The story of our Nakuru Center starts with our famine feeds programs for the outermost Nomadic and Pastural Pokot tribes of East Central Pokot. This eventually led to the opening of a community center. The center addressed the many needs of the people such as nutrition, access to clean water (their biggest problem), education, medical, children made orphans from tribal conflicts (for water to survive), and the inherited bride system.
Our East Pokot Children’s Home (EPIHF ) struggles to feed the many hungry. We cant spend money on a sign. This is our “ fancy” road sign. Ha.
When the children’s health did not improve, we held a community meeting to discuss possible resolutions. Carol was asked to find land that is farmable with decent schools so the children could become educated and have a strong voice for the tribes survival. Carol and the community members searched all over for land that would be suitable for the children and approved by the community.
Carol and community members inspected the land and houses. After meeting with President Moi and confirming the land is free hold, along with the agreement of Elders and Chiefs, she decided to negotiate a price and purchase the land to build a center. Carol made a bold, though nervous, move and cashed out her retirement bonds for the land, which ended up being one of her life’s best decisions.
East Central Pokot Chiefs and Nakuru Children Services Officials join Carol to advise whether she should buy this land and the five houses for the orphaned Pokot children. The purchase would mean moving from the East Central Pokot Center to Nakuru, a big decision to make with the elder’s approval especially because the children have never been in a city before.
This was the main large building in addition to the smaller houses. This is the building, along with the cow shed and chicken coup, that burnt down several years ago, which requires fundraising to rebuild. For now, they’ve turned bedrooms into sitting rooms and eat in small groups until the dinning hall is rebuilt.
The children were first afraid when they came to the center. They had never been in a building before and thought the roof would collapse on them. They practiced climbing up and down the stairs.
