Half Moon Bay Rotary awards tuition grants to six Kenyan teens

The Rotary Club of Half Moon Bay is providing financial support to six students in Kenya who otherwise could not afford to attend high school.  “Each child receives $650 per year for the next four years,” said Rotary President Ginger Minoletti.  “The grants are primarily for tuition but also pay for incidentals such as clothing.”

Natasha Martin of Half Moon Bay is the founder of G.R.A.C.E., Grassroots Alliance for Community Education.  She accepted the donation, totaling $3,900 annually for the next four years, describing how these poverty stricken children from a country ravaged by AIDS will apply their education to become the leaders of tomorrow.  Martin told the Half Moon Bay Rotary Club “G.R.A.C.E. works with communities in sub-Saharan Africa to mitigate the effects of HIV/AIDS. Our mission is to help grassroots community-based organizations implement locally determined and sustainable initiatives in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.” Education is a key element to the organization’s mission.

Click "read more" to see Natasha’s outline of the history of each child.

PAUL ODUOR 14 YEARS

CHAVAKALI BOYS HIGH SCHOOL

Paul was orphaned when he was only five years old. He is the first born in a family of two. Paul and his brother were left under the care of their 70 years old grand mother who is partially blind. Paul was identified to join “Naisula –keep hope Alive” project when he was in class five. It was time when Paul had to work on neighbors farm to earn a living. After Paul joined Naisula project he saw new hope and reason to work hard in school. Last year when Paul sat for his final exams in primary school he had one aim to pass and proceed to a good high school. He was the best not only in his school but also among the 25 Naisula students who had registered for exams. He scored 397 out of 500 maximum marks. He is today in one of the best high schools in the country. “I want to be a doctor and discover a cure for AIDS” says Paul.

EMILY OCHIENG

15 YEARS

KISOKO GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL

Emily remembers nothing about her father. He died when she was very young leaving behind sickly pregnant wife –Emily’s mother. The baby was born but died and when Emilly started school her mother too died. Emily was taken by her mother’s sister who promised to take her to school but instead she made a baby sitter. Her father’s brother took her took her to his house and Emilly went back to school. However her uncle a part from providing shelter and sometimes food for Emilly, he provided nothing else. His wife was cruel and made Emilly do so much work to earn a meal because she was doing well in school and her good discipline, the headmaster let her stay in school without uniform and he provided her with books and pencil occasionally. To Emilly joining Naisula children was the best thing that ever happened in her life. She is loved by all REEP staff especially her school parent Rachael- provides her with clothes. Today Emilly lives with her old paternal grandmother but only during the holidays as she is in boarding school. Emilly does not know any of her maternal relatives since her mother was Ugandan.

CHARLES OUMA

I6 YEARS

BUTULA BOYS HIGH SCHOOL

At a tender age of seven, Charles knew what it meant to fend for himself. This is when AIDS hit his family. First it was his father then mother, uncles, aunts and his only sister ran away from home and nothing has been heard about her to date. Lastly Charles grandmother passed away two years ago bringing to an end all relatives. Even with all the trauma and living among his relatives’ graves. Charles managed to score 409 marks out of the 500 maximum. He is in high school and always among the top. REEP removed him from his home where he was living alone and moved him to live with another family.

MONICA MUBASSU

15 YEARS

BUTERE GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL

Known as “the pleasant girl”, Monica has this smile that makes every one notice her. Monica’s mother died in 1993 and her father in 1998.Monica was once the saddest child anyone would come across. After she was identified to join the Naisula project, Monica and her brother Moses wrote a poem about their parents’ death. Moses is also a Naisula student in form three. Monica is in form one doing very well and is also a fine Arts student.

 
VINCENT OLIMA

18 YEARS

BUTULA BOYS HIGH SCHOOL.

Vincent has watched as AIDS devastated his family, wiping everyone and leaving him the oldest male in his entire extended family. Today every time Vincent goes to school he reminds his school parent Jack Apopo “Please inform me if anything happens to my mother.” Vincent’s mother is bedridden with full-blown AIDS and severe Herpes infection. At the time Vincent was identified in Naisula project, he had dropped out of school due to lack of school fees and to fend for his family. Today Vincent is in form three and will be graduating from high school next year. “Being in school is a dream to me. Even my neighbors did not expect any of us to go to high school.” Says Vinny as he is fondly called. Vincent is a school prefect and has won a certificate of merit as best in mathematics and Kiswahili in his class. He is Chairman of all Naisula students in his school.

PHILLIS ATIENO

17 YEARS

LUGULU GIRLS SECONDARY SCHOOL.

She is a household head with three siblings behind her. Her home has been badly hit by AIDS and Philis has not only lost her parents but her uncles and aunts too.

This traumatized Philis very badly and REEP had to take her through a lot of counseling and Natasha writing to her and talking to her during her visits. What worried Philis most was her youngest two-year-old sister who remains with her 76-year-old alcoholic grandmother when Philis goes to school.

Despite all the odds, Philis is a very hard working girl at school. She is the best in Chemistry and an active member of science club

About the Rotary Club of Half Moon Bay, California

The Half Moon Bay Rotary Club was formed in 1971 when a group of local business and community leaders met and decided to apply for a charter as a Rotary Club.  Half Moon Bay Rotary is involved in local and international service, traveling to Mexico to conduct medical clinics.  The local club’s donations led to the creation of the RotaCare medical clinic, which continues providing free, "no questions asked" medical care to those who would otherwise not be served.

Half Moon Bay Rotary has been honored for its remarkable membership growth, for its innovative community service projects both local and international, and for the extraordinary commitment to international service demonstrated by high levels of charitable contributions.

With all of the emphasis on making Half Moon Bay and the rest of the world a better place, the club has not forgotten the importance of promoting friendships and relationships within the membership.  Whether it be serving chowder bowls at the annual Pumpkin Festival, playing volleyball and horseshoes at the annual Labor Day picnic, dancing at the Spring Fling, or sipping champagne in tuxedos and formal gowns at Rotary at the Ritz, the Half Moon Bay Rotary Club is having fun while making a difference.

About G.R.A.C.E.

G.R.A.C.E. was formed to provide a vehicle for carrying forward the established projects with in-country ownership of the program. Our intent has been to support community-initiated, community-based, community-led education and training programs that reflect the expressed needs of the local community. This intent is reflected in the membership of the Board of Directors and the Advisory Board. To support this program, G.R.A.C.E. USA was created as the principal fundraising arm of the organization.

A unique aspect of our work is that the workshops and training sessions culminate in action plan development followed by periodic visits to each participant by the program director and coordinator. These visits provide encouragement, material and financial support for action plan implementation. As partner organizations grow and become viewed as leaders and community resource persons, they identify skills that are key to their organizations’ survival. To assist them in sustaining and expanding their work, G.R.A.C.E. links partners with funding agencies both in-country and internationally. We are also committed to support community building through practical skills development at the organizational level.  G.R.A.C.E. may be found at www.graceusa.org

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