Spring update from Kenya

Greetings from Iten, Kenya!

Things at Simbolei are moving along. The latest information from the Kenya government is that we will be able to admit our first 80 students on July 26. Being fully prepared to provide food, housing and instruction for 80 14-year-old girls is our current race against the clock.

As you can see from the photos, the exterior of the main building is finished. This large building will house classrooms, offices, library, computer lab and temporary dormitory rooms. The kitchen and cafeteria are in a separate building and are also exterior finished.

In the interior picture you can see the newly plastered library with its spacious windows and the floor still wet from curing. Electrical wiring is also in and next will be paint and floor tile. Then we will finally be ready for bookshelves and computers.

Richard and Andrea’s new little home has a roof and is slated for window glass and interior plaster this week. Soon we will have a comfortable place to live and work and also more room for volunteers and other visitors.

On a less happy note, while Kenya was spared some of the worst effects early in the COVID-19 pandemic, it is currently contending with a third wave of infections that seems to cause worse sickness than the first two, with more hospitalizations and more deaths. So, as always, we are following instructions from health authorities and following all recommended precautions. We do not know how further developments might affect our timeline.

Stay well and stay with us as the journey continues!

Simbolei Girls’ Secondary Academy

EducationKellie Nolan
Getting Settled in Kenya

Hello from Kenya, everyone! 

After many years of planning and many months of tying up "loose ends" we (Richard and Andrea) are both settled on the ground in Kenya. The first few weeks have been taken up with trying to get settled into an semi-efficient routine and also getting various contractors in to give estimates and plan jobs that need to be finished before the school opens.

Presently, the government of Kenya has stated that schools opening for Form One (first year high school) students will be able to accept new students in April or May. So, we are hoping to open at that time. Covid has caused the whole Kenyan school calendar to be rearranged, so we are staying flexible.

In the meantime, we are settling in to our little house here. Andrea has taken on the job of getting the laundry done. It is washed by hand in a basin. I usually heat the washing water and then rinse the soapy clothes with cold rainwater from our outside barrell.

Rodent control in a wooden structure like our house is important. Rats are prevalent and pretty aggressive about getting into houses to eat food and chew up other materials. We don't like using poison and we don't want to live with rats, so we decided to bring in a household expert.

Our friend, Simon Koech, who is a tour guide by profession and has arranged tours for many of our volunteers, located Jimmy the cat to add to our household. Jimmy keeps the rats out and also provides free entertainment as he practices his hunting skills on his toys. We have not seen or heard a rat since he moved in!

We have also planted a garden and in addition to the traditional scarecrow, we have a kite scarecrow!  The kite blows around in the wind and looks like a bird of prey, which keeps the other birds from eating the seeds and plants. We are growing wheat to sell and beets, beans, peas, onions and collard greens for us to eat.

As we negotiate with contractors for final finishing of the school building, we are also working on completion of a new house for us and for visitors. This week a crew came to complete framing and roofing for the bedrooms. Next week we hope to get the cement slab floor in and then start exterior walls. Things move fast here!

I will try to keep everyone updated as we move along toward school opening.

Such a busy exciting time!

~ Andrea

EducationKellie Nolan
Join Us On a Virtual Field Trip!

The internet is full of cultural treasures, from music to art exhibits. However, it can be hard to sort out content that is family friendly and educational. Since we are all waiting things out together, in the US and in Kenya, we’ve decided to take a virtual tour of some of the best cultural online sites. Many museums, libraries and musical organizations are offering special events and exhibits during this time. So, pack your virtual travel gear, find a comfy chair, pour a cup of tea and join us for biweekly postings of the Simbolei Virtual Cultural Field Trip 2020!

National Museum of African American History, Washington, DC. Photo credit: Alan Karchmer

National Museum of African American History, Washington, DC. Photo credit: Alan Karchmer

We are conducting the tour mainly through our Facebook site at

https://www.facebook.com/simboleiacademy/.

However, you can also visit the sites by checking in here:

First, we kick off with a trip to the British Museum, London 
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/galleries#virtual-galleries

Then, we travel to Washington DC in the USA to visit the National Museum of African American Historyhttps://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/exhibitions.

There are simply more sites than we can possibly keep up with and our tour will zoom around the globe. Looking forward to seeing you on the field trip!

