africa-thriving

Samai

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 22:41:18 GMT

This partnership is just beginning...

Samai is a community in Kajiado county located about 40 miles from Loitokitok town in Kenya. There are no roads leading to this community that lives entirely in the wilderness. Samai Primary school is located about 4 miles from a dirt road and about 20 miles from a paved road.

Africa Thriving first visited the community when we were invited to a church service that met under a tree. When we arrive, we found that the tree had been knocked over by an elephant the night before. Nevertheless we met with them and worshipped with them on that beautiful Sunday morning.

We kept in touch with the community leaders and established a feeding program with Samai Primary school that has close to 350 students. The children walk long distances across the wilderness heavily populated with elephants, lions, leopards and all kinds of other wild animals. This feeding program is saving countless lives that are lost that sadly, nobody ever hears about.

This partnership is just beginning. In just one year of bring food to the school, the test results from the school has risen to one of the highest in the entire county.

A climb that was more of a spiritual journey than it was a physical journey

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 21:21:08 GMT

2019 KILIMANJARO TRIP RECAP

Africa Thriving has started off 2019 by climbing to the top of Africa. We rang in the new year at Marangu Hotel in Tanzania, near the main gate of Mount Kilimanjaro National Park. On New Years Day we began our climb up the 4th highest mountain in the world. The Marangu route that we chose had a 60% success rate so we knew we were in for a huge challenge. We are thrilled to report that all six members of our team successfully made it to Uhuru Peak summit (19,431 ft) on January 5th.

The vision for the climb was sparked on our previous trip in August when the mountain was showing her majestic beauty every day while we were serving the communities of southern Kenya. All six of our team members did not have any mountain climbing experience but we were all dedicated to climb the mountain to raise awareness for the work that Africa Thriving is doing to bring food, water and Bibles to communities in Africa that don’t have access to these life essentials. The climb was symbolic of our vision for lifting suffering communities up from the massive challenges so they can thrive for generations to come. Our Kenyan Director for Africa Thriving also climbed the mountain with us which created the perfect opportunity for us to pour into our leaders for many years to come.

The climb was more of a spiritual journey than it was a physical journey. We all read Everybody Always by Bob Goff during our trek and spent countless hours in prayer and meditation as we were climbing the worlds highest free standing mountain. The verse in Matthew 17:20 where Jesus talks about faith as small as a mustard seed that can move mountains became very real to all of us in a powerful way. The climb was the perfect preparation for the work that we would do on the 2nd week of our trip.

On January 7th we began our work in Southern Kenya. We hosted a leadership training for all the teachers and leaders from Risa Primary School. A total of 25 teachers, leaders and elders from the community gathered at Kibo lodge for a day of enrichment and preparation for the year ahead. The following day we conducted a hydrogeological survey for drilling a well at Risa and at a property that has been donated to Africa Thriving. The well at Risa will serve the school and the surrounding area while the well at the Africa Thriving property also serves the local community and is the future site of Saroni Lodge for all of our volunteers. The meaning of the Maasai word Saroni is “the one who brings help”. It will be the well that keeps on giving since our volunteers are on mission to fulfill the vision of Africa Thriving.

On January 9th we delivered over a ton of food and 10,000 liters of drinking water to Risa Primary School. The supplies will feed over 500 children enrolled in the school 2 meals a day for 6 weeks. Our Kenyan leaders coordinate the deliveries while we are not in the country but it is extra special for the kids to see people from the other side of the world that have made this relationship flourish.

On our last day in the Southern Kenya region we visited Samai Primary School for the first time. Samai is a community that is very far from any paved roads and is about as rural as you can get. We met with the school leaders and also had a meeting with the elders of the community. We are ready to expand the reach of Africa Thriving into this very beautiful and needy community. The same faith that took us up the mountain did incredible things to share the love of Jesus in East Africa.

