HOW TO HELP THE ORPHANAGE

A number of people have asked how they can help me or help the children when I am here. Thanks to the number of generous donors who helped me get here, I have everything I could need here, but the orphanage and the children are always in need, so if you are at all interested in helping, read on. There are options for even the smallest budget.

If you are interested in donating for any of the following, please use the PayPal button at the left to donate to me with a credit card or checking account and send me an email designating how you would like the money spent. As receiving packages is very costly (the government will probably rifle through your package and then charge me a high free – aka a bribe – to collect the package), sending money for me to buy these items is the easiest way to help.

I think the most expensive, immediate and pressing need is the school sweaters. After that, we have a number of more general needs that I have listed. Other than that, we need sanitary pads, first aid supplies and office supplies.

Thank you so much for your generous support and consideration. All donations will be appreciated by the children and the orphanage staff!

General
A lot of stuff here is just old, worn out, and gross. The kids toothbrushes are disgusting and they all need new ones. They also need to regularly buy toothpaste. Washing basins are always in need, as is laundry detergent and soap. They buy water purifiers (bleach) to throw in the well, and that is always needed. In the kitchen, Grace desperately needs more bowls, plates, knives, cups, buckets, and she would like an apron. The kids would like a new soccer ball (theirs are all punctured). This is an unlimited category and we have MANY needs here! Any amount if appreciated.

School Uniforms
It is winter here in Kenya, and while for me that is quite warm (upper 60s), for Kenyans this is very cold weather. So they bundle up in hats and sweaters for school. However, a few of the kids at the orphanage, and many of the sponsored children outside of the orphanage, do not have sweaters and are very cold! Eric (the social worker) has said this is a pressing need. I have a list of the kids who don’t have sweaters and each will cost around Ksh500 (about $6.50 each). There are a total of 20 kids who do not have sweaters, so the total cost will be around $130. Any amount would be great.

Sanitary Pads
Once per month, sponsored girls and their female guardians come to WWB to pick up parcels of sanitary pads. They usually have some sort of speaker or some sort of lecture where they can hear about women’s health issues. A package of 10 sanitary pads costs Ksh50 (around 60 cents or so). Its incredibly cheap for us but most families cannot afford to continuously buy these (especially when they are faced with choosing between pads and soap, for example). As this is a continuous need, any donated amount is helpful.

Office Supplies
The WWB office is kind of shambles. The filing system is a mess, and there are never enough office supplies. We need things like pens, pencils, staples, tape, file folders, etc. Office supplies are boring, I know, but we do need new things. I would estimate no more than $20 is needed to buy the supplies.

First Aid
We have a relatively decent stock of first aid, but with 33 kids living here, it needs to be restocked regularly. Includes band aids, antibacterial creams, gauze pads, rubbing alcohol, latex gloves, hand sanitizer, etc. I would estimate around $20-$30 to fully restock the first aid cabinet.

Larger Donations
If you are interested in helping the orphanage further, the following are larger and more expensive items. Please e-mail me and we can discuss details:
• Livestock (cows, pigs, chickens)
• Food (maize, rice, beans)
• New toilet construction
• Bore hole (well for groundwater)
• Child Sponsorship