Posted on April 16th, 2020

EducationKellie Nolan
Moving Forward While Sheltering in Place
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Time for updates!  It’s been a busy winter for the Kaitanys. At present, we have moved out of our house in Michigan, sent the school library, microscopes and most of our possessions off in a container to Kenya, and we are now sheltering in place in different locations while waiting for the Covid 19 pandemic to subside so we can relocate ourselves to Kenya.

On the plus side, we were able to get the container off in good order. Also, we have our wonderful site manager, Felix, in charge in Kenya so we know everything there is safe and sound including the Simbolei Academy building, the cows and our small house. Richard is in Michigan with some of our neighbors, hoping to head to Kenya as soon as international flights resume. Andrea is in Iowa doing some gardening for her mother and hoping to join Richard by August.

On the “not so plus” side this is a new experience for everyone and we cannot predict how travel regulations and requirements may change in the next few months. So, we remain flexible and patient, just as all of our friends and supporters must in this environment.

We remain determined at this time to focus all of our energy on opening Simbolei Girls in January 2021. The need for high quality local secondary education has increased due to economic and social pressures of the pandemic. We have an important role to play in helping the community to cope and we remain optimistic that we will overcome whatever challenges lie ahead.

As always, we depend on the support and encouragement of our friends and donors to help us meet our goals.

We will keep you posted as we add more details to our timeline.

Posted on April 8, 2020

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Dealing with Disappointment: The Right Book Can Help

This past Sunday, I was asked to present the children’s portion of our worship service. I decided to share one of Simbolei’s best of the year picture book selections, Saturday by Oge Mora.

Saturday-by Oge Mora.jpg

Saturday is the story of Ava and her mother, who fill every Saturday with special activities. On one particular Saturday, however, every planned activity results in disappointment. The library storytime is canceled, the park is crowded and so on. As Ava and her mother bounce back from each disappointment, the text repeats a coping technique. Ava and her mother take a deep breath “whew” and the mother repeats, “Today will be special. Today will be splendid. Today is Saturday.” In the end, despite repeated disappointments, the day is splendid as Ava and her mother recognize that being together is what makes the day truly special.

This book meets all the criteria we use to choose our best picture book selections. The text is clear, understandable and enjoyable to read for both adults and children. The artwork is gorgeous, using multimedia collage to create a sense of movement and excitement. The characters are people of color, allowing children of all races to feel validated and recognized in the story. And finally, while the story is simple, it touches on deeper themes and ideas.

When I read the book to the children in worship, they were enthralled. I asked them if they could relate to the idea of having a plan for something fun and exciting that turned out to be disappointing. One little boy mentioned that sometimes we wait and wait for snow to come and when it does, it gets in our mouth! What a disappointment!

Picture books are more than entertainment and they are more than an exercise in reading. Through art and carefully crafted text, a high quality picture book functions as more complex fiction does for adults, as a mirror and an exploration of the world around them. When children identify with the feelings and experiences of fictional characters, they are learning to empathize and to see feelings and ideas in symbolic terms. They are entering the literary traditions of human culture. To me, it is a great honor to be part of this process as a teacher and as a literacy volunteer through Simbolei’s literacy outreach programs.

Saturday and our other yearly selections will be available for purchase at the Lansing Peace Education Center Alternative Holiday Sale November 15 and 16 at Edgewood United Church and also at the Presbyterian Church of Okemos Alternative Christmas Gift Sale on December 8 at Presbyterian Church of Okemos. Simbolei receives 30% of the purchase price of each book. If you would like to purchase any of these books but cannot attend the sales, please send us an email at simboleigirls@gmail.com and we can arrange to mail the books to you. Happy book shopping!

Posted on November 11, 2019

 

Wrapping Up Another Year with Some Great Books

So, lots of updates are in order. Due to family responsibilities, the Kaitanys were not able to relocate in July as planned. Currently, Richard is travelling back and forth between Michigan and Kenya every few months to keep things moving in both places. Our house is on the market and our shipping boxes are neatly packed and labeled. It won’t be long before ALL of us have a new home in Kenya.

But in the meantime, the holidays are approaching and that means time for some great new books for the Simbolei Library and for folks who visit us at holiday gift fairs.

