Newsletter December 2023
News from Kisumu
– Project Therapy: Report volunteers Ronni and Anita
– Project Care: St.Clare
– Project: Sports: uniforms and shoes
– Visit Kisumu Board member Lisanne and friend Nel
Activities
– Sale at “PLOP” Jeu de boules
– Donation UWW
Agenda
– Sales table Heerbeeck College Best
– Sale at “Eigen Herd” Uden
News from the board
– Review 2023
Volunteers Ronni and Anita
On November 1, we travelled to Kenya with almost a hundred kilos of materials, to recondition seven wheelchairs for the children of St. Antony boarding school in Awasi on behalf of Amara Foundation. Because we arrived at the beginning of the holiday period, we could not visit the children at their regular place in Awasi where they normally receive therapy. Instead, we saw the children all at the therapy at the JOOTRH Hospital in Kisumu.
On Friday, November 3, we were up early to meet the mothers and their children. Fortunately, our stay was just a stone’s throw from the hospital. We only had to cross the road and walk a few hundred meters. The short walk there was an experience in itself, and of course we were no longer used to the heat and bright sunlight. It was very nice to get to know the mothers and their children. We first inspected all available wheelchairs together and then saw the children one by one in the examination room to look at the sitting position and take the body measurements.
Initially, it was about refurbishing four wheelchairs, but gradually three more were added. The wheelchairs were all in a very bad condition. The upholstery of all seats and backrests was worn down to the wire. Footpegs were missing, and the tires were almost all flat. In the meantime, the restraints (lap belts and restraint vests) were also no longer up to size or were broken. So there was a lot of work to be done.
After a morning of fitting and measuring, we took all the wheelchairs to our compound. In addition to the fact that this accommodation was close to the hospital, we were also lucky enough to be able to use one of the vacant apartments in the compound. The weather was beautiful, but every now and then it rained heavily, so the interior space offered was a godsend.
When we got home on the first day, we immediately started stripping the wheelchairs. First, we dismantled all the seats and backrests. Initially, we thought we would reuse the wooden base parts, but when the upholstery and foam were removed, we saw that that was no longer an option. Fortunately, there was a furniture maker Pius in our neighbourhood where we could buy the new wood. No sooner said than done. Then we made drawings for the new wooden base parts and the furniture maker cut them to size for us. We then rebuilt all the wooden base parts with various layers of foam in order to create the necessary contours in the seats and backrests. A time-consuming job. We upholstered the seats ourselves with the materials we brought with us. The upholstery of the backrests had to be stitched. That’s why we outsourced this to the furniture maker. The wheelchair frames were also all oxidized considerably. We thought it would be better to remove the rust spots and provide them with a new primer and varnish. We hadn’t counted on this, but luckily there were two of us and we still had some leeway in the planning. The wheelchair frames improved visibly and looked new. Especially when we had also screwed the new seats and backrests onto the frames.
As mentioned, three footpegs were also missing. We had these copied by the local welder. We had also brought spoke protectors from the Netherlands. These are round plastic sheets that are attached to the wheels. All with nice colours and motifs to personalize the wheelchairs a bit more. When we had installed these, as well as the new restraints, it was time for us to deliver the wheelchairs. In the meantime, almost two weeks had passed.
Delivery wheelchairs
Wednesday 15 November was the big day of delivery. We left with a column of wheelchairs from the compound to the hospital. All the mothers and children were present again and didn’t know what they saw when we arrived with the almost new wheelchairs. Once again, we had the children come into the examination room one by one and placed them in their own wheelchairs. The sizing was perfect. All we had to do was apply the restraints in the correct positions in the wheelchairs. Then the children came out of the room one by one in the new wheelchair, decorated with balloons to make the festivity even greater.
We will never forget the happy faces of the mothers and their children when they saw the refurbished wheelchairs. With a very satisfied feeling we returned to the Netherlands on Friday 17 November and we say: Nani anajua, tuonane hivi karibuni (who knows, see you soon!)
Greetings, Anita Verberk en Ronni Kummeling
Bekijk de foto’s van onze missie
Visit to Kisumu of board member Lisanne and friend Nel
For those who follow Amara’s facebook page: they already know what a fantastic time we had. We have been in Kisumu for four weeks. The last two weeks we have been able to enjoy the enthusiasm of Ronni and Anita and their hard work to get all the wheelchairs refurbished in such a short time and of course the end result. On the day of our departure, at 12 o’clock, all wheelchairs were “handed over” to the children and their mothers. Our hats off to Anita and Ronni! But… Together with them we also ate every day, walked in the beautiful nature and made an impressive home visit.
St. Clare Childrens home and the reintegration project.
