy.some schools allow the children to wear casual clothes as they cant afford school uniform.Sending gifts by UPS is fine the problem is that some families cannot access these services.they dont have addressed i.e. their houses are not numbered.my advice would be send though world vision.Procedures there are ver clear and strict nothing can get lost. I joined the trying to conceive thread after having 2still births.i dont mind joining this thread.I hope we will have fun here too.

[KristaH]

I think it's great that you want to send something to your sponsored child. I also sponsor a child through World Vision, and, unless their policy has changed, they discourage sending gifts. If another child is sponsored in that community and does NOT receive gifts from their sponsor, it can cause hurt feelings and that is not what World Vision wants for these families. I believe we are encouraged to send cards, letters, and pictures, and the physical things they need are provided by World Vision workers in that community. That is what your monthly donation goes toward.

I hope this doesn't deflate you. I love being able to send things to children in need. We have often enjoyed doing the Christmas boxes for Samaritan's Purse for that very reason.

Cheers!

[ginah]

I wish I had seen this ealier. My Hubby is from Kenya, Nairobi. Few things that I can tell you for sure are...
You need to know where your sponsored child live. Ofcourse, if you are getting to know about a kid that needs sponsoring, basic needs are the most important. Forget CD'S and fancy toys. they are not as important.

In kenya, certain tribes/places are very well up. Infact, my husband comes from a family that lives better than mine, here in Dallas. In fact, to his Dad standards, his son married from a poor American family. Talk about fancy houses, cars, and most importantly, cohesive family.

It is almost guaranteed that you are not sponsoring anyone from such a family. You are sponsoring a kid whom the family cannot afford to feed. That's about $0.25 cents a day.... which means... very poor. Having said that, you now can tell what are the basic things that baby might need.

1. Food
2. Clothes
3. Shelter.
4. Water
5. Education
6. Healthcare

You have seen the poor side on TV everyday. You would be amazed to see the difference between the rich and the poor. See Nairobi here:http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-51356.0.html

[Delight]

I think it's great that you want to send something to your sponsored child. I also sponsor a child through World Vision, and, unless their policy has changed, they discourage sending gifts.

I have to second this...we sponsor a child as well, and they basically say you can only send flat gifts (cards, photos, etc.). Anything else will be returned. At Christmas and their birthday, you can usually send a larger monetary gift and they will choose something appropriate and give it to them.

Although it seems trivial to us...even just a postcard from where you live (or where you have vacationed) would be treasured. We send photos of our family to our child, and he loves them and loves to ask questions about everyone in the photo.

It's awesome that you're sponsoring...:thumb