As the school year kicks off around the U.S. in 2014., the tempo of activity picks up for most families.  That happens for Friends of Ngong Road as well.

During the month of August, we conduct a camp for about 375 students.  We now hold four different camps:  Leadership Camp (for camp counselors); Senior Camp (for students from 8th grade through Senior in high school); Grammar School Camp (for students from 3rd grade through 7th grade) and Little Kids Camp (for younger students).   Each of these camp experiences is tailored to the children in attendance.  This year we had six U.S. visitors assisting with one or more camps.  By now you should have received letters talking about the wonderful time the students had in camp – it is truly the one time each year when they get to be kids!

This year the camp program included the first-ever Friends of Ngong Road Camp Volunteer Travel Grant Award Winner – Katelyn Pastick. Katelyn is a senior at the University of Minnesota, studying medicine and planning to enter medical school next fall.  She was the person selected from five applicants for the new Volunteer Travel Grant award introduced this year.

Friends of Ngong Road held gatherings in seven locations in September and early October to learn about and celebrate another year of transforming the lives of children served by our program in Nairobi.

This year two of our staff members, Naomi Kamanda (head of the Secondary Department) and Tunda Lepore (head of the Primary Department) traveled to the U.S. and visited Minneapolis/St. Paul and Walker in MN; St. Ansgar and Decorah in IA; Chicago, IL; and Milwaukee and Hayward in WI to meet friends and supporters of Friends of Ngong Road.  An eighth gathering, without our Kenya visitors, (but with a visit from Paula) will occur in Seattle, WA in November.