DONATE: you can do that through this site now

Many of you have been asking if there is a way you can give toward the construction of the Neema Project. So far the funds have been raised for the Neema School ($15,000), and all the supplies necessary to get the hair dressing classes set up.

The main financial need right now is for the Neema House (for those girls who need a place to live). Current costs for that home is around $15,000. We hope to raise this as quickly as possible and will continue to keep you updated on the progress.

For those of you that have asked how you can contribute, I set up DONATE button on this site so you can give through paypal at any time. If you would like to send a check instead contact me at faith@msoaicdesigns.org and I can get you the proper information for that. I appreciate many of you asking and wanting to contribute to this incredible program.

Each dollar helps put more bricks on the building! THANK YOU!

The Roof is Up!

Hi All!

This morning I had great news awaiting me. The latest update from Daniel at Transformed International announcing that the roof has gone up on the Neema School. It shouldn't be long now before the school is finished and ready to open. Please be praying as they begin seeking out the next group of young women to enter the program. It is certainly exciting to think about new lives being changed. My heart is bursting with excitement! Here is the update from Daniel.

Adam, the project manager at the school, also posted a recent update with new photos. You can read more about it here:

Return to Kitale Kenya: The Roof is Up and On!

Thanks for sharing in our excitement and in the changing of lives!

Latest update on Neema School Construction

Hi All.

My new friend Adam, from NY, has been working in Kenya overseeing the Neema School Construction project. Our team had the privilege of working with him and spending time with him while we were visiting for 2 weeks.

He has been keeping a blog with updates on the building. Here is the latest one he posted"

Return to Kitale Kenya:

"LIKE" us on Facebook

As I have been working ideas for developing a website and an online store to sell the items the gals in Kenya are making there has been one common piece of advice: "you should really create a facebook page for Mosaic Designs." I have heard your pleas and I have responded.

If you have Facebook or if you are thinking of signing up for facebook (Mom), please take the time to like the Mosaic Designs page! We will fill it with all sorts of information:

• upcoming events
• launch of the online store
• updates on the girls
• updates on fundraising efforts
• updates on the construction of the neema school

Thanks so much for your interest!

To Kenya and Back Again

It has been much too long since I last wrote and SO MUCH has happened! The development of Mosaic Designs as a more formal organization has been well under way this summer. In July, I (Faith) headed to Kenya with a team of 15 others to begin training some of the girls in the Shimo and Neema Projects at Transformed International and to get our hands dirty working on the construction of the Neema School (which we assisted in raising funds last year). It was such an exciting time to see the girls using their sewing skills to create some lovely handmade bags. Joyce, their seamstress teacher and my dear friend, has done an incredible job teaching the girls since the onset of the program. She is committed to helping the girls develop their skill and also helps instill in them self-confidence. I love meeting with her and developing new ideas, creating new products and then watching as she makes those things come to life. She is willing to have the girls try anything. We worked with 13 girls while we were in Kenya, and 6 of them focused their entire time on sewing and they sewed and sewed and sewed! I look forward to revealing some of their beautiful work.

The remainder of the girls worked with them team on a variety of types of beading. We worked with seed beads, acai berry seed beads, paper beads, and langrima seeds. We faced some challenges with finishing all the items off because we did not have all the clasps on time to travel with and they were not available in Kitale. The good news, is that it has caused me to learn to ways to design the jewelry so that it will be reproducible from anywhere in the world. :) The girls, mainly from the Shimo Project, made hundreds of necklaces and bracelets to be sold to raise funds to send over to build the home for the Neeema Project.

I can't begin to describe the JOY I experienced watching these girls confidently approach the skills they are learning. They worked hard, they played hard with the team, they filled their stomachs each day on lunch break, and they opened themselves up to the team in a way I have never seen before. I was shocked! Within hours of the girls arrival, I remember walking through the gate, coming back from town with supplies, and all I heard was laughter coming from the TI compound!!!

I feel incredibly blessed to be a part of seeing the lives of the girls in these projects change. I am so incredibly proud of them and can't wait to see where their lives go. I will try to share more of their stories and stories from the trip in coming weeks.

If you want to hear more stories from our 2 weeks in Kenya, go to provinkenya.blogspot.com.

Below are just a few photos from our time together.