At St. Clare, we both always feel welcome. Discussing plans, discussing extra worrisome situations, monitoring the development of the children, making purchases for the new school year (thanks to a special donation) etc. One of the home visits made a deep impression. Two and a half years ago, Nel’s husband passed away. He mentioned that he wanted to ask for a donation for Amara at his farewell service. This yielded a nice amount. It has been agreed with the family that we will spend the money on a special Project.
Through Sister Lucy (St. Clare) we heard in January about the miserable living conditions of a mother with six children. Mother lives in a ruin, the rain comes in through the walls in the rainy season, there is no bed or chair. Children and mother sleep on the floor and sit on the floor. The older sons live in a small hut next to their mother. Sister Lucy asks to help find a solution.
The children will both be enrolled in a school boarding school from January 2024 and would be able to live with their mother again during the holidays (4 months) if there were decent housing. After consultation with the board and sponsor, we had a new house built through St. Clare and then there was also money for the interior. A house with mud walls, corrugated iron roof, two bedrooms and a living room. The necessary furniture, mattresses, blankets, sheets have also been purchased. Mother and all her children were extremely happy with this help through St. Clare Childrens home. All this from the donation, through this special sponsorship campaign. Family and friends of Nel, thank you for your contribution. And what a beautiful memory there is in faraway Kenya of your husband, father, friend.
In addition, of course, I enjoyed all the enthusiastic football players of Urusi, the active board and coaches. The sportswear of SCG’18 was gratefully received.
The contact with Samoo, our contact person and “know-it-all” around the project therapy is always pleasant. It is nice to see the development of some children, but sometimes it is also shocking to see how development stagnates or when there is a relapse. We continue to be impressed by the perseverance and strength of the loving mothers of these children. All in all, fantastic weeks that flew by. Nice warm contacts with many beautiful moments. For Lisanne, this is the last time she visits the Projects as a board member. But we both promised to return as “friends”!
Project Care:
At the moment, all children are enjoying a well-deserved holiday. Some have worked hard during the exam period in early November to move on to high school. Others were allowed to go on holiday on 20 October and will continue their journey at primary or secondary school in 2024.
Project Help to Individuals:
Mary (mother of Evans from our project therapy) had the misfortune in October that her market stall with fruit and vegetables was ransacked. At that time, Nel made a nice donation for a first new start with the necessary vegetables. In addition, we have provided her with a new loan of €100 with which she can buy 3 pans, a jiko and corn and thus give her sales a boost again.
Project Sport
Recently, several items from the Netherlands went to our projects. From VAMOS (merger of volleyball club between Apollo Mill and Vollan Langenboom) and DKJO Mierlo, tracksuits and uniforms went to the Kisumu Shakers.
HVWanroij and SES sponsored shirts, shorts, balls and bags. Many people also donated football boots, shin guards and socks for a second life in Kisumu. Asante Sana! Urusi took part in the “Tree Planting Day”. Members planted saplings at a high school in Kisumu on November 13. A good example of being involved in national initiatives. Together for a green environment!
Project Therapy:
Also this time beautiful aids such as neck, back and ankle braces went in the luggage of Nynke, Lisanne and Nel for which our therapist Samoo has beautiful destinations. With thanks to Heckert & van Lierop, who made these materials available. The collected stretch bandage was also received with a big smile of joy.
Donation Uden World Wide (UWW)
In October we received the beautiful message that our request for a donation to our Reintegration project had been approved. In the meantime, we have received the nice contribution. UWW thank you for the great cooperation we have had for years. UWW manages the clothing containers in the municipality of Maashorst. They receive an amount per kilo collected. Every foundation affiliated with the umbrella of UWW can submit an application every year to be eligible for a contribution. Do your bit by putting clothes, cuddly toys, towels and shoes in these containers. Usable items are given a second life through other projects and the residual material through new products.
Sale jeu de boules PLOP Uden
On 20 and 22 November, Maria was able to enjoy enthusiastic PLOP members who made a contribution by donating or buying a beautiful product from Kenya.
Gift with an Amara heart
Give a token of appreciation or “I’m thinking of you” in December with which you also support the charity. For example, a sisal or soapstone angel. Tea bowl with the message “Time to chat with a cup of tea”, authentic Christmas decorations “STAR” in dark days. A soapstone heart to remind your loved one of their special place in your heart. A Christmas family made of soapstone or a special Christmas card. Check out our web shop here and order!
AGENDA
– 10 December Sale of Amara products Christmas market “Stichting Eigen Herd” in Uden
– 12 to 23 December: Sales table products in the staff room of Heerbeeck College Best
Looking back on 2023
In this last newsletter of 2023, we would like to look back on the past year.
