Meru, Kenya

Meru Update December 2022

The good news is that the rains have finally arrived after a prolonged period of drought which has resulted in famine in East Africa as I'm sure you're aware.
Limbine Primary school pupils therefore felt that Christmas had come early when they received the 7 computers funded by folk in Broughty ferry who supported my sponsored swim , craft and car park day etc etc Having I T skills will improve the employment prospects of the children and take them out of rural poverty .
But we need more. If you would like to support me I would welcome raffle prizes delivered to the church or 47 Camphill Road by December 4th. to hold an online raffle on the 9th.December.  I feel that a lunch at home is still too risky due to covid. Raffle tickets will be £1 for a strip and I'm happy to send you the Meru account details or any monies in any form.
The St Stephens kindergarten in Meru has become a victim to the cost of living crisis and has settled its financial affairs and closed meantime. Parents grew unable to pay the meagre fees which covered their own children and the 'needy' pupils
Rev Elijah is doing his level best to support the extremely poor pupils who have been placed elsewhere in spite of his own health being monitored every three months in Nairobi hospital.
The Meru plate and your support not just financially but in our prayers is appreciated.
Elijah and Mercy and all the staff and pupils at Limbine feel blessed by your support from so many miles away.
Christmas blessings
Sheila

Christmas 2022 Update

I was asked by a friend on Thursday what difference the fundraising since 2008 had made to the pupils at Limbene in terms of their achievement. I felt I gave a very inadequate response as it was a direct question I had never asked. So - I asked Mercy and below is the reply she took time to write on Christmas Eve. It has no statistics nor career destinations but I feel it gives an idea of the difference made through your support over the years . I am immensely grateful to you as my boss will tell you I couldn’t get Limbene out of my mind after my first visit as the disparity between what we take for granted in educational resources here and Limbene was huge.

‘Hi Sheila to explain about the great change in Limbine I might miss the right words, coz there is much positive impact from each project initiated by you, to begin with the classrooms: from the old tainted iron sheets to new stone built ones, the warmness, more spacious and very conducive, outrightly this made the kids happy and ready to learn ,the water basins improving hygiene and easy cleaning despite the old fashion they were a costumed to of carrying jericans, the books and new modern lockers, for an individual, no more congesting in one desk which was being shared by 4 pupils per desk and now the digital world of literacy, waoh,this has brought great impact, they used to hear of cyber cafes, but now they have the gadgets right in their school, where they can operate them on their own, this has left a legacy in Limbine and will help moulding many generations for the future ,many thanks to you Sheila and the generous supporters, God bless the work of your hands blessed, merry Xmas .’

Merry Christmas! You’ve helped to make theirs.

Update on the Raffle for Meru

The raffle raised has now raised £710 which will buy 4 computers for Limbene and also allow some money to go to Elijah to support his ex kindergarten pupils plus funds from the Meru plate from St Stephens and West church
your support has been much appreciated. Big thanks and Christmas blessings upon you.
Sheila

Autumn 2022 Report

It would seem we have much in common with Meru right now. Political leadership elections are causing unrest in both our countries but without the tribal element here. The cost of living is soaring here and while we have food banks, in Kenya food parcels are being issued to the elderly in Meru and elsewhere. Drought is exacerbating poverty in both countries and we are praying for rain!

There is however some good news for Limbene PS where the money raised from the Christmas craft fair has refurbished a classroom ,to be used as a resources room and recent fundraising efforts in the car park of Grove academy and a friend's yard have raised enough to buy 7 computers for Limbene ,with former successful pupils being asked to match that number.

When I wrote an article for the Spring magazine I was optimistic about the kindergarten at St Stephens in Meru and did not dedicate my summer fundraising efforts to them as reports and photos showed improvements to the interior of the building and all seemed to be going well. But with the economic crisis I am working with Elijah to support the kindergarten until there is economic stability again. Any support or ideas for fundraising would be much appreciated as since 2008 with your help we have built a substantial kindergarten for 100 pupils equipped with a kitchen and minibus. I am very concerned for the pupils and staff and do not want our efforts to be wasted.

Meantime thank you for continuing to support the Meru plate.

Sheila McCluckie

Meru Update March 2022

A Message from Sheila McLuckie

Funds raised from Christmas fair provided a computer room at Limbene and resources at kindergarten. £1800 sent for Christmas.
Responses from Mercy and Elijah

Hi dear Shelia, great work here at Limbine because of your courtesy and a generous heart, we finally managed to renovate the class you had previously built for us a spacious computer room. Silas will send you the expenditures for accountability. We are indeed greatfull, Next week i will mobilise the learner's to write appreciation letters to you and your generous supporters. We shall embark on buying and requesting for some computers from the school alumini if the will indeed appreciate what you have done, of which am quite sure they will upon getting the photos from our headteacher. I don't know how to thank you but May our good Lord fulfill the desires of your heart and those of your families . Mercy

Dear Sheila, I left Nairobi yesterday. So the first thing is to come back to you. The school had no text books even for teachers and catering utensils. These were some schools priorities. There is partition for H/Teacher's office and painting of the classrooms. This will be done during holiday time to avoid disturbances. All this is your effort and may God bless you and all those who support you. You can see our teachers and some of the children holding books & blackboard lurer & protracted etc. Enjoy the pictures l keep sending more-Elijah.

Congratulations to Sheila and her helpers for raising £1800.

