An Island of HOPE –Lindi Friends Primary School

Kibera Slum Nairobi, Kenya

The rusty rooftops of the Kibera slum cover homes of nearly a million of the poorest people on the earth. Can you find the Lindi rooftop?

Mostly the homes are constructed with mud and sticks.

This is what nice homes look like.

And here is a view of the neighborhood where the children play.

In 2005, a group of Quaker business men decided to build a Friends school.

You can find it nestled between the shops and shacks of the slum.

These students think it was a fine idea!!!

There are classes from grades one to eight. Currently, about 100 students are enrolled.

Before 2008 there were over 250 students.

But during the post-election violence, the food storage area was vandalized and the food was stolen.

The feeding program was then stopped because of lack of secure storage.

The school is looking for an agency to supply food once again as they know children won’t come to school if there is no food there.

The food comes from USAid: your tax dollar at work.

This is the food supplied by your tax dollars. It is maize (corn) to be boiled and some cooking oil.

Students must pass their 8th grade exam to go on to high school. Few do.

Teachers are either volunteer or are minimally paid less than $100 per month so they find better jobs if they can.

Though some books have been donated, they must be locked up when

not in use.

Thanks to donors, new restrooms were built in 2008 by FUM.

Old Restrooms New Restrooms

In February 2010, the oversight of LindiSchool was handed over to Nairobi Yearly

Meeting.

Lindi Friends Meeting Nairobi Yearly Meeting

Lindi Friends Meeting is in the Kibera slum.

The people there just didn’t have the resources to help supply the school with what it needs.

Nairobi Yearly Meeting will appoint a committee to manage the school with the help of Lindi Friends Meeting.

NYM has many more resources but will still depend on FUM.

It’s official!AFRICA QUAKER VISION, the group who built the school, handed all the documents over to the Presiding Clerk of Nairobi Yearly Meeting. It is hoped that with a broader base of ownership and resources, the situation at Lindi School will improve. The school will still look to Friends United Meeting for assistance.

How can I become a leader?

This young man who was in eight grade asked General Secretary Sylvia Graves how he could become a leader and work for Friends. “First, you must do well in school and pass your exam,” John Muhanji told him. “Then you must trust God to lead you from there. You must take one step at a time. ”

These students thank you for whatever you can do to help. When you give them

help, you give them HOPE, too.

Click on this picture to play the movie. The children are singing “This is the School the Lord Has Made.”

FUM sends your donations to the Africa Ministries Office who sees to it that your

money goes where it is intended.

What you can do to help: Send $$ for: teacher salaries

school uniforms

school supplies

scholarships

Pray for these children and families

Pray for the staff

Tell others about this project

Thank you! If you have questions please contact the FUM office.

Friends United Meeting

101 Quaker Hill Drive

Richmond, IN 47374

Phone 765-962-7573

Website: www.fum.org

Or, contact Terri Johns terrij@fum.org