Dear All,
This newsletter is written by Sarah Hunwicks, who has just returned from a short, first visit to Riziki. Minor amendments by us are in italics.
Newsletter Article
Greetings from Riziki! Like many of you reading this I have followed the progress of Riziki for 13 years. I have a particular link to the project given that my Dad (John Hunwicks) had the original idea to set up the home and I have now finally had a chance to visit. As I sit in Nairobi on my journey home, I would like to share my experience with you.
Dad’s aim was to provide shelter, food, and education for children he saw living on a rubbish tip in Kenya and to do that by supporting Kenyans to manage the project for Kenyan children. It started with some funds raised in Dorset, and the dedication of Julius and Esther Kivindyo in Nakuru who put in all the work to make things happen on the ground, not to mention the support of Ian and Diana Hogley, who introduced Dad to Kenya and to Julius in the first place and have supported the project ever since. To summarise the huge amount of work in those early days; in a nutshell, land was purchased on which stood two mud huts, a huge building project was achieved, and the first children arrived.
Thirteen years later, I have found a peaceful, secure place that is so much more than a house where some otherwise homeless children live. It is truly a home that is an integral part of a wider community and is also an enterprise that is growing by the day. The original plot has expanded and now stands at 8.4 acres with a range of well-built buildings. No mains water is needed as rainwater is collected from the rooves in 2 huge underground tanks to provide drinking water (when filtered) and all washing and sanitation needs. (In times of drought this does need supplementing for drinking). On the Shamba (small farm) cows, sheep, chickens, and rabbits are kept providing milk, eggs and meat. A wide range of crops are grown, including maize, beans, vegetables, fruit, and sugar cane. Grain storage and milling is all achieved on site meaning a generous and nutritious diet is possible all year round for the children and very little food must be bought. Some crops are grown to propagate seed for larger crops (negating the need to buy bulk seed) and some crops feed the livestock, so feed doesn’t have to be bought in either. To date, it has been possible at times to sell excess water and produce to the local community, along with use of the milling machine, which contributes to staffing and maintenance costs.
The infrastructure has grown to include the main home, extra wings for the older boys and girls when not boarding at secondary school, a house for the Director to live on site and host visitors and volunteers, a barn, a polytunnel, a chicken shed, cattle shed, sheep shed and large rabbit hutch, and a 20ft deep dam holding rainwater,
channelled off the road for the irrigation of the Shamba. Three members of staff farm the Shamba full time, but the children join in on Saturdays, gaining an understanding of the skills and processes, and at harvest time it is truly all hands to the pump!
And so to the children themselves…..currently Riziki has guardianship of 24 children granted by the Kenyan government (it is a registered Non-Governmental Organisation) (Also 5 have graduated at the age of 18 with some support still given by Riziki to support acquisition of skills and tertiary education.). The story behind each child is heartbreaking, which makes it even more remarkable to find them clearly feeling secure and safe, enjoying their education, helping with their ‘duties’ around the home, fun-loving and chatty, and proud to show a visitor round their home. Normally the position of Social Worker is a full-time role as the Primary Caregiver, overseeing all aspects of the children’s welfare. However, this is currently vacant while the right replacement is found, but the team is rallying together to cover this role – ‘Mama Elizabeth’ (Riziki’s Cook of 13 years) and ‘Mama Irene’ (the Cleaner of 1½ years) are doing as their names suggest, being mothers to the children. As well as doing their official jobs, they clearly love the children, and are loved in return. Following years of dedicated work Julius and Esther continue their passionate support of Riziki, but today their daughter Liz is the remarkable person who holds a salaried position to run the Riziki Organisation. A few years ago, she came to help with various aspects, and gradually relinquished her business in Nairobi as she grew into the role of running Riziki. For the last few years Liz has researched, and led the development of the Shamba, managed the staff and overseen the welfare and education of the children, and generally been the driving force behind the growth with the support and encouragement of her parents and Ian and Diana in the UK.
So, what does the future hold for Riziki? Liz has a vision, that is shared by others, that one day Riziki can, and will be, self-sustaining and she has many, many ideas of how to gradually achieve that through steady development of farming, community projects, use of technology and innovation, and reduction of educational costs without losing the quality.
Needless to say, financial support from the UK remains critical over the next few years to ensure success, and some work has started to grow a small team to continue all the hard work that Dad, Mum, Ian and Diana and many others have done over the last 13 years to raise awareness in the UK, in gaining supporters and in working with the Kenyan team to provide confidence that every single penny raised is used wisely to the benefit of the children that need it. After only 3 days I came away feeling extremely positive and comfortable that Riziki is truly thriving and has a very bright future. I feel confident in saying that Dad would be absolutely delighted to see how far his idea has come and where it is going. So, to finish, I would just like to say a very huge thank you from me and all at Riziki for your continued support.
Our comments and prayer concerns.
We, Diana & Ian, had expected to be in Kenya from the end of September to early November. Unfortunately, a week before departure, Diana fell in our lounge and broke her femur leading to an emergency hip replacement! She is recovering well but it will be some weeks yet before we can even think of travelling again.
Prayer concerns
We pray that Riziki finds a new social worker who can be fully committed to the welfare of all the children.
We pray for Julius as he settles to having his dialysis in a new place.
We thank God for the continued commitment of the Riziki staff.
We pray for all the children preparing for examinations at the end of the school year.
Many blessings, Ian & Diana.