June 2009

June 2009

Started Little Hands, Big Steps on Sunday 7th June!  Also received a wonderful camcorder and  ‘digi’ camera from ISK.

Achievements:
•     School class visits programme running in the library smoothly, as have been scheduled.
•     Girlchild club (Super Angels) this month learned about hygiene and early pregnancy. They are preparing a play on early pregnancy to perform to other girls groups.
•     Excellent performance form our newly formed library soccer teams, Anne Moore Foundation and KidsLibs Boys teams
•     Radio and TV programmes taking place in the library as a result of learning how to be a presenter.
•     Computer classed have resumed but with a lot of challenges due to shortage of computers
•     New hip hop club under drama group
•     Drama performance in progress to provide information on Children’s rights.

Challenges
•     Library computer system needs to register users with their photos.
•     Computer classes needed, but not enough computers
•     Insects in the library
•     Power outages damaging computers
•     Slow cataloguing due to poor typewriter
•     Delays in printing due to poor printer
•     Arguments with neighbours over water use.
•     Need cleaning materials

Solutions
•     Need digital camera (NOW HAVE ONE!!)
•     Need 2 UPS back up batteries to save computers from damage.
•     Need insecticide
•     Need new printer and cartridges
•     Need new typewriter
•     Computers to be repaired.

March 2009

Sixteen girls between the age of 10 to 22 years of age attended the first girls' club meeting at Mathare North! They have chosen the name Super Angels.

Anne from the Kibera group SHOFCO ran our first meeting.The girls wrote the challenges they face in the slums which were:

1. child labour
2. mensruation
3. early pregnancy
4. boys to girls relationships(sex)
5. HIV/AIDS

At future meetings we shall create plays and poems on each of the above challenges after we discuss them.

Anne came up with a topic of personal hygiene and hygienic and non hygienic ways to deal with periods which, I thought was of use to them. After the discussion we issued them with sanitary towels which Steve provided us with although we did not have enough .

We actually need sanitary towels, panties, cotton wool, and tissue paper to demonstrate the proper use and disposal of sanitary towels and also dangers of other unclean ways.

Our next meeting is in April.