Baba Dogo

Term 4, 2021

We give glory to God for helping us complete the fourth term of the 2021 school year. Here are some of the successes and highlights we want to share with you. We are so grateful for your support and partnership as we continue working together to transform lives through the hope of Christ. God bless you.

Blessings,
Joseph Andati
Headteacher, Baba Dogo

Total Enrolled: 676 students
Total Unsponsored: 202 students

*Charles is a grade seven student at our Baba Dogo school. He lives with his mother and three other siblings within the Babadogo area. 

Charles joined our school at the beginning of this year. His father passed away in 2020 and after his burial, the relatives took all the family’s belongings and left them destitute. They also took the children from the mother and said they will take care of all their needs since the mother was a housewife. Charles’ mother had no option but to come back to Nairobi and leave her children at their rural home. At the time of his father’s death, Charles was in grade five.

A few months later, the mother returned to the rural home to see how her children were fairing. She found that they were not in school, rather they were forced to do menial jobs like fetching water and herding animals in order to get food. She also found that Charles had run away from home. With help from the authorities, she was able to locate her son. She found him working with the local fishermen, tending to their boats, in exchange for some money to take care of his younger siblings.

She refused to leave without her children and after borrowing money from well-wishers, she came back to Nairobi with them. The family came to Babadogo to live with one of Charles’ uncles and things were okay for a while until the onset of the pandemic when the uncle lost his job and he opted to move to his rural home. The house they were living in had arrears so Charles and his family were thrown out. Left with nowhere else to go, Charles’ mother opted to live under the stairs with her children. This is where our social workers found the family during a home visit.

On this initial visit, the social workers only found the two younger children because Charles and his mother had gone to scavenge at a dumpsite. We noticed that the children had a skin disease and were suffering from pneumonia due to sleeping out in the cold. On a follow-up meeting, we met the mother who was haggard-looking and depressed by her family’s situation. 

The social workers managed to get the family a room as well as food shopping while the children were brought to the MOHI clinic for treatment. Counseling sessions followed to help them come out of the depression they were in. In time, the mother was empowered and encouraged such that she now goes out looking for casual jobs and is able to provide for her children.

Charles was also enrolled at the school and we have witnessed a transformation in him. Health-wise he is doing well because he now has access to balanced meals that have enabled him to regain his strength. He is a hardworking and very focused student who utilizes the resource room to improve his language skills so that he can be a better student. Charles is a member of the chess club which has helped sharpen his mental skills. He also plays football and is very skillful and we are hoping to win a trophy in the next Awana games.

He is also very active in spiritual matters and has wholly embraced the morning devotions where he participates by reading the Bible regularly. This in turn has had an impact on his character development such that he is now a good role model to his younger siblings. 

We thank God for the transformation we continue to witness in this family. We give all the glory to Him!

*Name changed

• Our grade four and five students had an out-of-classroom educational trip. They went to see and learn about our country’s beautiful wildlife.
• We thank God that our grade six girls had a safe journey to and from the Angaza Camp in Kilifi. The trip was adventurous and educational for them and they came back changed and ready to live holistically for Christ.
• Construction of a new soccer field started and we are looking forward to having our learners use it.

• Pray for God’s protection, for all of us, during this festive season.
• Pray for God to provide our parents with a source of income so that they can be able to take care of their children’s needs.
• Pray for God to provide funds for the completion of the Baba Dogo building.