Dear Friends,
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ from Swanland School Nairobi Kenya. Thank you for supporting the School during our recent attack when we had all our food and some cash stolen. I thank God for your prayers that protected my life on Saturday last week.
Food shortages
We are experiencing food shortages in the whole country following the last year post election violence. Many farmers were evicted from their farms, food stores were burned down to ashes and now it is a crisis in the entire country. On Saturday we hired a carte to buy some food from Narok about 75 kilometres from Nairobi. This is because food in Nairobi is double the price and could not be found. Food is a major problem in Kenya now even in a shop you are only given a few kilos There are long queues in Nairobi of people wanting to buy food.
The school library
Robbed at gun point
I was introduced to a town where I could buy food in large quantities. We went and bought 15 bags of maize and five bags of beans and some cabbages. At around six in the evening we saw a saloon car that was standing just on the Muram road. When we stopped to find out how we could help they showed us the pistol and asked us to come out of the carte and enter into their car.
We surrendered and they drove off with us, they took us to a valley where there are no houses around. We were robbed of everything we had and they escaped with all the food that we had bought. We walked a long distance - almost twenty kilometres in darkness until we came across a village were we went and asked for assistance. We were directed to Narok police station where we reported the matter at round 10pm. We recorded a statement about all that we had lost. The police found the car but all the food had gone.
Glad to be alive
I have never been robbed at gun point in my life and it was terrible, but I thank God that they only took our food, money and mobile phones. I’m recovering from the attack but my heart is still pumping. I will never forget what I saw that day in my life.
No food at the school
The situation at school was so bad - you can imagine the population that we have and we had no food. The business at School for two days was at standstill - many students who are living at school went without enough food. Head teachers and other staffs went out looking for a way so the children can have something to feed on. I want thank all our supporters for when I informed them about the incident they responded so fast that everything came back to normal. The feedback from students, parents and staff was extremely positive and demonstrates both the need for and the impact of this relationship. We are genuinely appreciative of your support and assistance in helping to educate, nurture and care our community.
A school class
School programme
We have had a blessed few weeks since we open early last month. All the activities and programmes are going well and everything is on course, all teachers are set. This week teachers have been very busy after setting the opening examination to all students. They have given out all the papers and marking is going on. This is to gauge the students so that they teachers can know which areas need to be given a consideration.
Sports and games
Sports and games are going on very well and today the Swanland team is meeting at Kawangware Primary School ground for a friendly match. Next month is actually a busy month for all Schools in Kenya as we are having a competition.
We are preparing our School so that we can win the 2009 sports cup for the province.
City inspectorate. We have also had some inspectors from the Nairobi City Education visiting for the second time to the School.
They have made a few recommendations and we are working hard to see everything in place. We are trusting God to raise the money we need to repair the kitchen roof and floor and piping of the sewer and septic tank.
Thank you to Swanland School UK I want to thank God for St. Barnabas Church and Swanland Community UK for their continual prayers and financial support to our school. A special thank you to Mr Woodward and the children at Swanland School East Yorkshire for your hard work fund raising this week. I have no words to thank you all in UK for all that you have done for me, and will keep you in my heart forever. Thank you for all of your hard work and tireless commitment to improve the education standard of our children.
Thank you to all our supporters
Thank you to all of you for your unconditional help. Since it is not possible to recognize and thank each person or groups of persons individually by name, we trust that this appreciation through the BBC will reach all of you. We thank you profoundly for your kind support and sympathy to us.
May God bless you so much in all that you are doing to this world.
Yours in His Service
Rev. Hudson M Kuyanda