Every year, I choose a few of the many amazing picture books that come out each year to suggest for holiday gift giving and for our Simbolei Library. My criteria include choosing new books by diverse authors and featuring children from a variety of ethnic, cultural, social and religious backgrounds that promote positive values. Also, I look for books with outstanding artwork. There are always too many amazing choices. But, I try to limit the list to five or six. So, without further ado, I introduce our first holiday book pick of 2019.

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This recent bestseller tells the story of Katherine Johnson who loved numbers and counting. After overcoming many challenges, particularly gender and race discrimination, Katherine grew up to work with NASA as a “computer,” completing complex equations needed for space flight. When the Apollo 13 spacecraft was damaged while returning to earth, Katherine managed to recalculate a new flight path quickly and accurately, saving the lives of the three astronauts who were able to return safely to earth. The book has lively illustrations that create a continuity of Katherine’s character as she grows older through the story. Katherine’s story is first a story of personal courage and talent, but also includes reference to historical discrimination against black people and women in the United States and especially in the fields of math and science. Further, this book is unusual in providing brief, simple explanations of Katherine’s actual work with advanced mathematics and physics that could be an interesting conversation starter for a math or science classroom. The book is perfectly suited to a seven to nine year old reader on their own or, with some help and possibly slightly simplified read aloud, would fascinate most four to seven year olds.

I will have copies of the book ready for purchase at the Lansing Peace and Education Holiday sale on November 15 and 16 and at the Presbyterian Church of Okemos Alternative Holiday sale on December 8. Through the generosity of Schuler Books and Music, 30% of the purchase price at either of these sales will go directly to Simbolei Community Assistance to help fund our community library and other educational activities. If you would like to purchase a copy but are unable to attend the sales, please email me at simboleigirls@gmail.com and I can arrange to mail a copy to you.

Stay tuned for the rest of our holiday list over the next few days!

Posted on November 4, 2019

 
Topophilia: Why “I Love This Place” Matters

Currently, the Kaitany family is surrounded by a chaos of boxes, piles of books, piles of items to be donated or given to friends, etc.  Even though our final departure date is not until July, with a house to sell, pets to resettle in new homes, and six people’s accumulated belongings to organize, it’s quite a process.

Our current home decor.

When the chaos threatens to unnerve me, I find it helpful to visualize the end product, arriving in Kenya and settling into our new home, hiring and training teachers, organizing facilities and finally, welcoming students.

I have also done some reading about the moving process and discovered that feeling love and attachment to a particular place has a scientific name, “topophilia” or the “love of place.”  As a person who has always felt strongly rooted to the natural environment, I am not surprised to learn that tophophilia can ease one’s feeling of confusion or the sense of being “lost” that often goes along with moving.

 
Iowa Farm.jpg

The farm in Iowa where I grew up, probably about 1980.

 

I grew up in rural Iowa, a beautiful place where people care for the land and the seasons and weather are fully integrated into the rhythms of daily life. When I visited rural Kenya, I immediately felt a sense of connection and homecoming as well. Farmers and rural folks in Kenya likewise are closely connected to place and the natural environment in a way that must be shared by farmers around the world.

 
Ellen2.jpg

My friend, Ellen, on the edge of the Rift on a misty evening.

 

Iten, Kenya, where Simbolei Academy is located, sits near the equator at an altitude of 8000 feet, so it has the benefits of equatorial sun, 12 hour days and nights, and a climate with few extremes, while its high altitude mean the warm air is dry and not overly hot. Looking out over the Great Rift Valley into vast, mild blue sky is probably the most restful experience one can have. My topophilia for my new home is strong. I hope you will consider a visit to Iten as we finish and open the school to experience the beauty for yourself.

 
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Looking out over the Rift, a place that inspires topophilia.

 

As for me, it’s time to get back to the endless to-do list that comes with wrapping up my last semester of teaching in the US and preparing for the relocation.

— Andrea

Posted on April 4, 2019


Sustainability and Mentoring the Community

My husband, Richard, has been a driving force behind Simbolei Academy from the beginning. But, as we transition from construction to curriculum planning and soon, to actual school operations, Richard will have fewer responsibilities at the school and will be able to begin pursuing some of this other interests in community development.

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Richard’s background is in agriculture. He grew up on a family farm near Iten and studied plant pathology, the science of diagnosing and treating diseases of crops, at Iowa State University and at Michigan State University. Recently he retired from the Department of Agriculture with the State of Michigan. So, now that the construction is beginning to wind up, Richard is excited to have time to begin working on agricultural projects and mentoring local farmers using the knowledge he has gained over decades of work in agriculture in the lab and the regulatory office.

