Kisima Academy

For people who send Kisima Academy donations directly to FTKI, the address has changed. It is now: FTKI, 6614 Van Winkle Dr., Falls Church, VA 22044.



Kisima Academy, a mission of COS, is a Christian orphanage and school in rural western Kenya.


As the year comes to an end I would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the COS members who support Kisima Academy’s mission to care for and educate orphans. They are truly heeding the directive to “care for the widows and orphans in their distress” (James 1:27) Two of the 15 teachers and 22 orphans from primary school to college age are partially or fully sponsored by COS members. What a blessing to these children and young adults who would otherwise be living in difficult circumstances and unable to go to school. Kisima rescued them from exploitive or abusive relatives or from the streets and gives them a home and a caring, Christian education through primary school. From there Kisima sends them to board-ing high schools and then to college or technical school so that they can break the cycle of poverty and be fully prepared to be productive members of society. Currently there are 29 primary school orphans at Ki-sima and we support 63 Kisima graduates in various high schools and 40 in colleges or technical schools. Kisima also educates 250 underprivileged community children whose families pay a minimal amount--much less than in other schools.


If you would like to help by partially or fully sponsoring a deserving child or by making a donation you can find information at www.friendsofkisima.org. Partial sponsorship is $300/year or $25/month. Full sponsorship depends on the grade level. Of particular need now are sponsorships for the college students. Costs have gone up dra-matically and very few of the college students are fully spon-sored.


Martin recently sent photos of 4th graders enjoying a music lesson. It looks like they’re really having fun!


After another COVID hiatus the soccer club is back in action. They continue to do well and will be competing in the league two-day quarter finals. The whole school will be cheering them on!


Gerda Fink, COS Kisima Committee Chair-person, www.friendsofkisima.org, on Facebook at Friends of Kisima Academy.

update

News From Kisima Academy


Despite the challenges of the pandemic some good things have been happening at Kisima. The children have remained healthy and the eighth graders did extremely well on the national exam. The school schedule is still not back to normal. The new school year, which normally starts in early January, started May 2.


In Kisima’s early years two-thirds of the orphans had lost their parents in election/tribal violence. The remainder were orphaned from accidents, AIDS and other diseases, and abandonment. The last significant election violence was in 2007. This is an election year so there is again the potential for violence. Even being in a relatively safe area, measures are nevertheless being taken at Kisima to enhance security at the school. Please pray for a peaceful election.


The early group of tribal violence orphans is growing up. With the new school year there is a total of 58 orphans in boarding high schools. The fourth class graduating from high school makes a potential of 47 in colleges and technical schools. We are facing challenges supporting them all. There are several orphans with no sponsors and many whose costs are not fully covered, especially those in colleges. Our projected shortfall this year for both high school and college students is $31,000. General donations will only cover part of this. If you can help by offering one of these hard-working and deserving students a partial ($300) or a full (the amount depends on the grade and the school) scholarship please contact Gerda Fink.


Some of the high school students wrote letters about what Kisima had meant to them. Diana is fully supported by a COS member.


DIANA L. I am Diana L. I am seventeen years old. I started learning in Kisima Child Care since 2012. I thank Ki-sima Child Care Academy for all the support it has granted me. I have been in grade 11 and am going to grade 12. I am putting more effort in my studies and I am aiming at achieving my best. I thank FTKI for joining with us through our educa-tion and now I am almost doing my last exams. I am really grateful for all the support. I express my grati-tude to my sponsors who have been with me and who are still supporting me in anything I am going through. I really thank you and may God continue blessing you. I thank you Kisima, FTKI, and all spon-sors for being there for me. I would like to encourage other people not to give up but to work hard. When I am done with my studies I would like to inspire the other kids to understand the importance of education and have hope even if the present is hopeless. I once again thank you for the great support. May God bless and protect you in everything. Sincerely yours, Diana L.

Gerda Fink