Through GlobalEyes

1. Prof. Margee’s team from University of Pacific donated to us $ 5,000 for use in completing electricity installation ($ 1,000) and for CRM food and domestic supplies plus Dago Thim school feeding ($4,000). However, schools operations have not yet been stable, with head teachers calling on pupils to go to school one day and the following day they are asked not to report. Even when calls are made for school days, very few pupils turn up so we felt we should wait some more days for stability before embarking on the school feeding program at Dago Thim.<br /><br />2. There has been worsening of events for the victims of post election violence. We continued conducting assessments and came to learn that a big group of displaced people are camped at various police stations around Kisumu – sort of the administration have not revealed their details for fear that surrounding community can attack them at the camps. They inform people that all displaced people have been moved out of Kisumu. I sent our staff and they saw with their own eyes the situation at Kondele police station in Kisumu. Today Caren and myself accompanied them and found the situation terrible. There were 53 people in total, comprising of women, men, children and some youth. They were initially hostile and only after we talked to a pastor who has been visiting them that they accepted to talk to us. We found they did not have meal for today and for days to come, no soaps, women begged for sanitary towels, children were worn out and tired old men who just kept themselves in tents. A woman and two old men had 3-day old medical prescriptions from a government hospital. The situation was bad and we could not hold. We said we could use some funds from our account to provide for some urgent needs. Perhaps incase we get some funds later towards support of such victims, then we shall replace. <br /><br />We bought them 3 bags of maize, 27 tins of 250 gm cooking oil, 27 packets of salt, 27 loaves of cabbages, 14 pieces of bar soaps, 53 pieces of tiny toilet soaps, 12 pieces of sanitary towels, 16 quick snack sets (juice and crisps) for kids, some cabbages and the prescribed medicines. One woman pleaded with us to buy for her petroleum jelly. We spent about Kshs. 18,000/=. It was indeed a great relief to them when they saw us come back with the items. We estimated the supplies would take them some 4 days – I’ve attached various photos that we took as we distributed and as we discussed with them. These people will probably need relief support for some 5 more months before they can establish other habitations.<br /><br />After the Kondele case I visited Riat police station, which is some 500 meters from Tropical Focus offices and the police revealed that they are holding one similar victim (Called Nyamweya Ombati). Mr. Ombati’s father is believed to be also hiding in another police station. Their shop, located just on the fence of Bukna Primary School was burnt down. They however do not want surrounding community to be aware due to risk of attack by the same community. Similar groups are in other police stations around Kisumu and other supporting organizations cannot cope.<br /><br />The police station groups of victims increases the needs for support to victims of post election violence hence the budget is higher than what we had communicated before. For this additional group, about Kshs. 700,000/= would be necessary to supplement their survival for the next 5 months.<br /><br />3. For our other activities, we have yet encountered some challenge with purchases. Prices have escalated compared to budgets we had prepared for most activities. For instance, we bought hard wares and realized we overshot by about Kshs. 12,000/=. Cement which used to cost Kshs. 600/= before the post election conflicts currently costs Kshs 900/=. We are yet to buy bricks and will need to pay Mason and also complete labor payment for pit digging. I do not really k now how we’ll fill the gap. Costs of supplies for Children Rescue Mission have also increased. <br /><br />4. Following donation as on item 1 above, we still have costs for office running not covered.<br /><br />5. Electricity wiring at CRM and Tf building is now complete. We paid installation fees to the power company and are awaiting connection – probably in 4 weeks if security situation does not worsen.<br />

1. We have been visiting households of individuals affected by post election conflicts and found them in real pathetic states, especially those who lost their source of income through burnt places of employment, displaced employers and lost and injured providers of the households. I hope what is raised will provide some relief to them.<br /><br />2. Dago Thim Primary school latrine construction already began. We visited them on 15th Jan and found about 20 feet of the pit already dug (see some photos attached). The full depth will be 30 feet and we expect this to be done by Monday 21st Jan. Caren also already bought sand and ballast. Bricks and other materials are however not yet bought. Our plan was to buy this next week, hopefully if situation in the country will not be too bad. Schools opened on Monday but pupils were told not to report during the 3 days of demonstrations.<br /><br />3. We bought materials for wiring of the building housing Tf and CRM on Monday 14th Jan and work started immediately. The technicians will probably be through today since only little work was remaining by yesterday evening. <br /><br />4. On finances, out of the wire you sent on 10th (Kshs. 94,828/=), we are only left with about Kshs. 40,000/= for the latrine construction, having spent about Kshs. 15,000/= on CRM food and domestic supplies for Dec, about Kshs. 12,000/= on Tf office running for Dec (see attached sheet), about Kshs. 10,000/= on Pamela Atieno’s support and Kshs. 14,000/= on sand, ballast and labor deposit for digging of latrine pit. <br /><br />I’m not sure if Margee sent some cash as she had mentioned but we checked our bank latest on 15th Jan but there was no credit yet. From 16th to 18th Jan we were/will not be able to check due to demonstrations.<br />

1. Security situation now calming down – public transport back although vehicles few and prices are up by over a third, some shops operating.<br /> 2. On our activities, the children resumed on Monday, all of them except Frank and Ronald whom we are expecting to come on Friday. George also has not come but he called and said he is coming tomorrow (10th Jan).<br />The good news we have is that we went to our bank on Monday 7th January 2008 and found the cheques (which we got from Margee and her team in November) cleared (on 24th Dec 2007). We withdrew the cash on 7th January 2008 and went ahead to implement budgeted items immediately.<br />3. We also managed to purchase items for Pamela Atieno on the 7th January and delivered them on 8th January 2008 (yesterday). We bought for her beddings worth Kshs. 5,440/=, domestic utensils worth Kshs. 1,531/=, household consumables worth Kshs. 770/= and gave her cash of Kshs. 1,800/=. We spent Kshs. 500/= on transport. All expenses on Pamela Atieno was Kshs. 10,041/=. We were accompanied by the Areas Government administrator – Assistant chief – when we delivered the items to Pamela. Pamela as well her children got highly excited on seeing the delivered items. Team from Tropical Focus who delivered the items were Tobias, Caren and Caroline (Newly recruited as a Fields Officer). Pictures were taken during the delivery and are attached elsewhere. Pamela told us to convey lots of thanks to all who donated for her help and to Veronica.<br />We will now go ahead with the construction of Dago Thim latrine because we shall replace funds that we temporarily borrowed from the Dago Thim latrine budget which we used on CRM budgets for previous months. So far, we withdrew the funds on 7th January and Caren will organize for commencement of pit digging and procurement of hardware needed for the first stages of construction.<br />4. We also withdrew cash budgeted for electricity wiring and Tobias (myself) will organize for the materials and technician to do wiring. Unfortunately when we visited Power & Lighting company, they said installation fee is Kshs. 35,000/= and not Kshs. 15,000/= as they previously advertised. We budgeted only Kshs. 15,000/= for the installation fees so Kshs. 20,000/= more shall be required.<br />