David Eshihuula, Project Administrator
Our members have always enjoyed our reports and letters which we receive from our “man on the ground” in Kenya. David Eshihuula has been with SFA since our very first visit to Kenya in 2006.
At the time David was working as a teacher in a special school for the Hearing Impaired. One day while we were visiting at Itegero Primary School David walked a great distance with his hearing impaired school children for a chance to meet us.
He was very eloquent and passionate even at that first meeting. It was obvious his heart was connected to the children and he wanted them to receive help. He taught us how difficult life is for disabled children in Kenya and how they are often marginalised. We also felt an immediate connection to these children and realized that our work must embrace the challenge of helping these children attain their rightful place in society.
So began our work with David and over the last four years David has enabled many excellent projects to come to fruition by his commitment, focus, energy and compassion. His writing paints a detailed picture and gives his unique perspective on Kenya from the inside, which only a Kenyan can share with us. We always find enjoyment and inspiration in his writing and have often wished our supporters could read his informative reports.
Well, now you can.
With this new place on our website called “Kenyan Corner” we shall post some excerpts from David’s past reports and articles on life in Kenya.We will post new ones as they come in. The first piece will be an excerpt of his article on Drilling Wells in Kenya and what it is like to be a girl child hauling water for the family’s use. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
Response to our Famine/Drought Relief Campaign in 2011
Famine & Hope in the Horn of Africa
Water is Life
A Tribute from Kenya
The Well Sinking Team – You Make it Happen
What Inspires You?
Photos with captions of Food Relief at Emalindi & Shanyinya
Susan Nanjala, Project Administrator
We have the pleasure of introducing Susan Nanjala as a great member of our Suitcases for Africa team. Susan has been working with SFA since our early days in 2007 when we first began to set up Feeding Programs in the Catholic Diocese of Kakamega.
Susan works within the poorest communities bringing health and wellness advice. Susan has training to provide counseling and moral support for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDs . She assists them in setting up small support groups for widows and widowers and teaches them the skills to begin “living positively” with AIDS.
Trained as a Community Health Nurse with additional training as a paralegal and an expert on Human Rights and the rights of the Child, she educates the community to be able to identify violations and bring in the authorities when necessary. Susan administers several SFA projects including 3 Feeding programs, the Educational Sponsorship Program and the Maisha Mapya Cow Project to name a few.
We highly value her experience and expertise as she guides us to those communities most in need of our assistance. Her reports are always very comprehensive and insightful. She is known by all as “Mama Susan”. The love and respect the people have for her is always very apparent to us as we accompany Susan to the projects when we are working on the ground in Kenya.
She brings hope to them with her great patience, understanding and love for her work. It truly is a calling for her. The first article posted here was written by Susan and is part of a report about the street children of Kakamega. Her team was very touched by the harshness of their plight. We will continue to share her stories as they come in.