From when I was born up to when I joined Jitegemee, my life experience was very bad. Before I joined Jitegemee, I was in the streets just sniffing glue and also drinking alcohol. I could be arrested and taken to a police station at any time. There was no one who came to see me in the police station, so I sometimes stayed there for months. When I was about seven years old, I went to the city of Nairobi. I used to take other people’s property and run away. One day luck was not on my side. I … [Read more...]
Architect’s General Plan Unveiled at Board Meeting
The architect's general plan for our new "green" education center was unveiled and finalized April 24, 2010, at a fundraiser and board meeting in Boston. The project will cost about $200,000. The final design and plan reflects the recommendations the Jitegemee Board of Directors and the volunteer architects from the Washington, D.C., chapter of Architects for Humanity made in December 2009 to the planning committee in Machakos, Kenya, along with the planning committee's subsequent … [Read more...]
‘Nyama! Nyama! Nyama!’ Shouted the Boy
“Nyama! Nyama! Nyama!†shouted the boy in the center of the circle as he cupped his hands around his mouth and leaned back, his voice cracking at the effort. “NYAMA!†everybody else responded. Looking around the yard of Jitegemee’s rented house, I was shocked to realize that every single student had contributed to the thunderous echo.  Nyama means “meat†in Swahili and is the refrain in a Kenyan children’s game, signaling that the leader was about to announce the name of an … [Read more...]
New Building Project Workshop Video
Jitegemee has partnered with the Washington, D.C., chapter of Architecture for Humanity (AfH) to design our new center. AfH is a group of volunteer designers that promotes design solutions to global, social and humanitarian problems. In August 2009, Rayya Newman and Mark Palmer, two volunteer architects, visited Kenya with Jitegemee board members to begin the design process. They conducted a five-day workshop introducing our teachers, parents and students to environmentally sustainable designs, … [Read more...]
Continued Success in Hard Economic Times
Hard economic times have hit Machakos this year, but Jitegemee has remained firm in its commitment to help vulnerable street children and youth grow in mind, body and spirit. Our region in Kenya has experienced a serious drought, combined with a financial crisis that hit Kenya like so many countries. As a result, the price of food has increased considerably. A bag of maize that used to cost about $17 (1,300 Ksh) now costs about $40, making it even more difficult for poor parents to feed their … [Read more...]
Plans to Build New Center Moving Forward
Jitegemee is pushing forward with plans to build a new center, where we can build classrooms big enough for our expanding program, dorms for homeless youth, a permanent kitchen for our feeding program and a library. Jitegemee has entered into a contract to buy a one-acre plot of land in Machakos on which our new center will be built. We plan to complete the sale in 2009 and begin construction in 2010. To make the dream of a new center a reality, Jitegemee will need to raise $150,000. A … [Read more...]
Positive Effect on Almost Every Indicator
In early 2009, four students from Columbia University’s International Affairs program visited Jitegemee to conduct an independent professional assessment of our vocational program. The complete report, including all data and recommendations, is available by clicking here. This January I travelled with Emma San Segundo Riesco from New York City to Machakos, Kenya. Emma and I had been working on our Masters in International Affairs and fervently studying everything about development and Kenya … [Read more...]
When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade
Our new building project is a perfect example of the old adage, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." We were in for a shock when we went to Kenya in 2008 to purchase the sprawling one-story building and grassy compound we are currently renting in Machakos. We learned the landlord had changed his mind about selling it, and that we only have about three more years there before we have to leave. Initially, it was a big disappointment, but we soon realized we could dream even … [Read more...]
Tremendous Growth Among Our Students
Many of you have followed the news of the post-election violence in Kenya with worry for our program. We are grateful to report that our students in Machakos were safe and sound during the chaos that took place elsewhere in the country, and that Kenya is now back on the road to peace and prosperity. We are pleased to report tremendous progress among our students. Over the past year, we have had no drop-outs from elementary school, as we have worked to ensure that the children had the food, … [Read more...]
Bringing the Internet to Jitegemee’s Youth
I had the opportunity to visit Jitegemee with Farah, a friend since childhood. It was my first trip to Africa, let alone Kenya or Machakos, and I had very little idea what to expect. Farah promised me the people would be friendly and that as long as I avoided drinking water from taps I’d remain healthy. She was right on both counts. S ince I work primarily on the Web, Farah tapped me to help connect Jitegemee’s classroom to the Internet—something I was happy to help with. But I wasn’t … [Read more...]
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