Jitegemee 2019 Annual Report

2019

annual report jitegemee

empowering street children through education

PREPARED BY Jitegemee Inc., www.jitegemee.org 411 A Highland Ave., #171 Somerville, MA. 02144

CONTENTS The Year in Review Executive Summary Graduate Sucess Stories 2019 Financial Summary Thank You Donors Thank You Team How You Can Help

the year in review

A year of success!

100% of our exam candidates passed their exams, including 1 university graduate, 3 high school students, and 17 primary school students 75% of our Vocational Students passed their Government Trade Exam Launched new “Machakos Clean Energy Revolution� Project, funded by the UNDP Expenditure 150 children and 120 parents received check-ups and referrals during our Annual Health Days 154 young people from Machakos participated in our new Sexual and Reproductive Health Community Day

80

Children Supported in Primary School

20

Children Supported in High School

Awarded two new multi-year institutional and project grants from Elma Philanthropies and the United Nations Development Programme, Community Grants Program 84 parents and youth trained and received support from our Economic Empowerment Programs, including 35 Street Business School graduates, 40 sales agents for the Clean Energy Project, and 9 Parent Committee members 74 Jitegemee students received guidance during our Career Day Served approximately 49,550 meals to our 206 children and 84 parents

27

Youth Supported in College or University

79

Youth Receiving Vocational Training

Verity Norman-Tichawangana, Executive Director Wairimu Mwaura, Board member Jennifer Katiwa, Country Director, Machakos

A Letter from the Executive Director Dear Friends of Jitegemee, Greetings to you all, and grateful thanks, as always, for your support for Jitegemee Children’s Program! Our 2019 Annual Report has been on hold for several months as we navigate through this strange and worrying time of the Covid-19 global pandemic. We hope you and your families are safe and well. In the midst of this, we wanted to share with you some of our good news from 2019.

HIGHEST-SCORING UNIVERSITY GRADUATE

NEW GRANTS FROM ELMA AND UNDP

In 2019, we celebrated the success of our graduates, moving from primary to high school, university, vocational school, and to the workforce. But we’d like to highlight the achievement of our single university graduate of 2019 - Jacinta Mbwika. She received the highest grade ever achieved by a Jitegemee university graduate: a First Class Honors for her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Kabianga. Congratulations Jacinta - your hard work and persistence paid off!

We are thrilled to have awarded new grants from Elma Philanthropies as well as UNDP (the United Nations Development Programme) in 2019! These grants provide Jitegemee with guaranteed support for our work, and have allowed us to expand our support and start some new projects in 2019.

ECONOMIC STRENGTH FOR OUR FAMILIES To fully support our children, it’s important for us to expand our support for their families. This year we provided Street Business School training to 35 caregivers, providing the skills to start a small business. We also launched a new “clean energy” sales project, in partnership with LivelyHoods and UNDP. We trained 40 caregivers and graduates to be clean energy products sales agents.

SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EDUCATION Over the past few years, there has been a worrying increase in pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases amongst teens in Machakos. We partnered with Nairobi-based TICAH (Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health) to strengthen our sexual and reproductive health education and training program with TICAH’s progressive curriculum. In addition to weekly training and discussion sessions with our students, we hosted our first SRH Community Day that was attended by 154 young people. Our students’ health and safety remains our number one concern!

CELEBRATIONS FROM OUR TEAM Peter Muasya, our Economic Empowerment Manager and Jitegemee graduate, was selected as a Metis Fellow, a leadership program that prepares the next generation of Kenyan leaders in the development.

Jenniter Katiwa, our Country Director, was selected as a 2020-2021 African Visionary Fellow by the Segal Family Foundation. These fellowships are recognition of the extraordinary work Jennifer and Muasya do in partnership with the rest of our team in Machakos.

On a personal note, both Jennifer and I welcomed baby boys into our families, which was also cause for celebration! We give thanks to the Jitegemee team and boards for the support they gave us through our respective pregnancies and maternity leave.

A few weeks ago, a dear friend of Jitegemee sent me this kind prayer, which I now pass on to all of you, wherever you are in the world: May you be Healthy.

May you be Happy.

May you be Free from Suffering.

May you be at Peace.

Annual Health Day In January, Jitegemee hosted the Annual Health Day where local physicians visit the campus and provide free check-ups and health consultations for the Jitegemee students, parents, and other community members. This year, 150 students and 120 parents recieved check-ups and medical referrals.

graduate succes stories

n e h p te

S

Stephen Mwanzia provides for his family “If it were not for Jitegemee, my life would not be where it is today!”

Stephen Mwanzia is one of the first students to join Jitegemee. Back in 2003, Jitegemee’s Founding Teacher, Alex Zakayo, found him living and working on the streets. Stephen’s parents were working menial jobs and found themselves unable to provide food for their four children. As a result, Stephen ended up on the streets of Machakos, collecting firewood and selling scrap metal to survive.