In January, Lisanne and Isa travelled to Kenya. Carmen and Evelien followed in February, so the four of us were in Kisumu for two weeks. That is extremely valuable, because it allows you to discuss and decide things quickly. We met Richard for the first time in person. He is our contact person for the students of Klaartje Derks and during the past year he has been assigned many extra tasks to make things from the Netherlands easier, better. In addition, we also celebrated our 15th anniversary with the entire Amara family in Kisumu. It was great to see everyone together. It is also valuable for the people of the various projects to see that we support multiple projects.
Nynke has travelled to Kisumu several times and has brought materials, such as sheet material for braces, bandages and sportswear for our projects there and also brought back Kenyan products.
Lisanne and her friend Nel have been to Kisumu in October and November. After the visit in February, it turned out that the wheelchairs of all the children in our therapy project had to be adapted or replaced. We searched for skilled volunteers and we found them. In November, Ronni and Anita travelled to Kisumu to refurbish all the wheelchairs. They have worked very hard and done a wonderful job. We think it’s great that it was possible to travel to Kisumu again this year and that there was a lot of live contact with all our contacts.
Projects
A lot has happened in all our projects. As mentioned above, Ronni and Anita have made a great contribution to the therapy project. Mothers have expressed their gratitude again for all the help that Amara Foundation offers and the fact that we reimburse a family health insurance for all these families. In this way, the therapy of the disabled children is covered, but the entire family is also assured of basic care. Within the project aid to individuals we have received some repayments of loans, we have brought some mobile phones from the Netherlands and distributed them and we have granted a new loan for the renovation of a school canteen and the start-up and expansion of a market stall.
In February, we met the sitting volleyball club Shakers and decided to support them within the Sport project. Like Urusi, they are located in the Manyatta district. Urusi Football Club has played many tournaments and friendly matches. It’s great that they remain active despite the fact that the official youth competition has been delayed by the government. And within the St. Clare project, the social worker followed a new training course and we found two new donors, who will each sponsor one child through a periodic donation (fully deductible). A house has also been built for a mother and her children. Nel and Lisanne visited them in November.
Board and volunteers
And this year has been very much about saying goodbye to board members Lisanne and Maria. At the beginning of the year, they both indicated that they would step down as board members as of January 1, 2024. For Carmen and Evelien, this meant that they had to think about who would take over all the work, find new board members and how we might have to approach a number of things differently, so that we could continue all projects with less manpower in the Netherlands as well as possible.
Fortunately, Lisanne and Maria continue to have a warm heart for us. Of course, they remain emotionally involved. But not only that, they continue to work as volunteers for our shop with Kenyan products like continuing to supply the world shops, where our products can also be found. We are of course very grateful that they remain involved with the foundation with all their knowledge and are very grateful for all the work that Lisanne and Maria have done all these years. In Kisumu, they feel the same way. When Lisanne told everyone last November that she was stepping down as a board member, there were many shocked people who said goodbye to her with love, tears and applause. Fortunately, they also expressed in Kisumu that they have every confidence in the good progress of our foundation. And in passing, Lisanne has already let us know that she will probably travel as a volunteer to our projects in Kisumu. Lisanne and Maria don’t want a big farewell party. Of course, after so many years of working together, Carmen and Evelien still reflect on their departure as board members. At the same time as Lisanne, Jan and Henk also quit as bookkeepers and accountants. For many years, together with Lisanne, they ensured that our accounts and the annual report were in order and audited. As a trio, they will still close our 2023 financial year. We also greatly appreciate their work over the past few years.
New volunteers
Last year, Elma Turlings started as a volunteer at Amara Foundation. She has made a very valuable contribution this year by writing applications and thank you letters. A great addition to our team. Fortunately, Nynke Haagsma has indicated that she will join as a board member. That’s great news, of course! Because she has visited all our projects in the past year, she has gained a good impression of Amara Foundation. In a separate mailing in January, she will introduce herself and we will inform you about the job changes in the board.
In remembrance
We also reflect on the death of donors. We would like to remember donors Jan Vermeulen and Lucia Vermeer-Van Iersel. A warm thank you.
Thank you
We would like to conclude with a very warm thank you to all our sponsors; money donors, donors of goods, our volunteers who support us with services, people who have helped us get stuff in Kenya and people who help us during fairs and events, selling our stuff or setting up our own fundraiser of which the proceeds go to Amara. Without you, we have no right to exist! Also thank you very much on behalf of all our “family” in Kenya.
WE WISH YOU ALL HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A WONDERFUL 2024!! ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF KISUMU! Evelien Hommes-Romonesco – Carmen van Bergen – Lisanne Henuy-Rooijakkers Maria Vermeer – Martine Plantinga You can subscribe to this newsletter here Copyright © 2023 Amara Foundation, All rights reserved. You are subscribed to the Amara Foundation newsletter Our mailing address is: Amara Foundation Ploeg 40 Uden, Noord-Brabant 5404LZ Netherlands Add us to your address book Account number: NL52 RABO 0148319394 in the name of Amara Foundation Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list |
