Baba Dogo

Term 2, 2022

Greetings from the Babadogo center! Another amazing school term has come to an end and we want to share some of the highlights. Thank you for your support and partnership as we work together to transform lives through Christ.

Blessings,

Joseph Andati
Headteacher, Baba Dogo

Total Enrolled: 690 students
Total Unsponsored: 163 students

*Peris is a grade one student at the Baba Dogo center. She lives with her mother and two sisters in the community near our school. Her older sister is in grade nine while the youngest is not yet of school-going age.

Before Peris joined our school, the family’s situation was very desperate. They lived in a small room that was dark, windowless, and whose exit was an open sewer that would flood and the stench was unbearable. Despite being of school-going age, Peris was not in school while her older sister was attending a local community school with support from her class teacher.

We learned about Peris during the course of our home visits to the area. Parents in the community alerted us to a child who was left to fend for herself because her mother was hardly ever home. On investigating these claims, we learned that the children’s mother worked nights in a bar and would make her way home in the morning in a drunken stupor. Her girls were left alone at night and when she would wake up during the day, she would go in search of casual jobs. Peris and her sisters would survive on fried dough (mandazi) and tea – this was their daily meal. They were unkempt, looked malnourished, and were ill of health.

We stepped in to alert Peris’ mother on the rights of her children and highlight her parental responsibilities. With her consent, we recruited Peris and ensured the girl had everything she needed to join our school. We also started sharing the Gospel with Peris’ mother as we encouraged her to let go of her bar job. We connected her to a local parents group where she receives mentorship; support and she is kept accountable.

Some of our parents who do casual work in the nearby factories connected her to one of the factories where she is currently working. Having this job has bolstered her self-esteem and given her the resources she needs to take care of her family. They no longer live in the small room and she no longer leaves her girls alone, especially at night.

When we recruited Peris, she appeared sickly and she was very distracted while in class. We took her to our clinic in Pangani and she received treatment while her mother was trained on nutrition and proper child care management. With the two nutritious meals Peris gets at the school and as the mother applies the tips learned, we have seen a great improvement in this child’s health.

Peris is doing well in school and she has also benefited from the spiritual programs we offer. We have also shared the Gospel with her family and they now regularly attend a local church. Her mother has also joined a fellowship that is helping her grow in her spiritual life. We trust that in time, she will give her life to Christ and experience more holistic transformation.

As we continue to pray for this family, we are grateful to God for the transformation we have witnessed thus far.

*Name changed

• We are very proud of our scouts who participated in a camping activity at the Karura Forest – which is an forest located in Nairobi.
• We are proud of our students who participated in a locally organized match between different schools and they took the second position.
• Our center now has a state-of-the-art soccer turf (field) and is now ready to be used by our students.

• We were blessed to launch and dedicate a state-of-the-art soccer turf (field).  This field is a result of MOHI’s partnership with CMF International and Urban Soccer Park who provided their expertise in designing and installing it. The official launch was presided over by MOHI CEO, Wallace Kamau and included representatives from CMF and Urban Soccer Park

• Pray that our 163 unsponsored students will get sponsors.
• Pray for the finances to enable us to carry out general renovations at our center. We need to paint the building afresh, the bathrooms need some repair work as do the classrooms.
• Pray for peace to prevail in Kenya as we draw closer to the August 9th general election.