Many thanks to Book Clubs 4 Change whose generous donation helped us reach our fundraising goal for 2018 – which was $12,000 for sending high school girls to boarding school in Kenya. We are now setting our sites on sending another 20 girls to boarding schools in Kenya.

The grandmother’s would also like help to send a few of the a few of the young ladies on to college or certificate programs! To do that we need to raise 5,000 more by December 2019 in addition to the $12,000 we send over for high school boarding cost! So our goal for 2019 is $17,000.

We are blessed by all the amazing volunteers who support women and girls in Kenya.We hope they and many others will be inspired by and join in our mission to raise that same amount and more in 2019! Many, many thanks to one and all. May god bless you and keep you safe!

Earlier this year, Grandmothers Circles in the U.S. sent a $12,000 scholarship fund to Kenya which is supporting 20 girls currently in boarding school. Another $1,500 general fund contribution was sent which has been used for

• Rebuilding a house that was blown down during a storm last fall
• Computer classes for adult women
• Emergency medical expenses

A group took it upon themselves to raise additional funds to offset ongoing expenses for an ailing Consociate named Aloys who became paralyized on one side and is unable to work. In a recent letter, Mary Lieta said:

“We want in a very special way to thank you for Aloys’ support. We have never encountered his condition among us and this came as a great challenge for us. May the good Lord bless the work of your hands.”

Mary notes that the rainy season has brought a “basket of misfortunes” to the valley including flooding and displacement of families. In addition, Kenya is experiencing a new wave of violence in families across the country — with the killings of wives and children by spouses. She asks us to keep Kenya in our prayers.

The Marit Women Group considers themselves blessed to have received  large  sewing orders which will help them fund scholarships for three additional scholarships.

“Serphine and I are busy stitching away all day long,” says Mary Lieta. “This will go a long way in helping us assist the three girls that we added to the original twenty.”

A new challenge for the group is that four recent graduates are asking for further assistance with middle college education. The Marit Women Group would like to help them if they can, says Lieta, “It is gratifying to see girls who would have never finished school do so.”

With severe drought gripping many parts of East Africa, many are facing starvation.

Grandmother Circles US and the Consociates of the Sisters of St. Joseph Carondelet were able to send the Marit Women’s Group $800 to purchase food  supplies. Here’s an update from Mary Lieta:

“We have now purchsed a huge consignment of maize and are selling at a reduced priced. To the very needy, we are giving portions for free. It is very satisfying to see the smiles on the people’s faces as they come to buy. That has replaced the pain we used to see on the buyers’ faces. We too are so glad to be in a position to help. I have attached a picture of our maize in the store.”

If you are able to donate additional funds, they will be sent immediately to Kenya and put to work by Grandmother Circles to relieve hunger. Donate

Posted 31 January 2017/Updated 2 March 2017

Marit Womens Group members in Kenya were able to collect enough money to pay for an additional three girls to attend school — in addition to the 20 girls attending on scholarships funded by Grandmothers Circles in the United States.

Two computers were purchased and immediately put to work:

• Consociate 4 is using their new computer to support Civic Education activities because the Government of Kenya has stopped all foreign aid that was to fund teaching by Civil Rights Groups.
• The Growing Community Roots group is using its new computer to support Early Childhood Education. Mary Lieta also puts it to work for other Grandmother Circles activities.

Funds raised in the US are also being used to enable a child named Bajohn to receive treatment for a heart condition at a special Mission hospital. Mary Leita promises to send updates on his recovery.

Funds Sent to Kenya

Posted 31 January 2017

We recently sent Mary Lieta $12,500 for use during  2017. $10,000 will be put toward scholarships for 20 girls. The extra $2,500 was given to Mary to spend as needed for emergency funds. We know Mary needs a new computer — so some of it may go for that.

The funds in the past have been used for emergency medical needs, replacement of a burned house, to help pay for funerals and other needs as they occurred.

Thank you for your part in our being able to provide this much needed support!!

Grandmother Circles in Kenya recently rushed to aid secondary school girls whose dorm was destroyed in a fire just before end-of-year exams began. It was a school where the local circle had already been providing water and sanitation.

Contributions to help the girls replace clothes and books lost in the fire would be greatly appreciated. Donate here

It has been long since I wrote to let you know how we are faring. We have had a great year 2016. This is despite crop failure. Our people are very resilient.

• Six of the girls we support either through the bursary venture or as a Women Group managed to go to University, Three to Teachers College and one to a Medical School in September this year. The ongoing ones are doing very well at school.
• We also ventured into counseling and disaster management. This too has gone very well. We settled two families whose abode was destroyed by rain and a fire and we are proud of this. During May/June/July we ventured into a very delicate field.
• We identified a young man with a family of four very young children who could have succumbed to HIV/AIDS and assisted them to get medical help and were successful in getting him to accept his status and get assistance. This was the most difficult of the tasks we have ever undertaken. Today he is all smiles and strong enough to go back to his motorcycle business.
• We have realized that we need to do more on health matters for our community. We are going to map out how we can assist the community to accept Health insurance which goes at 500ksh per month, per family. We have yet to convince the community that this is a worthwhile venture.