Delivering a truck load of food and water to Risa Primary School

Tue, 06 Mar 2018 21:21:08 GMT

ESCONDIDO, CA - On Tuesday morning, March 6th, 2018 Africa Thriving delivered a truck load of food and water to Risa Primary School. The closest clean water source to the school is over 6 kilometers away. The school is equipped with two 10,000 liter tanks that catch rain water during the rainy season. East Africa is currently experiencing one of the worst droughts in human history which has made the entire community of Risa very vulnerable to famine.

Today's delivery included 5 (90kg) bags of maize, 4 (90kg) bags of beans, 3 (20kg) bags of rice, 20 liters of cooking oil and 10kg of salt.

The delivery was made by the Africa Thriving Regional Director for Maasailand, Pastor Daniel Soope. "The children were so happy to see the truck arrive at the school because many of them have not had any food for several days."

Africa Thriving began delivering food and water to the school in September of 2016. The student enrollment at that time was 122. Now there are over 500 students enrolled in the school. Not only is this food nourishing their bodies but they are also receiving a quality education under the leadership of the School Principle, James Musukeri. Pastor Daniel recorded this video of James Musukeri just moments after the delivery was made earlier today.

Africa Thriving was able to do this food distribution because of the generosity of our donors. Our monthly donors are the individuals that are transforming their dollars into love that will help lead Risa from surviving into thriving. The Upendo Team is the name given to our monthly donors that make these deliveries possible. Please consider joining our Upendo team and put your love into action. No amount is too small to make a big impact.

Partnering with Risa to provide over 2000 pounds of food and 10,000 liters of clean water

Tue, 09 Jan 2018 21:21:08 GMT

Africa Thriving delivered over 2000 pounds of food and 10,000 liters of clean water to Risa Primary school in Kenya.

On Tuesday morning, January 9th, 2018 Africa Thriving delivered over 2000 pounds of food and 10,000 liters of clean water to Risa Primary school in Kenya. This much needed nutrition will go a long way in helping the nearly 500 students at the school continue in their education.

There is plenty of food and water in the world to go around, yet millions of people struggle to obtain these life providing essentials. Risa is a community that has been devastated by the most severe drought that has hit East Africa since the 1940's. The community depends entirely on livestock farming as a source of income and livelihood. The lack of rains during this past October and November which are typically the months with highest rainfall, has resulted in lost livestock and wildlife in the area.

The Elephants in the area are even struggling to find the water they need to survive.

Photo provided by James Musukeri

Africa Thriving exists to bring life providing essentials to communities just like Risa. The 501-C3 non-profit, based in Escondido, California has been assisting the community of Risa since they first visited the community in 2013.

The Principal of Risa Primary School is James Musukeri. "I'm happy that the Risa community is now embracing education." Musukeri added, "Due to the increase in population, parents have employed 2 new teachers to empower our current staff. The school has also improved tremendously in both academics and in co-curriculum activities. All of this has been achieved because of the unity between the Risa community and Africa Thriving".

The food that was delivered included six 200 pound bags of maize, 4 200 pound bags of beans, three 45 pound bags of rice, 20 liters of cooking oil and 25 pounds of salt. The 10,000 liters of clean drinking water was brought in by a water trunk and pumped into the water tanks that the school uses to catch rain water. The Director of Africa Thriving for Kenya, Bonniface Kinyanjui and Regional Director, Daniel Soope made the trek to Risa to fulfill the goal of helping Africa thrive. "When we arrived on the school property, the children ran out of the classrooms to greet us because they where so happy to have food." said Bonniface.

After unloading the food, they made sure that nothing was wasted.

This delivery was entirely made possible from the support of the Upendo Team. Upendo is the Swahili word for love. Africa Thriving encourages people from around the globe to join their Upendo Team to help provide life to communities that are fighting for survival.

Africa Thriving is also planning on bringing a permanent water source to Risa this year. You can learn more about the project and even join us in Kenya to give the gift of life first hand. Upendo Begins with U!