Many women and children in rural Kenya walk miles everyday to access water. But our borehole is now usable and word has spread that clean water is accessible! Everyday, women and children from the surrounding area come to fetch water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, bathing and/or watering crops.
Read MoreComing into contact with these beautiful young women has built strong relationships. It has made me have a passion and a concern for the young women whenever I come across them. It has taught me about passion and patience in life and understanding people in all dimensions — having sympathy and empathy towards them.
Read MoreDue to lack of school fees, I had to drop out of school in the year 2009 when I was in seventh grade. During that time my mother got very sick, and my father was not around… I received the good news from Neema that I was among those who were selected. I remembered that I cried tears of joy and gave thanks to God because he had just answered my prayer.
Read MoreI wanted to work in childcare so I could nurture the young women by caring and loving their babies while they’re young and also mentor them about bonding with their babies and advise them on how to do this.
Read MoreWhen the first-year girls joined Neema, they looked lonely and isolated, and most of them were self-centered and wore a face of worry and sadness. But since then, they’ve started looking bright, and a few are even beginning to wear smiles on their faces.
Read MoreJackie Birungi, one of Neema’s counselors, is living out her great passion of “putting a smile on somebody’s face” in a profession where genuine smiles are hard earned but a definite sign of hope for the future.
Read MoreDuring one-on-one counseling, a first year student asked me to teach her how to love because she doesn't know how to receive or give love. She had never been hugged in her life, and she was not [open] to being hugged in the first sessions of individual counseling. I asked her if she could allow me to demonstrate it through listening and giving her a hug twice a day in the morning and in the evening. By the end of the week, she looked brighter and had learned to hug with ease.
Read MoreI have learned to love unconditionally, and this has helped me extend it to the young women at Neema and the people I encounter without passing judgment…. We do trauma counseling at Neema to help our students to spiritually, physically, emotionally, and psychologically address their personal experiences and come to terms with and recover from traumatic events by becoming survivors and knowing their true identity and worth.
Read MoreThis year, we gave time to each guardian to say something to their girl as she graduated. It was the most emotional time for me that day: To hear fathers and mothers tell their daughters that they are proud of them and that they love them. Especially that part. You see, in this culture here in Kitale, it is not common for a parent to tell their child that they love them. Love is shown in other ways but not usually expressed in touch or words.
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