The final (we hope) relief food drop effort was completed Saturday, November 22nd. We are in hopes that this donation will be sufficient to carry the Masai through the rainy season. We shall see. There is also hope that MWEP may be able to persuade the owners of a number of abandoned warehouses to donate or rent inexpensively so that we might begin an Early Childhood Education Facility. These warehouses were once used to raise chickens for a local food chain. Early childhood interventions and stimulation are greatly needed at Athi River. My son and I traveled to the Manyattas and found a number of delays, eye and ear problems, other related sicknesses and cognitive issues among the very young. We have planned some educational programs, a nutritional feeding program and medical screenings. All of these should take place in the coming months. As my work completes at Nyumbani Village in Kitui (www.nyumbani.org) I hope to spend a consistent amount of time at Athi River, developing these initiatives. At this time of Thanksgiving in the U.S. I want you to know how thankful I am for the donations made on behalf of the Masai women and children. Funds are desperately needed and you response has been wonderful to witness. Again, I remain thankful for all the gifts you have given to the Masai and to me! Happy Thanksgiving!
