Hope alive as organisation comes to the aid of orphans

By PHILIP MUASYA

KENYA: When his parents died in 1999, Daniel Ndangili from Makueni County took over as head of the family at the age of 10.

With three younger siblings, they stared at an uncertain and bleak future. And because there was nobody to fend for them, Ndangili and his siblings soon dropped out of school and scattered into different households, in desperate search of support.

It was while at a neighbour’s homestead where he was being hosted that Ndangili, today a second year student at Karatina University, was introduced to Twana Twitu (our children), a non-profit organisation that supports HIV/Aids orphans based in Migwani, Kitui County.

Through its education sponsorship programme, Twana Twitu bailed out Ndangili and his three other siblings by paying for their school fees at Ngai Primary School in Makueni County.

Speaking to The Standard on Sunday at the weekend in Migwani, Ndangili said Twana Twitu, through its Villages of Hope programme, constructed a permanent house for them at their rural home, giving them the much needed shelter.

And when he did his KCPE and got admitted at Mukaa Secondary School, the organisation paid fees for the four years he was in high school.

“I count it as a miracle that Twana Twitu rescued us when we were desperate and on the verge of giving up. They supported all of us through education; if it were not for them, none of us would have any future worth talking about,” said Ndangili at Migwani Primary School during a Christmas party for the destitute children.

His young brother who is also being supported by the organisation is a first year student at Multi-Media University.

Ndangili’s harrowing story is not different from that of Stephen Mutie, a third year student at Moi University who was sponsored by the organisation while in Form Two at Kyamboo Secondary School in Matuu, Machakos County.

His father and mother died in 1998 and 2000 respectively leaving him and his two young siblings with no help.

“They paid my full school fees up to Form Four and also got my young sister and our last born brother back to school,” Mutie said. His sister sat KCSE in 2011 and is waiting to join college while his brother did KCSE exams last year.

“Actually if it were not for this organisation, we would have dropped out of school a long time ago. Their help was a godsend. I have no words to thank them,” said Mutie.

The two university students travelled from their respective homes to join other beneficiaries of the organisation at the party attended by area (Mwingi West) MP Bernard Kitungi, Nyeri Senator Mutahi Kagwe and Nigerian Nollywood star Jim Iyke among other leaders.

Guests at the party made cash donations in support of the organisation’s programmes. A total of Sh2.7 million was realised.

Ndangili and Mutie represent as 11 other beneficiaries of the organisation in various universities across the country and 17 others currently in polytechnics. Another 97 students are in secondary schools in Kitui County with hundreds others in primary schools. The project coordinator John Mulingi said since the inception of the organisation in 2001, 1500 children have directly benefited from their programmes.

Mulingi said the organisation supports the orphans until they are 18 years old. “After this we link them up with other institutions to continue with their education,” he said.

In the Twana Twitu family, 64 children are HIV positive and receive counseling services and drugs at Muthale Mission Hospital whose bills are footed by the organisation.

Ms Mwende Mwinzi, the founder and Executive Director of the organisation said their objective is to support HIV/Aids orphans in Kitui County and give them an opportunity to realise their dreams.

“Our joy is to see these vulnerable children get the support they need to actualise their dreams. We want to support them so that they can also go back to the society and support other vulnerable and disadvantaged children,” she said.

And true to this spirit, Ndangili and Mutie have vowed to give whatever help they can muster to Twana Twitu and other charitable organisations supporting disadvantaged children. Mwende, who quit her job with a Japanese multinational organisation to concentrate on the charitable work, said she has no regrets.

“Honestly I don’t regret quitting my job to give the much needed care and support to the poor and vulnerable children. It has been the most fulfilling decision in my life,” she said. The organisation supports the orphans through access to education and vocational training, nutritional support and health care for the HIV positive, psychosocial support, provision of shelter and economic empowerment by helping them initiate income-generating activities.

Currently the organisation supports 607 households with over 1,500 orphaned and vulnerable children.