farming

Giving work to local women, tutoring for exams and fish farming

KellyUncategorized

New pictures from Hope Children’s Home in Kitale Local women are hired to begin preparing the soil for planting of the 2013 maize crop.  Not only does our farm provide food for the children in our care, it also provides income for the local community. Orphanage Director, Fred Afwai, arranged for a friend from Nairobi to come to the local school where the grade 8 children attend to tutor the class and teachers on study habits and best approaches to taking the Kenyan National Exam in the Fall that will determine their secondary school placement. Having some fun on a day off from school.  Love these kids…and we see some neighbor kids have joined the fun too! Dropping nets in one of the fish ponds to check on the progress of the growing tilapia crop.

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One night + 32 donations = $4,370 raised for the care of orphans

KellyUncategorized

On August 24th Light Up Hope had the pleasure of introducing the community of Steamboat to the community of Kitale, Kenya.  Under the shade of a grove of Aspen trees on private property on the outskirts of Steamboat Springs, Colorado 35 guests came to hear about the work we are doing to build a new orphan refuge in Kitale.  The guests dined on gourmet “Kenyan Fusion Food” with a 5 course menu that highlighted the produce that will be grown on the farm in Kitale as well as the produce that was grown on the vegetable garden located on the Steamboat property.  Guests sampled many delicious items including; baked Tilapia with mango salsa to spotlight the fish farming that will be used for income generating purposes, avocado and goat cheese appetizers, plenty of fresh fruit, Kenyan spiced pulled pork and kale salad, while hearing about the opportunities the new orphan refuge will present for the children in the care of Hands with Hope Safe House. Food, Beverage and a live band were all donated enabling 100% of the proceeds of the event to be used towards development of the new Kitale farm property. With a total of 32 donations we […]

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The farm is on the GROW!

KellyUncategorized

The first planting of the farm on the new land in Kitale took place in May and thanks to the diligent work of our in-country partner, Fred Afwai, and the farm managers we are seeing some great growth already in the corn and beans.  Take a moment to see the photos of the way the farm is progressing and also pray for a GREAT harvest.  The better the farm yields, the more income will be available to support the children at Hands with Hope Safe House. [slideshow] At Light Up Hope we feel it is important to not just provide housing for the children, but also income generating opportunities for our partner in Kenya. These income opportunities will allow the orphanage to be self-sufficient rather than singularly dependent on foreign donations.  The farm will provide income as well as job opportunities for the children when they come of age to head out on their own.  We already have a group of high school age boys and girls who will be looking to support themselves in the near future, and we want to do our best to equip them to be successful adults.

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Love at First Sight – Welcome to Kitale

KellyUncategorized

There is a dirt road in Kenya where the soil defines the color burnt sienna. Along this road is a glimpse into the simple life in the country, an agrarian peacefulness. There is a gentle breeze perfumed with eucalyptus, and the scent of the African sun bearing down on fertile ground. There is only the sound of the wind on the trees and a gentle movement of bare feet on the warm ground, followed quietly by curious voices of the neighboring children. Inside the branch and barb fencing a meadow opens in front of our eyes. A lazy brown cow grazes under the shade of an island of trees. A local boy and girl hold onto a palm tree and quietly watch as we navigate the barbed wire into a lush vegetable garden that even at the end of the dry season gives birth to a beautiful crop of arrowroot and kale, watered by a fresh stream that snakes through the property. We sit in the shade of the bordering forest and my excitement blooms as we discuss the future of this beautiful property. We walk along the bank of fish ponds that are ready to be stocked with a […]

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A Harvest to Feed 300 Children

KellyUncategorized

The farm property that Fred and Alice currently manage is in full production. With the 3 acres they own and 6 acres they currently lease and use to grow corn, they are able to feed 300 children at their school in Nairobi as well as the 30 children in Hands with Hope. Our first support goal is to help them purchase 10 acres to expand their farming operations as well as to house the orphanage and community outreach center. By owning the land they will be given the flexibility to manage the land in the best interest of the children, move the orphanage towards food self-sufficiency, and be secure that they will not lose the land due to increased lease rates or competition from other buyers.

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