Chris Okumu African Ministry to over 500 African Children

The Soweto Academy Centre is a Christian educational institute founded by Rev. Chrispinus Okumu Juma. The Centre is situated in a densely populated area. Most of the people are poor and lack basic needs. Some people engage in illicit activities in order to earn a living. The majority of the children in this area have lost both parents due to HIV. Some children have been abandoned and have turned to rummaging through garbage dumped by the City Council as a source of their livelihood.

Certification: Soweto Academy was registered by the Kenya government, Ministry of Education in 1988 to provide Nursery, Pre-Unit, Primary Education and Vocational Training.

Location: Soweto Academy is situated within Kibera slums of Nairobi City. Kibera is located on the Western part of Nairobi.

Accessibility to the Area: Accessibility to this area is through an earth road from Ayany Estate. The road is muddy, rough and impassible during the rainy season.

Educational Standards: The children who graduate from Soweto Academy are very disciplined and compete very favorably with those who graduate from national schools. The students have performed extremely well on National Exams. For example in the 1999 National Exams (Standard 8), of the 13 students who took the exam - all of them passed. All were admitted to secondary schools although some could not go due to lack of funds. The Board monitors the performance of its students in secondary schools. Last year (i.e.2000) 18 students took the exams. All of these students passed and were called to join secondary schools.

Soweto Academy now plans to introduce vocational training so that students who pass their exams, but cannot proceed with further education because of lack of funding, can start jobs to earn a living.

OBJECTIVES:
(1) To transform the slum children of Kibera into meaningful members of society through teaching them Christian values, counseling, and spiritual guidance
(2) To offer the slum children of Kibera: special education, commercial training, vocational training thus enabling them to be independent and self-reliant
(3) To offer the slum children of Kibera an opportunity to engage in income generating activities
(4) To provide health care services, food, and housing so that they can have hope in life

PROJECTS:

PROJECT NAME	DETAILS	FUNDS NEEDED

Assembly Hall Unit		$4,853
Staff Room		$4,386
Compound Fencing		$10,380
Library	Start a library for students	$9,873
Dormitory	Dormitory for 40 students (20 boys and 20 girls). The dormitory is to include an attached kitchen.	$20,886
Workshop	Workshop for vocational training. The following will be taught: tailoring, welding, carpentry, electronics, and computers	$11,139
Pre-primary Classes	Permanent structures to house Nursery, Pre-Unit class and Staff Room	$18,897
Additional desks and chairs	Acquisition of extra desks and furniture for new classrooms, library, workshops staff room, and assembly hall	$2,658
Access Road	Make access road accessible	$25,316
Mini Bus	Mini Bus is required to transport children in school activities. In addition, insurance and licenses will be required.	$30,000
		TOTAL FUNDS NEEDED
		$138,811