After rehabilitation, Stephen joined grade 4 in primary school, and completed his primary schooling in 2007. Next, he joined Jitegemee’s Vocational Training program where he spent two years learning motor vehicle wiring, along with the skills needed to run his own business. Stephen continues to work in the informal (jua kali) sector in Machakos, and is able to provide for his family.

KEN Ken KARANI Goes to college “When I was joining class 6 in Primary School, my mum was unwell and she was taken to hospital. The hospital bill was so high and we couldn’t afford it. Tragically, she passed on. Soon after this, our landlord would lock us out of our house for not paying rent. Our neighbors would also treat us so so badly.”

During a recent visit, Ken Karani, one of our college students, shared this childhood memory with Joshua Muema, our Social Worker.

Ken has worked so hard and has come so far from the sad days he describes above. After graduating from high school in 2018, Ken is now studying electrical installation at Don Bosco Technical Training Institute, in Embu.. Ken told Joshua that he continues to work hard not just for his own success, but also to be a positive role model for his younger brother, Ben, who

is still in school and also receives educational support from Jitegemee.

Ken and Ben grew up in Mjini slum, raised by their grandmother. Despite her ongoing health challenges, in 2019 their grandmother joined Jitegemee’s Street Business School program where she learnt entrepreneurship skills. This training has helped her strengthen her micro business, selling fruit in Machakos.

b e l Ca

Caleb Achieves High Marks “We are all so proud of Caleb and excited for the next step in his educational journey - high school!”

In his short life, Caleb has faced so many challenges.

Despite these challenges, in 2019, he was the highest achieving primary school student from Jitegemee and at Township Muslim Primary School in Machakos!

Thanks to Caleb’s outstanding performance in his final examinations, he earned a position at Meru School, a prestigious national secondary school.

Caleb grew up living in a one-bedroomed house with his mother and grandmother. His mother is physically disabled and confined to a wheelchair. She relies on Caleb to push her to her place of work - an outdoor space in town where she charges people to weigh themselves on her scale. Caleb’s grandmother suffers from arthritis, and has not had stable income since she retired in 2007. In addition to struggling financially, his grandmother has lost her husband as well as two of her four children.

2018 financial summary

2019 Total Operations Expenditure $240,869 USD (26,218,590 KSH) 2.5%

1.5%

BREAKDOWN BY CATEGORY: School Sponsorship & Support $69,560 USD (~7,571,606 KSH) Feeding Program $21,395 USD (~2,328,846 KSH) Vocational Program $29,673 USD (~3,229,906 KSH) Family Assistance and Healthcare $15,583 USD (~1,696,210 KSH) Kenya Admin & Support $49,519 USD (~5,390,143 KSH) US Admin & Support $28,321 USD (~3,082,741 KSH) Fundraising & Image $16,861 USD (~1,835,320 KSH) Monitoring & Evaluation $5,995 USD (~652,556 KSH) Non-Operating Expenses $4,002 USD (~435,617 KSH)

7% 29% 12%

20.5%

9%

6.5%

2019 Fundraising Total $251,763 USD (27,404,402 KSH) BREAKDOWN BY CATEGORY:

12%

5% 15%

Grants $133,844 USD (~14,568,919 KSH) Family Foundations $68,050 USD (~7,407,242 KSH) Individuals $37,844 USD (~4,119,319 KSH) In-Kind Donation $12,026 USD (~1,309,030 KSH)

53% 27%

thank you donors We are deeply grateful that 2019 was another year where we felt the generosity of our extended Jitegemee family. Thank you all for giving so much and continuing to make our work possible. This year we raised $251,763 (approx. Ksh27,404,402), and received in-kind donations in Kenya valued at $12,026 (Ksh1,309,030)

Stronger together.

In 2019, we were thrilled to be awarded a two-year institutional grant from Elma Philanthropies. We also received a project grant from the United Nations Development Programme Small Grants Programme for our Machakos Clean Energy Revolution project that runs from July 2019 to August 2020.

We continue to receive generous support from and have signed a multi-year grant with the Segal Family Foundation. Our partnership continues to bring a richness to our work that includes but extends well beyond the dollar amount of our grant.

The support we receive from our long-term family foundation friends remains strong and allows us the flexibility in our work to respond directly and in a timely way to the needs of our children and their families. A big thanks as always to the Kaplan family, the Workman Wackers, the Mosselsons, the Ackerts, the Topols, the Brooks, the Hiatts, and the Kahn-Lang family; all of whom continue to be so generous in their steadfast support for our work. We also say a special thanks to Festus Wanjohi and Shefali Frampton for supporting Jitegemee with their Facebook Birthday fundraisers.

Thank you, Asante sana.

We continue to be so grateful for the support we’ve received from our immediate community in Machakos, which has also remained strong and growing in 2019. We send a heartfelt “Thank You” to the Machakos Directorate of Adult and Continuing Education, the Machakos Red Cross, St Paul’s University, Machakos University, Gelian Hotel, Mutisya Driving School, the Management University of Africa students, Machakos County Women Representative, Machakos County Development Fund, Gospel Confirmation for your institutional contributions. Also thank you to our friends, Elizabeth Nzivo, Dr. Bannister Kilonzo, Shaquilla Harrigan, Mary Kimani, Pamela Gedion, Jane Nzioki, and our alumni, George Okoth for their kind donations of clothing, food, as well as fertilizer and manure for our vegetable crops.

