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After my stay in Kenya, I visited friends and family in England near Canterbury and London, and I only just arrived the Tuesday of last week, the 31st. It's been such an incredible experience. I've taken over eleven hundred pictures, but I've had problems uploading them onto blogger so I'll keep trying, but meanwhile ou can see all the good ones I've compiled on my facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=1454370302&ref=profile

I'm off to Kenya today!!!

It's finally happening, everyone! My flight is today at 4:18 pm. Our entire Kids for Kenya group has worked so hard especially in the last few weeks to put together some last minute events and work days for fund raising, and also received a lot of donated and second-hand clothes from families and other sources. I feel like we've accomplished so much, and it's hard to believe that we haven't even done the half of it. But I am sooo excited for the rest! We will be in Kenya from March 9th to the 21st.
Wish me luck and look forward to new posts and photos sometime soon. :)

Thank You ALL For Your Incredible Support!!!!!!!!

I am proud to announce that I am extremely close to reaching my goal for the $1,600 amount due this weekend to purchase my round-trip ticket to Nairobi. I don't know how to express the intense emotion I feel because of everyone's strong support for my plans, which now will become a reality, thanks to the following people:


Steven Giles, my uncle
My sweet neighbor Susan Landauer
An old and close friend, Sunny Saunders,
and of course my close friends and family.
I also owe a lot to Polly, my teacher and one of the founders of the Kids for Kenya Organization for encouraging me and assuring me that I would reach my goal. :)


I owe a special thank you to Ingrid and Peter Giles, my grandparents, for their generous donation, intense support for my trip, and also the knowledge they gave me from personal experiences in Kenya. They talked about what to expect and what I will see when I visit, and how to prepare for being in such a hugely different culture than what I'm used to.
Thank you so much and I love you both!

:):)




Only about three weeks ago I was seriously doubtful about whether or not I was going to be able to raise the amount of money necessary to do this, especially during the crazyness of this economy. Everyone else seemed to raise the money just easy, but it wasn't as easy for me. I'm sure a lot of people worked very hard for their money and they're very appreciative, but honestly I think I consider myself at least just a little bit more appreciative. These last few months, and I suppose just this past year, has made me really aware of what its like to earn money and save money and handle everything financial. This experience has been extremely valuable for me. But what excites me further is that the experience isn't over yet. The closer the trip gets, the more I see the reality of what's going to happen, and I couldn't be looking forward to it more! And it's all thanks to everyone. Thank you so much!!!!! I'll be putting up a post about the details of my trip soon. :)

Fund Raising Updates

Dear Friends:
Available at Trillium Charter School and from me personally:
Gift certificates for:
•Babysitting in my neighborhood(North Portland, Oregon): $7/hour or $30 for 5 hours. I have experience with caring for most age groups up to three kids at a time, as well as taking care of my brother of age 7.

I am also selling:
•Handmade friendship bracelets of different designs and colors. Individual bracelet's prices will vary from $1.00 to $6.00, depending on the design, and there will be a discount to Trilium Charter School students and friends. I'm also offering a set of ten different intricately designed bracelets for $10.00. :]
Here are just some of the bracelets I'm making, as well as others which are not pictured here:





I'm also selling custom lettered bracelets; here's an example:




All of these will be available at Trillium Charter School and go toward my ticket expense to Nairobi, Kenya.

Any contributions of any size are GREATLY appreciated!!!

:)

- Lydia Giles
misslydliyd@gmail.com

Support The Kids for Kenya Non-Profit Organization

View more pictures here.




Dear Friends,
I am currently preparing for a trip to Nairobi, Kenya this March in order to do my part to support a non-profit organization called Kids for Kenya. The goal of our organization and its supporters is to help Humble Hearts School as much as possible by providing access to food, shelter, hygiene products,
school supplies, clothing, general appliances, and more for the students and orphans. In the past, our organization, its supporters and students at Trillium Charter School in Portland, Oregon have had the great pleasure and fortune to travel to Nairobi and help build desks, tables and shelves, plant a garden, paint the building, build the foundation for the orphanage, provide 38 suitcases of clothing and books, participate in hiring staff, and create and facilitate a group to deal specifically with the problems that the young women there are facing. Last year, over $3,500 was raised that went directly to Humble Hearts. Since the last time we visited, the cost of food and water has increased over %700. I am writing to ask for your support for my personal trip expenses to Nairobi and the Humble Hearts School in order to help contribute and do everything in my power to repeat the same achievements as the previous visits. I am trying to raise $1,700 by December, and any donations of any size are greatly appreciated. Listed below are the many other ways you can contribute, also.

Please comment my blog. Any suggestions or signs of support are appreciated :]



·Directly support the health of the students:
Food:
· For 1 month for all 230 students at the school: $500
· For 3 months: $1200
· For 1 year: $4000
Wellness:
· Basic personal health and hygiene supplies for 20 students(soap, shampoo, toothbrush, first aid): %100
· Supply re-usable feminine hygiene products for 100 girls at the school:$500

·Support a start-up sustainable business:
· Sewing for Health:
· Girls in Nairobi stop coming to school when they start menstruating, as resources are too limited to buy basic feminine hygiene products. One sewing machine and supplies for making reusable hygiene products: $475
· Carpentry:
· Currently the school's handyman, Ray Ayaya, a talented carpenter who learned his trade from his father, helps the school when he can borrow or rent the necessary tools. We hope to provide Ray with the resources he needs to provide for the school and for his own family. A complete tool package would include basic hand tools(hammers, planers, saws, chisels, etc.) as well as a cordless drill, electric saw, and router: $1100.

· Complete the orphanage:
· More than half of the pre K-12 age students who attend Humble Hearts are orphans. Currently sleeping in two rooms, 2-3 to a bed, the new building now under construction, Angel Cottage, will provide many new beds in a safer, more secure environment. Construction supplies for completing of the orphanage: $2600

· Fund the exchange program:
· We have obtained funding for Humble Hearts director Beatrice Anunda, and star pupil Sarah to come to Portland this fall. We want to offer more students and staff the opportunity. One Humble Hearts teacher and one student to travel to Portland: $3400

Kids for Kenya is a 501(c)3 non-profit. All contributions are tax deductible.

For more information about the Kids for Kenya Organization and its supporters, visit http://kidsforkenya.blogspot.com/

or contact the founders, Polly Christopher and Ken Gadbow:

Polly@TrilliumCharterSchool.org


Ken@TrilliumCharterSchool.org