First on his agenda will be providing food for the school. 320 teenagers will consume a large amount of food every day and the most cost effective and healthy way to provide it will be to raise it ourselves. In addition, Richard and I can implement some of our ideas for sustainable animal husbandry and land stewardship through our projects.

We have already developed a small dairy herd, pictured here hanging out with Richard. Right now they use several small paddocks sandwiched in near the construction site, but we are preparing pastures and dairy facilities so our cows don’t graze on the soccer fields once the students are using them!

Second, we will be growing maize (corn) and vegetables for the school cafeteria on Richard’s family farm a few miles from Simbolei. In order to prepare for this, Richard was able to fulfill a childhood dream of buying a tractor. Most farmers in the area rent a tractor during the growing season, which saves money but also leads to planting delays and a fair amount of frustration and desperation as every farmer in the area competes to get one of the few tractors into their field.  Richard sent me video of his new tractor plowing the field where we will grow food for Simbolei students.

Richard will be back in Michigan in a few days to help me make final preparations for our move. But, I think he is leaving a big part of his heart in Kenya with our cows and his tractor!

We expect to be relocating to Iten in July and will be opening Simbolei Girls’ Academy in late 2020. We always welcome volunteers and other contributions and are always happy to provide more information about Simbolei Academy. Please contact us to find out more.

 

Video to be added

— Andrea

 

Posted on March 15, 2019

 

Building Progress: The Outside Walls are Done

I’ll get back to library organizing and household packing next week, but this week we got a whole crop of new photos from Richard showing the finished exterior walls.

As you can see, the construction scaffolding is still in place or scattered around, but we will soon have that cleared away. I couldn’t wait to show you the beautiful building. The next step will be building interior partitions which are of cement block rather than stone. Then windows will go in and we will be ready for electrical wiring, tiling and painting. The crew has already started on some of the interior partitions.

Richard will have one more week in Kenya to wrap things up, including arrangements for the arrival of our shipping container of library books, lab equipment and personal effects, ensuring the cottage and building site have good security while he is in the US, arranging medical insurance, transportation etc, etc for our final relocation to Kenya in July. Felix Sirma continues to be our right hand man and amazing family friend. We could not do it without him.

We also could not do this without all of you, our friends, family and supporters. Keep sending your encouragement, keep praying if you do that, and, as always, financial support is always welcome. Your generosity of time, talent and resources is an inspiration to us.

We have some new and exciting volunteer activities coming up in the fall of 2019 and winter of 2020, so if you’ve been contemplating joining us in Kenya for a couple of weeks, a month, or a couple of months, a year, whatever, stay tuned. I will have more information about these activities in the next few weeks. If you can’t wait that long, send me an email at info@simboleiacademy.org or on Facebook at Simbolei Academy and I will fill you in. Happy planning!



Posted March 9, 2019

 
Our Solid Foundation: The Beginnings of the Simbolei Vision

Richard is still in Kenya, so absorbed in getting as much done as possible before he comes back to the States in March that he hasn’t sent any pictures lately. Here in Michigan, I’m sorting, packing and cleaning. I had planned to write a post about the bittersweet task of packing up, but haven’t been able to get my thoughts together. So, this week I’m going to take a little stroll down Memory Lane to where Simbolei began, way back in July 1998.

In 1998, Richard and I had been married 14 years and had three kids, but we had never travelled to Kenya as a family and the trip was overdue. So, when I got offered a reasonably well paying job for the fall semester, we decided it was time to spend a summer in Kenya. We packed up 10 year old Kipchumba, six year old Kibor and almost four year old Jerotich and flew across the world.

The biggest event of the trip was a ceremony at Richard’s family home to welcome the kids and me officially into the family. There was dancing, singing, and food, but the most significant moments were when Richard’s family dressed the kids and me in new clothes they had provided. This act, which is a variation on an ancient marriage ritual, indicates that from now on, we are to find our shelter, our clothing, all of our needs, within the shelter of the family of “Kapsesia,” the official name of Richard’s family lineage. Jerotich didn’t grasp the ritual significance, but she really like the ruffly dress which my sister in law, Magrina, wife of Richard’s oldest brother, is helping her with in this picture.

