THE CLOTH AND THE MUD, NUMBER 33

SPRING, 2008

NEWS FROM FABULOUS AFRICAN FABRICS

a 501 c 3 organization

616-735-4109 and 727-946-5322

Our Mission: to support agencies working with AIDS widows and orphans in Africa and to educate others about the AIDS crisis in Africa

IMPORTANT DATES--APRIL 11, SPRING PARTY IN FLORIDA,

--MAY 4-10 SCHULER BOOKS AND MUSIC DAYS

--MAY 18, ANNUAL MEETING--DETAILS BELOW

In charity there is no excess. Francis Bacon

NEWS FROM AFRICA

Today I received this message from Charles Kaduwa, Program Officer of Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya in answer to my e-mail of last week. Here are excerpts. The support of FAF [$1000], that enabled us to purchase foodstuffs and other sanitary towels for women and young girls is just part of a big pool that we were able to attract. In total we have reached over 4500 women and children with relief foods, blankets, clothing and sanitary towels. In the course of these developments. . . attention has shifted from mere relief supply to recovery. With the peace deal that was signed by our Political leaders, alot has changed in terms of tranquility. We have now realized that our clients require recovery support. . . We have in mind almost 200 women whose small businesses, their only source of livlihoods collapsed. . . These clients now urgently require support to reestablish their small businesses or to till their farms and plant new crops as this is the planting season in Kenya. You mention that you have some funds that would support this course? This is extremely good news. We are able to support at least 100 women to restart their businesses or improve their farm yields by purchasing fertilizers and branded seeds.

On January 22 we received this message from Mercy Thuo of the Good Samaritan Home. In Kenya we have been hit by serious riots, chaos. There is lots of turbulences and tension all around. By Gods grace we have not been affected directly but many Mothers and children are popping in our center for help. Nevertheless we trust that we are going to recover soon. Pray for us and for our country.

The Kenyan Parliament passed laws changing its method of governance, making power shared between the party of President Mwai Kilbaki and his election opponent's, Raila Odinga. To date this compromise seems to be working, although Kofe Annan said, "The journey is far from over. . . Let the spirit of healing begin today. Let it begin now."

ROTARY GRANT APPROVED

Thirteen thousand, eight hundred dollars has been awarded to the Good Samaritan Hom in Nairobi, Kenya. The $6900 was raised by the North Dunedin, FL Rotary along with other clubs in their district. This amount was matched by Rotary International, headquartered in Evanston, IL. With the cooperation of a Nairobi, Kenya club, the Good Samaritan Home will receive $14,000. The funds are earmarked for high school tuition. Public high schools in Kenya require tuition of about $300 per year at a basic school. The orphans of the Good Samaritan Home recieve their elementary education on site. Through hard work and excellent teachers, many children score well enough on their exiting tests to enter high school. Every year it is a scramble to find enougth tuition money to pay for all of the deserving teenagers. Any additional monies will go to food expenses for the orphanage. FAF Executive Director, Laura Salazar, is a member of the Dunedin North Rotary.

That club dipped into their pockets again this February and donated $227.00 for aid to Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya so they could provide displaced clients food and supplies during the riot.

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The December 2007 Rotarian notes that a five-year study of people over age 55 showed that those involved in two or more organizations were 44% less apt to die than those who didn't volunteer. The only other activity more strongly correlated with lower mortality during that five-year period was smoking cessation. (p.64)

February 14 FAF wired $1000 to Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya. They responded with thanks and further information about the situation in that country. The money sent by FAF will be used to provide food to the many women and children in onr of WOFAK's centres in western Kenya. At the time of their response dated the 15th, they had not been able to reach the clients at this time.

Dorothy Onyango, Executive Director of WOFAK went on to say, "We are continuing with efforts to mobilize resources from our partners and we are confident that the responses that we have seen so far, which are quite favorable, will continue to benefit the thousands of women within our membership who have been displaced, raped, disinherited and badly hit by the violence."

Although the violence has lessened, it is estimated that 600,000 Kenyans have been displaced. When asked by Joseph Ndungo, a shopkeeper in the Rift Valley said that he could not go back when it was the men he played soccer with who burned down his shop. Source, New York Times.

Fabulous African Fabrics was able to make this grant through the generosity of its members and friends, The North Dunedin , Florida Rotary, and increased sales of items made of African textiles. The need continues.

Today, Feb 1, FAF received this message from Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya, an NGO that FAF helps support. It is sent in response to my Jan. 31 e-mail asking how we can help.

Dear Laura,

Thank you for being with us. Things have been difficult for us in Kenya and for us in WOFAK. Many of our staff members were not able to resume work i time, we are ever in a situation of deep anxiety and uncertainty, many of our clients have been displaced from their homes, many cannot access treatment services such as drug replenishments and scheduled hospital appointments. A number of women have been raped, including five of our members within the internally displaced camps.

Hunger and malnutrition has set in among a substantial number of our clients, especially those who are on treatment. However, Laura, we made several appeals to many of our partners and about 3 partners have responded with donations in cash to help support the displaced and those severely affected. From next week, we shall be distributing relief food to our clients, we shall be giving them sanitary towels, blankets and multivitamintablets. We are seeking help to provide relief to 500 women, displaced or adversely affected by these post-election crisis from our centres in Kisumu, Homa Bay, Busia, Nairobe and Mombasa.

We are quite humbled by the passionate responses, solidarity and humane with which our partners and the entire international community have shown to WOFAK and Kenya. We are sure that FAF will do its bit, at a time that will be convenient to them, to enable us to provide more relief. We are not sure of the next day, things are calm today, but tomorrow, new waves of violence erupts, pitting communities against each other and rendering many people homeless.

We wish you a prosperous new year and look forward to continued collaboration.

Sincerly, Charles Kaduwa

Program Officer, WOFAK

ROTARY GRANT APPROVED

Fabulous African Fabrics received the news this week that $13,800 will be awarded to The Good Samaritan Home in Nairobi, Kenya in February. The money was raised by the Dunedin Rotary North of Dunedin, FL along with other clubs in the Rotary District. That amount of money recieved a matching grant from Rotary International, headquartered in Evanston, IL. With the cooperation of one of the Nairobi clubs, The Good Samaritah Home will receive $14,000.

The funds are earmarked for high school tuition. Public high schools in Kenya require tuition, of about $300 per year at a basic school. The orphans of the Good Samaritan Home receive their elementary education on site. Through hard work and excellent teachers, many children score high enough on their exiting tests to enter high school. Every year there is a scramble to find enough tuition money to pay for all of the deserving teenagers. Any additional monies will go to food expenses for the children.

FAF Executive Director, Laura G. Salazar is a member of the Dunedin North Rotary club.

Today we received this message from the Good Samaritan Home.

Dear Laura Salazar,

Greetings to you from Good Samaritan.  We are very grateful of your continued effort to support this home and even encourage others to give hand to us.  We have already received the transfer of funds of $2020.

In Kenya we have been hit by serious riots, chaos.  There is lots of turbulences and tension all around.  By Gods grace we have not been affected directly but directly since many Mothers and children are popping in our center for help.  Nevertheless we trust that we are going to recover soon.  Pray for us and our country.

Lots Love

Mercy, Staff & children