Kenya orphanage update
from Go Ye Ministries, Without Walls, and Horizons Foundation
Spiraling Food Costs and renewed Efforts to help
Everyone’s cost to purchase food is rising. However the cost for even the most basic food in Kenya continues to bring SERIOUS prayer-time to those feeling responsible for feeding the 67 orphans plus staff and 5 destitute widowed women living nearby.
The orphanage is legally set up as a Kenyan charitable organization named New Life Covenant and Power Ministries (NLM), recently approved by the Kenyan national Attorney General and is directed by Bishop Washington Amara (pronounce eye-you-gee). This is the gentlemen who began to bring orphans into his home many years ago to give them a safe place to grow and thrive.
The cost of food has risen about 60% since January 2022.
The normal, basic daily Kenyan diet prepared for the orphans includes three meals of a) bread made from corn, served like cornbread, b) beans and rice, and c) collard greens called sukuma wiki. That’s it. That’s all. Same-o, same-o. They are provided one large cup of milk per day, but have very, very little protein in their diet. The cost of corn (maize) has risen over 122% since January 2022 and almost 25% of the entire food budget is spent on maize. Last year, steak was provided on a rare occasion but, that has ceased. Earlier, eggs were provided for breakfast every other day, but that has ceased. Fish were provided twice a week to supply additional protein, but due to rising costs that has ceased.
That’s like getting the cheapest subsistence meal you can buy in January 2022 for $3.60 and then getting the cheapest subsistence meal you can buy in October 2022 for $8.00.
Costs for running the orphanage have risen from about $2400 in January, 2022 to over $3700 in October, 2022. As we have said before, it’s only by the grace of God, that these children have a home and food. Again, the total cost has increased almost 60%.
The directors of the orphanage have been diligent in doing all they can to feed these children even with the price of food spiraling ever upward. In order to get a better yield on the 7 acres planted with maize, beans, collard green, tomatoes and onions, more water must be applied to the acreage on a daily basis. Since the orphanage is only two and one-half miles from Lake Victoria, water has been hauled in 20 Liter buckets in the back of the van to the fields. With alligators in Lake Victoria, the water gatherers have been very careful in filling those buckets! The directors realized that a better method must be found and since the estimate for drilling a deep well was over $20,000, an alternate source was necessary.
In Kenya smaller freight is hauled on a tuk-tuk.
Yesterday, we just purchased a bright red, brand new tuk tuk (pictured above) and now we will have a 1500 Liter steel water tank placed in the bed of the tuk tuk. That will hold almost 400 gallons of water (almost 3200 pounds). There will be several hose nozzles including one 2” line for getting water out of Lake Victoria and transporting it to the fields. This will immediately increase the yield on the collard greens field and other vegetables. The next step for this project is to purchase a trailer for the tuk tuk so we can carry greens and vegetables to the market.
We are also in the process of building a very small store and gas station to create profit for food.
This is being accomplished by bringing various charitable 501C3 organizations together to help these orphans: a) Go Ye Ministires founded by Avis Goodhart, b) Without Walls founded by Betty Bartholomew and c) Horizons Foundation of St Charles Missouri founded by Al & Charlotte Lockhart. Each organization retains autonomy but they are jointly working diligently on this project!
If you would consider partnering with us on this venture, children’s lives will be saved.
Al Lockhart, Trustee 636.634.5805
Horizons Foundation Horizons4kids@gmail.com
Donations may be sent to Horizons Foundation, PO Box 596, St. Peters MO 63376
100% of your donation is used for the orphans at Kendu Bay, Kenya.