We also visited Richard’s primary school, Chelingwa Primary, and donated a small box of books. This box was the first of many, many books that I would present to primary school head teachers in villages around the area over the years. Although we didn’t know it at the time, it was a day of great significance. During the conversations and small speeches in the staff room after the book presentation, Kenneth Kipchoge, then headmaster of Chelingwa Primary, noted that the community was eager to have people of our education and experience “come home” to Kenya and that particularly, they hoped we would consider building a high school for girls. To be honest, up until that point, the idea had never entered my head. I had assumed when we eventually relocated to Kenya (I was in love with the place by the second week, so that was already pretty clear) I would teach at a university as I did in the US. But, Mr. Kipchoge’s words first brought the vision of Simbolei Girls’ into being.

Overall, it was a wonderful trip, discovering the beauties of Kenya and meeting and developing relationships with Richard’s family and friends. It would be eight years before we were able to buy land suitable for Simbolei Girls’ and another five after that before we were able to begin construction. But, it was the beginning a life changing experience for all of us. As we prepare to finally open Simbolei Girls’ to the first students in January 2020, this story reminds me that sometimes all it takes to start something big is a few words of vision, the planting of a seed.

 — Andrea


Posted February 23, 2019

 
Kellie Nolan
Another Great Book Set in Sudan

As I’m packing and preparing the Simbolei Community Library for shipment from Michigan to Kenya, one of the greatest challenges for me is the temptation to continue to purchase new books. I am trying to cut back on purchases so that I can get the books we already have ready for shipment and I can turn my attention to other moving related tasks that need to be done.

Having gotten that off my chest, I want to follow up on last week’s post about A Rope from the Sky, a recent history of South Sudan, with another Sudan related book in an entirely different genre.

Morning in Serra Mattu : A Nubian Ode is a collection of interrelated verse stories that describe the culture, environment and people of Nubia, an ancient civilization and now a region in the country of Sudan. This is a beautiful and intriguing book, the poetry full of delicate and intimate details while overall the poems weave the story of historical and environmental change.

Over 100,000 Nubian people in Egypt and Sudan were displaced upon completion of Egypt’s Aswan High Dam in 1960 and this event is one of the tragic themes of the stories. But, the history in this book reaches much farther back into the distant past as well as into the present.

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Here is an excerpt from the poem With Alawiyya -

Alawiyya was your sister
one year older
with whom you loved to set out to explore
and together you knew all the roads
and hidden paths and complex secret passageways
of all those neighborhoods

sometimes climbing on roofs of garages
from which height you reached out with a wire
you bent with a hook to pull
tamarinds down toward you
taking in your hands the fruit

and the British were quite crazy with such sun
to grow every kind of citrus that they could

to water with each moon
they flooded the gardens from the Nile
the orchard then became a lake

from With Alawiyya in Morning in Serra Mattu

With books we can travel the world, finding our common feelings with people from other times and places but also learning to see the world through another person’s experiences. As we prepare to move the Simbolei Community Library into its new home , I find books to be both soothing and inspiring. I’ll continue to share treasures for adults and children, both books specifically related to Africa and books related to topics such as development and education so that you can share the journey of discovery with us.

Happy reading!

— Andrea

Posted on February 16, 2019

 
Books About Black History for All Ages

February is Black History Month in the US, so I thought it would be a good time to share some books about Africa and Black history that I have found interesting. Today, I’ll cover two very recent books, one for adults and one for younger readers that cover important aspects of Black history.

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The first book is A Rope from the Sky : The Making and Unmaking of the World’s Newest State by Zach Vertin, which came out in January 2019. South Sudan, Kenya’s neighbor to the north, is one of the world’s newest countries, having separated from Sudan in 2011 and began to disintegrate in civil disputes in 2013. Vertin follows the major figures in the formation and eventual disruption of South Sudan as they achieve the impossible, separating from the country governed from Khartoum created by the British and setting up a new country. But, fighting for independence and governing a modern state are two different tasks requiring different strengths.

The picture of South Sudan’s struggles with corruption and the toxic manipulation of ethnic rivalries illustrates the struggles common to many African nations to one degree or another. The book is rather long but quite readable and helped me understand South Sudan and its impact on East Africa much better. Simbolei’s late friend and patron, Lazarus Sumbeiywo makes a brief appearance in the peace negotiation process.

