I found this guy in the coffee plantations north of Ruiru. His ‘Black Mamba’ bike has a sign on it saying he was a local photographer. (’Mississippis Photographer’ was his trading name- I can’t spell it either!)  He told me there was not so much photography work so he was carting hay for shillings. It was a steep hill and he was a tiny fellow - he looked knackered and was pouring sweat, but he stopped and we had a great conversation. I had all my gear but he showed no envy and did not ask for a ‘contribution’ which is about the first time that has ever happened. Normally, if you get a camera out the locals coming running from miles around with arms outstretched after a ‘modelling fee’!

This is a mailshot we sent out recently detailing some of what has been going on within the projects I am involved with.

Hi all,

Last year I sent out an e-mail to my friends talking about various projects I had become involved with in Africa. This is an update.  

First of all, thank you so much to all of the support that so many of you have shown to these projects over the last 12 months. Much has been achieved and that is due in part to the encouragement and support of you guys.

The most exciting thing is the changes that have been wrought at the Watu Wa Maana Children’s Centre, www.watuWaMaana.co.uk - a home for 30+ street children and orphans about 20 miles from Nairobi, Kenya. Highlights include 

• 22 of the current 34 children are now sponsored from the UK at £20 per month which provides for their food and accommodation and contributes towards medical needs and education
• The centre has been decorated, an additional toilet built and the meeting room floor concreted 
• The small holding has been established and now provides regular fresh vegetables  all year round
• Milking goats are on their way 
• Some improvement has been made to the working conditions of the centre manager 

The difference made to the centre and to the children has been immense- Watu is a brighter and more hopeful place because of what you have enabled us to do. 

For 2006 we would like to see the remaining 14 or so children also sponsored and expect that more children will come into the centre from the streets. The changing exchange rate means that our £ is buying less each time we go and the current famine in the north of Kenya (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4590028.stm) will further push up the food prices, so this year could be a testing time. 

The HIV testing centre that was not much more that a Bishop’s vision last year is now up and running and has tested over 200 people free of charge. Around 10% of these have been tested HIV positive, and of these most attend a support group run from the centre. There is a need for better diet for these people as a supply of fresh vegetables can do a great deal to stave of the development of HIV into AIDS. I met a lady who has been HIV positive for 15 years and has managed very well on diet alone, so this is something we’d quite like to look into. The VCT is staffed by some exceptional people and we were very impressed with their professionalism. 

Please check out our websites for more information or if you’d like to donate something or sponsor a child - these things matter so very much and make a huge personal difference.

There is much more happening but I wanted to be brief and simply thank you again for your continued support and prayers for 2006. Kind regards, Stuart.

www.WatuWaMaana.co.uk

Some of you may know that I am pretty involved with a couple of projects in Kenya that I have accidentally fallen into.

There is so much to say about this that I know not where to start - its like going into the Tate Gallery and trying to describe their biggest artwork using only words on one syllable.(no - actually thats not a good illustration at all, is it?!)

Talking about what its like in Africa is like trying to descibe a meal at a top restraurant using the medium of crayons. Or using the techniques of the game ‘charades’ with both hands tied behind you back to teach the stories of the Bible.

You get the picture - words cannot describe etc etc etc.

I work with www.Grassroots.org.uk and we organise sponsorship for a childrens home called the Watu Wa Maana childrens centre - www.WatuWaMaana.co.uk in Ruiru- a pretty rough town with about the highest rates of HIV in Kenya. I last went there with my daughter Ruth in early December and we spent a lot of time interviewing children and organising management and all sorts of other stuff. Its so very intense when you are there - the sights and sounds and smells.

What amazes me the most, and what made me write this, is that since I returned I have been so busy with work and ‘in the thick of thin things’ that I have hardly thought about Africa, and I am so ashamed. I’ve been so pre-occupied with the messages on my PC and the things I have had to do that the children’s centre has been pushed out of my mind.

I’ve been running the business, looking after the family and visiting relatives (you can read about what I’ve been doing underneath this) and these are all great things to do, but I surprised myself how modern life and busy-ness can push even the extraordianry experience of visiting Nairobi and the needs of ‘those kids’ to the back of my mind while I urgently do things I cannot really remember even the next day.

Its so essential to take time out and look back in at what you are doing in your life to make sure that some very important but very quiet voices are not getting overlooked.

More about Africa will follow but meanwhile here are a few photos from the centre You can buy prints here  http://www.everybodysmile.biz/stuartborehamphotography/watu.html and all proceeds go to the centre.