Meru Update November 2021

A Message from Sheila McLuckie

Greetings are sent from our overseas partners in St Stephen' s in Meru Kenya. In spite of another spate of locusts and lack of vaccines for covid , schools and kindergartens started again in January of this year, helped by the funds raised here in Broughty ferry over the course of lockdown.
You will see from the photos attached that the kindergarten is sporting a much smarter frontage and now called St Stephen's academy! Its own yellow minibus picks up the children from the rural area served by the kindergarten. The kindergarten had a sticky start in January only being able to pay 2 teachers until they built up funds and more children could return. With Derek Robertson I was able to pay a teachers salary from funds raised.
The photo from Limbene PS shows delivery of new desks and chairs for pupils and an upgrade from the CDF copying the design of our classrooms. Joint working produces results and attracts more pupils.
I must admit I felt uplifted when I got these photos. We have come a long way since 2008 with your help.

I continue to sell bookmarks and stones painted by my grandchildren on the front wall of the house. Rafferty was very innovative with his Scotland book marks at the time of the Rugby international and paints beautiful birds. Abby and Dougray are inspired by rainbows and colours. All donations go to Meru. The proceeds from the sale of several paintings have also gone to Meru. I was also sponsored to do a 100 swimming breaststrokes daily for Meru while pools were shut. It all adds up. If you would like to contribute to any of this and the monthly toiletries collection I do for vulnerable local women in Women’s aid or Salvation Army please let me know. Any toiletries can be left safely outside my door between the 12th to 15th of each month. All donations since last March have helped.
In November I held an outside Christmas craft fair which raised well over £1000 for Meru and some members of the church attended.

Meantime I wish everyone a blessed Christmas and renewed hope for return to a healthy normality in the months ahead.
Best wishes
Sheila

From the Autumn Bulletin

I would like to send some funds to Limbene PS and St Stephens kindergarten aka Academy for Christmas- but covid is making the usual fundraising lunch too risky.
I've heard from both Rev Elijah of the kindergarten and Mercy my contact teacher at Limbene this week, in response to a request for an update for the ferry St Stephens church website ( detailed below). Both Elijah and Mercy are bravely positive, but clearly local folk have been plunged into greater poverty by the pandemic, forced to borrow food and money to sustain families and survive. You will have seen from the media that there has been a great increase in teenage pregnancies. Businesses have closed down with ensuing unemployment.
She suggested asking Meru supporters if they would like to donate any crafts which could be sold at a Christmas stall in the front of my house. I've raised c.£500 from the sale of paintings and painted stones since last Christmas and will keep trying but I'd like to do more.
Could you please let me know if you'd be willing to donate any craft work with prices attached by October 23rd?
Would you be willing to come along to the stall on Saturday October 30th between 12.30-3 pm when I notice I'll have the support of my glamorous assistant wee Abby and maybe buy some Christmas gifts?

Meru update September 2021

Meru is a county in Kenya, East Africa which lies across the country at zero degrees. Kenya experiences a moderately warm tropical climate which has pleasurable conditions. It experiences a double maxima rainfall regime with two alternate dry seasons.
The advent of the coronavirus had serious devasting effects on the economy and livelihoods. In 2020 people were forced to remain indoors and couldn’t fetch a means of survival. Families were forced to go out and borrow food and money to sustain themselves. This is due to the fact that businesses were closed while some collapsed leading to poverty and indebtness. Schools were also indefinitely shut down forcing learners to stay home.
However in 2021 the situation positively improved with the average positivity rate going below 5% but still Covid is a big threat to humanity. There is very little uptake of vaccination in the country either due to ignorance, unavailability or fear of the unknown.
In conclusion it remains to be seen what happens in the future as we pray to God for divine intervention.
The school at Limbene PS and St.Stephens Academy is now open with 60 children and 6 teachers. Schools will close at the end of September for 10 days . Elijah has been asked by the Head Teacher to talk to the parents and pupils during the closure period.

Greetings from Meru August 2021

Greetings in Jesus name. Hope you and Joe are well. Priscilla and I are fine. I am happy to give you a brief on our school. The new academic year 2021 started 2nd August 2021. I am proud to inform you that the school has registered 48 pupils (i.e. from baby class to grade 3). We hope for more children as some parents have promised to bring their children. I wish to thank you for partnering with me to revive the school when I told you it was closing down after being shut due to pandemic for a year. God bless you. We now have 5 qualified teachers. If the number goes up we may need another teacher. I visited the school this morning and took some pictures/photos that I would like you to see. Hope these will give you a better idea of progress that we are making. Once more you and Derek take my sincere thanks for your effort and encouragement. Pass my love to all my friends, brothers and sisters. Covid -19 pandemic is coming back in a big way in some parts of Kenya. Pray with us that this disease will go away.
God be with you
Elijah & Priscilla

Update 28th.March 2021

On behalf of our partner St Stephens church in Meru I would like to thank our congregation for their very generous sum of £1000 to the kindergarten, now loftily renamed St Stephen's academy. Your generosity since 2008 has had a huge beneficial impact on the lives of children in rural Kenya.
Once I have transferred the funds to Rev Elijah and discussed what money will be used for best I will let you know. Watch the web site and magazine for details.
Meanwhile I continue my fundraising efforts by selling bookmarks and painted stones for Easter and with 4 paintings in the Broughty ferry art society online show from April 26th. - including a painting of a church.
Sheila

To find out more or to donate to the Meru/Dundee Partnership PLEASE CONTACT - scemcluckie@btinternet.com