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For younger readers, Black History Month is a great time to learn about some stellar figures in science. One beautiful new picture book — The Vast Wonder of the World — tells the story of African American scientist, Ernest Everett Just, a pioneer in the study of cell biology. The pictures in this book are gorgeous and the text describes Just’s life and work in a way that will spark the interest of readers ages 6-11 in cell biology while also discussing the racial discrimination Just faced in his career. The book’s author is Melina Mangal and Luisa Uribe did the beautiful illustrations.

Over the years, many of you have asked me what types of books the Simbolei library will include. Others have asked what books might give good information about East Africa. As I pack up my own library and prepare to ship the books, I will be posting brief descriptions of some favorites here. Happy reading!

— Andrea

Posted on February 16, 2019

 
Construction News!

The new year begins with Richard Kaitany and the crew finishing the rough construction and beginning interior finishing. Everything is finally coming together for our school opening in 2020.

In a few photos from the construction site, the workers are position cut stone in preparation for creating the last walls. They will be able to complete the wall in one day. Then, the wall needs to cure overnight before they continue work the next day. In the last photo, you can see the back wall finished. In the days since this photo was taken, all the second floor walls were finished.

 
 

So, what’s next?

Here in Michigan, I am clearing out and packing up accumulation from 20 years raising a family in this house. Our house here will go on the market in April. In Kenya, Richard and the crew are ready to begin interior finishing of the first four classrooms, the science laboratory and the library. A huge thank you to the Presbyterian Church of Okemos in Michigan for providing funds for interior finishing and microscopes for the science laboratory!

If you or someone you know would be interested in sponsoring the library or one or more of the classrooms, let us know!

Also, over the next few weeks, I’m going to start posting about how I am preparing for the move, with photos and stories about the new tools and processes I am attempting to master, from efficient ways to do laundry without a washing machine to making cheese and planning coursework. I will also post reviews of some great books about Kenya and East Africa so you can read up on the context of Simbolei Academy.

We’re moving right along!

— Andrea


Posted January 30, 2019

 
ConstructionKellie Nolan
The Value of Picture Books

Every summer during our Literacy Outreach activities, we visit six local elementary schools near Simbolei, sharing stories and donating picture books. While most American children have access to picture books either at home or at school, our donations are often the first picture books that the Kenyan students have encountered. In this video, a local head teacher, Jen Kibii of Yokot Primary School, in Kamariny, Kenya, explains why picture books matter to the pupils at her school.

We hope you will consider joining us for Literacy Outreach 2019. Dates and details are coming soon. If you can’t visit with us in person, remember that we accept donations of gently used children’s books and crayons also.

— Andrea

Posted October 22, 2018

 
BooksKellie Nolan
Boarding Schools and Gender Equity: A Teacher’s View

As we plan Simbolei Academy, American supporters sometimes ask “why a boarding school? Shouldn’t girls be living at home?” Kenyan educators, however, fully support boarding schools as the most effective means for girls to obtain a quality education.

The headteacher of Yokot Primary school, one of our cooperating elementary schools, explains why girls need the space and quiet that boarding schools provide, allowing them to focus on their studies instead of on their many family obligations.


NEED VIDEO UPLOADED TO VIMEO FOR SHARING


Posted October 12, 2018

 
EducationKellie Nolan
One Last Summer Abroad

As the weather turns to fall here in Michigan, we can look back on a busy, productive summer for Simbolei and look forward to our finishing our construction and curriculum planning. By this time next year, Richard and I expect to be on the ground working with staff and faculty to prepare for the opening of Simbolei Academy in January 2020.

In the meantime, the highlight of our summer, as always, was the Literacy Outreach workshops we conducted at six primary schools near Iten.

This year, we used a beautiful felt board created by Diane Marable to illustrate the story of Pretty Salma and Mr. Dog. The puppets we have used in previous years are beautiful but they really require a group to use effectively and this year, it was only myself, Felix Sirma and Sister Lucia Treanor, my colleague from Grand Valley State University who conducted the workshops. Felt board figures were much easier to manipulate and move with our limited personnel. The kids loved it and, needless to say, the crayons and coloring were also very popular.

