Archives for May 2017

We held our bi-annual medical camp on a Saturday in April at the Dagoretti City Council Grounds, near our local office.

In one day 376 people received medical, dental, and eye care, along with preventative nutrition, sexual health, and hygiene care.

Of the 376 attendees, 223 were students of the program, 30 were guardians, 20 were staff members, and 103 others were relatives and neighbors of the children in the program.

Friends of Ngong Road provides ongoing healthcare when needed throughout the year to students. This medical camp is vital for detecting chronic issues, delivering preventive care, and ensuring early intervention for better health outcomes.

The clinic cared for students with diverse dental needs, extracting teeth for five individuals among them.

The clinic addressed bloated abdomens, ear issues, headaches, sprains, respiratory infections, and peptic ulcers, catering to diverse symptoms.

They also conducted HIV testing and provided education about treatment and care for those who are HIV+.

The medical camp is an important service we are fortunate to be able to offer our students and community. Our generous sponsors and donors make the medical camp possible, enabling kids to learn better when they are healthier.

This event is co-sponsored in Kenya with Ngong Road Health Centre, Nairobi Women’s Hospital, St. Joseph Catholic Health Centre, Sunrise Dental clinic, Sai Pharmaceuticals Company, Savant’s Bookshop, and volunteers from Kikuyu and Voi Rotary Clubs and Red Cross.

Thank you to the community of Friends of Ngong Road for making medical camp possible.

The class of 2016 graduated last December after completing their “big scary school career-end test” called the Kenyan Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). The KCSE is a comprehensive exam testing students’ last four years of knowledge and is used to determine what caliber of post-secondary school to which a student may be admitted. Even if a student doesn’t typically experience test anxiety, he or she probably does for this one.

This year 31 students took the KCSE. Among test-takers, 15 achieved C- or above, 16 got D or D-, leaving one who didn’t pass the exam.

Although it may sound low to American ears, the Kenyan system based on the old British system does not have “grade creep” and a “C” is truly average. Furthermore, educators believed that the KCSE test posed greater difficulty compared to previous years, potentially causing grades to slightly deviate from students’ usual performance.

Since December, the class of 2016 has been busy at our local office completing a computer certificate course, soft skills training, and preparing their school applications.

This year, the program anticipates the enrollment of four students. Six are expected to receive additional government sponsorships for their education because of their test scores.

Some of the standouts from the class of 2016 include:

Rose achieved a government scholarship by attaining a remarkable composite grade on her KCSE.

She attended one of the most prestigious secondary schools in Kenya after scoring above average on her 8th-grade exam, the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, a similar test structure to the KCSE but for 8th graders. Rose is finalizing her post-secondary plans. Steve and Judy Lewis sponsor Rose.

Francis excelled in KCSE, aiming for Jomo Kenyatta University to pursue veterinary studies after achieving an above-average grade. He learned about the field through Bimeda Veterinary Supply Company in Kenya, a close supporter, and friend of the organization. Andy and Heidi Walz sponsor Francis.

Timothy has been a strong leader in the class of 2016. At the leadership camp, he ignited a passion for leading. As class president, he nurtured and improved his leadership skills. In Kenya, the class president manages on-campus dorms, ensuring students complete tasks and chores, bearing substantial accountability.

Timothy’s KCSE grade was decent, not his ideal, yet he secured a government scholarship for environmental management studies. Francis and Maura Roby sponsor Timothy.

In September, once schools and programs have accepted students, sponsors of the Class of 2016 will receive finalized student plans.