The Neema Girls First Week in School

So, for those who have been following me for the past 5 years you know that I have invested a lot of time and energy into raising awareness about the Neema Project. From the onset of this program that Transformed International began in 2007, I fell in love with the girls, the staff involved in the project, and the hope for a better life it offers. Immediately I began dreaming, along with TI, of ways that we could help more girls. The hope was always to expand and be able to reach more girls from the Kitale area and now that is beginning to happen.

It was exciting to be there this summer to see the new Neema school being built and then to follow it up with photos and stories of others there has been great. BUT, I just kept waiting for the photos and stories from the launch of the new school opening in January 2012. While, I desperately wish I could have been there to see it all happening, the photos and stories of others who are there bring me such joy.

On Friday, Ray Smith (a friend of mine who went to Kenya with the first team I lead there and is now there for several months), went out to take photos of the girls first day of business class for me. THANK YOU Ray!

For this first semester, the girls enrolled in the school will be learning sewing/tailoring (monday, tuesday, wednesday), on Thursdays they will learn general life skills, parenting and receive counseling, and on Fridays they are learning business skills. I love the changes that are being made to add that into the weekly classes for the girls. The Transformed International staff care so deeply for each one of the girls that come through this program, and that is demonstrated in the way they teach and care for the girls.

Here are some photos from the first week of class:

Business training with Eric (TI National Director)

Eric Teaching

Girls working on an assignment from Eric during their first business class

Eric checking their work

The girls taking a break to stretch

(many of the girls are teen moms and some bring their babies to school with them)

THANK YOU to all who have contributed generously through donations, purchase of scarves, handmade bags, jewelry, and crafts. YOU are what makes all this possible!

More to come........

Open the Doors and See All the People......

This morning I woke up to the sight of some photos of the first day of school with the newest girls to the Neema Project. All of the girls are teen mom's from the surrounding village. I will share more about the girls in the future. For today, I will pass along the update from the TI website that gives you a glimpse into Day 1 of the program in it's new home! It is GORGEOUS!

Yesterday the Neema 2 Project began with a new group of at risk teen girls and teen mothers. The youngest being a tiny15 year old girl with a 1 month old baby.

The girls and TI staff gathered to go over the rules and expectations of the program. The girls were overwhelmed with joy as they heard about all the things they will be learning.

They will have three full days a week of intensive sewing classes. The other two weekdays will focus on counseling sessions run by TI’s social workers Anne. She will also spend time working with them on basic life skills. Eric, the country director for TI, will spend a session each week with the girls teaching them basic business skills on how to begin a business from nothing.

The girls had their first sewing class this morning in the fully equipped classroom where each girl has her own sewing machine to learn on.

The construction continues as the walls are quickly going up. The crew hopes to have windows and doors in this week and begin the final layers of bricks next week.

I’m thrilled to see the lives that this program is going to change. Most of the girls had no hope at all. Many of them having been raped, are looked down upon by the community. But with a trade and business skills, these young women will quickly gain the respect of their surrounding communities, showing that they can make a difference through hard work. Hope has been restored.

- Daniel

Update on the Shimo Girls Sewing Project in Kenya

Here is the latest news from the Transformed International blog. Thanks to all of you who purchased jewelry and bags made by these girls and the neema girls project. We hope you enjoyed them!

.: Teen Mother's Get Fresh Start :.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Thanks to the generous donation from a family in Pennsylvania, another group of teen mothers from the Shimo slums graduated from a sewing school put on by TI and our talented sewing teacher Joyce.

These 4 girls went through an intensive one year program that taught them basic and some advanced skills in sewing, one of the most practical trades for women in Kenya. Upon finishing the program, each girl got to take home a sewing machine and was given the tools she needs to begin a business for herself. Their lives were never be the same as they have been given a huge chance to succeed.

Joyce will be taking her teaching skills to the new Neema project which launches next week. 15 to 30 at risk teens and teen mothers will get training in sewing and hair dressing through the one year program. In addition to learning a trade, the girls will be discipled by our qualified staff and taught business skills, giving each of them the boost they need.

Thank you to those from Pennsylvania who support this group of girls from the Shimo slums and for all who are continuing to support the Neema project.

- Daniel