 
 

In addition to our literacy programs, Sister Lucia and I also presented a workshop on techniques for teaching academic writing to faculty at Catholic University of East Africa in Eldoret. At the end of all the teaching and learning, I was able to spend a little quality time around Kamariny with our resident cows.

And so, our last summer of long distance commuting between Michigan and Kenya comes to a close and we prepare to make the huge leap from finishing construction to organizing and opening the school. Thanks for traveling with us. We’ll keep you posted.

— Andrea

Posted September 12, 2018

 
EducationKellie NolanKenya
The Roof is On!

Here it is, folks, the last day of roofing! 

At the end of February, we finished the entire roof of the main building.

The next construction step will be to begin finishing the walls, doors and windows on the northwest wing, at the far right side in the first picture. These will be the first classrooms for students who will be entering Simbolei Academy in January 2020.

In the meantime, we will continue to use the “soccer field” to grow maize to help fund construction.

Here in the U.S., volunteers continue to clean, catalog and pack more than 6000 books for the Simbolei Community Library.

Also, March 25-31 is our annual Schuler Book Days for Simbolei fundraiser. You can join the fun by shopping at Schuler Books in Okemos, Michigan and saying “Simbolei” at check out to direct 20% of your purchase price to be donated to Simbolei by Schuler Books. Or, online, you can shop at schulerbooks.com and enter “KENYA” in the coupon box to donate 20% of your purchase to Simbolei.

Every day we appreciate all you do to help make the dream of Simbolei Academy a reality. Things are happening fast now and Andrea and Richard and family are busy preparing for relocation to Kenya.

Let us know if you would like to volunteer or learn more about Simbolei by emailing info@simboleiacademy.org.

March 2, 2018

Second Floor Is Going Up

I haven’t posted on the blog in a while, but don’t let that fool you, Simbolei has been busy! 

We’ve been holding fundraisers (Riffs for the Rift and Alternative Christmas Market) and more importantly, we are now well into winter construction season.

Richard K is on the ground in Kenya and working with Felix and the crew of Mr. Majani to prepare the second floor skeleton so we can put on the roof. Here are a couple of recent pictures to bring you up to speed.

Progress is slow but steady and we are pleased to have good weather for construction. The high quality of the work being done is evident in the beauty of the finished results.

Soon the roof will be going on!

Finally, we have a new little addition to our dairy herd. Welcome Agnes (daughter of Alsace) to the Simbolei family!

Thank you to all of you who continue to support our journey. As the roof goes on and the plan comes together, we can see our dreams and the dreams of Kamariny community coming true.

— Andrea


Posted December 13, 2017

ConstructionKellie Nolan
Kenya Summer 2017 Literacy Outreach

Another amazing Literacy Outreach trip has come and gone but now I can relive it all by telling you some of our stories and highpoints. This year, I traveled to Kenya with Joanne W., my neighbor of many years who finally was able to fulfill a long ambition to see our project for herself.

I was thankful to be reminded, shortly after our arrival, that Joanne is also an experienced “theater mom” who was able to get our puppets shipshape before we started visiting schools. She also proved to be an excellent “puppet master,” manipulating all of the characters while I read the story to the kids.

For all but one day of the trip, Joanne, Felix and I managed to perform the story and help the kids with the art work with the help of their classroom teachers. It was, as always, lots of fun, even with the scramble to manipulate five puppets with two hands!

Over the next few days I’ll post more details about the fun and interesting adventures of Literacy Outreach 2017.

— Andrea

posted on August 2, 2017

 
We Are Building a School: Tunajenga Shule

In planning for Summer Literacy 2017 I realized that due to the excellent English skills of our cooperating teachers and our manager, Felix, my Kiswahili has gotten pretty rusty over the years. I am now on a “crash course” to brush up my basic skills, and thus, the title of today’s post which simply reads “We are building a school” in Kiswahili.

building a school.jpg

It’s important to remember often that though long-term goals can seem distant, each practical step brings them closer to completion. In January, Richard and the crew finished putting on the second floor “deck.”

This summer I hope to move stone for the second floor walls, put in a new water tank to catch rainwater, and repaint the volunteer cottage, along with conducting our literacy outreach workshops. I will be joined by two or three volunteers this year, so we will keep busy.

I’ll be posting more about summer preparations as we move along. For today, here is a picture Felix took with his phone last winter of our crew putting on the second floor.

— Andrea

Posted May 10, 2017