We send a final special thank you to Michelle and Jake Brooks, Abby Kral, Peter Cahn and Donald Hess, and Abim Thomas, all of whom hosted or contributed in extraordinary ways to Jitegemee fundraiser gatherings in Boston and New York.

Thank you to our generous donors of $5,000 or more: Workman Wacker Family Foundation Mosselson Charitable Trust Kevin Lang and Shu Kahn David and Charlotte Ackert

Topol Family Foundation Michelle and Jake Brooks Kaplan Family Foundation A.M. Fund

$1000 OR MORE

$100 OR MORE

UP TO $100

Carolyn Magill Liz Spayd Keanne Henry Raymond Bonner John Abowd Donations from friends on Facebook Abby Kral Andrea Kramer Ariella Kahn-Lang Jenya Kahn-Lang Daniel Harrison & Laura Hildner David & Eleanor Woods George Fosque John & Patsy Grady Mark Palmer

Jim & Rachel Loeffler Maralee Schwartz Njeri Gichohi Sandy & Ann Benett Aaron Goldberg David & Miriam Weil Lisa Lynch & Fabio Schiantarelli Morri Markowitz & Polly Bijur Pearlie Hemdane Cathy Mosca Jane Kim Arlene Ash Ashley Miller Daria Neal Regina Schwartz Ronald Rosenberg Farah Stockman Caroline & Naveed Butler-Rahman Charlie & Luiza Savage Donna Ginther Erica Brooks Heidi Brooks Kate Aksadi Asya Ollis Linda Santanello Marilyn Jones Verity NormanTichawangana

Ethan Nasr Kathleen Coleman Maria Cramer Marietta Sbraccia Martin and Ria Orans Peter Cahn & Donald Hess Sam Mendales Sharon and David Hessney Sharona Chessney Kerstin Ahlgren Breidenthal Angela Wachira Chinyere Ekechi Dave Kumar Deborah Urbelis Dennis Whittle Elaine Murray Ethan Bloomberg Gerald Seegars Harvey & Christine Ollis Hilary Dionne Junko Narimatsu Lorie Friedman Louisa Lombard Rochelle and Saul Sobel Sarah Axelrod Ali Djalilian Doug Miller Ellen Birnbaum & Donald Altschiller

$500 OR MORE Shefali Rajpal Ida & George Stockman Jody Forchheimer & Louis Kaplow Joy Soodik Mary Poor Michael & Julie Salinger Paul Frisoli Samuel Longair Stevenson McIlvaine

Lisa Ferreira & Kevin Cote Olive Malcolm Siobhan Hinkley Richards Margie McKinnon Cara Haberman Justin Mayo Kiri Haggans Lynn Armel

We are grateful for the generous support we received in 2019 from the Segal Family Foundation, ELMA Foundation, and the United Nations Development Programme’s Small Grants Programme

A Special Thank You Shadrack Mutinda, one of our university students studying Actuarial Science at Mt. Kenya University sent us a poem of gratitude for Jitegemee. Here is an excerpt from his poem we wanted to share with all of you.

In the Galaxy, Out comes the sun, The start of life in general, Jitegemee our home, Jitegemee our pleasure, In full grace of charity, Twilights of cherish we get, Much of our regards you acclaim, Thanks for your concern massively.

Thank you, Asante sana.

the gift of hope “Mere words will never be enough to say thank you for what you have given us. We can only try to play our part and do you proud in every way possible.”

– Valentine, University Student

Donate Jitegemee’s mission is supported in large part by the generosity of friends and family around the world who share our goal of improving lives through education.

ONLINE BY CREDIT CARD:

You can join us in these efforts by donating today, or anytime throughout the year, using any of the following options. Your contributions will help ensure Jitegmee continues to provide children and their caregivers in Machakos access to education, healthcare, and financial empowerment.

BY MPESA IN KENYA:

www.jitegemee.org

MPesa #593249 IN THE U.S.A. BY CHECK: Jitegemee, Inc. 411A Highland Ave, #171 Somerville, MA 02144

Field trips show students a world beyond Machakos

a shared purpose

the jitegemee FAMILY Last but certainly not least, we thank our Board and team members in Kenya and the USA for so generously contributing their time, expertise and care to our program during the past year.

STAFF:

U.S.A. BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Verity Norman-Tichawangana (Executive Director), Jennifer Katiwa (Country Director), Peter Muasya (Economic Empowerment Manager), Alex Mutiso (Founding Teacher), Hiram Kioko (Accountant), Joshua Muema (Social Worker), Faith Kiliku (Program Officer), Miriam Mativo (Operations Officer), Stephen Muendo Mwilu (Cook), Cecilia Mutisya (Receptionist/Programs Assistant), Veronicah Kioko (Receptionist/Operations Assistant), and Daniel Mutinda (Watchmen)

Farah Stockman (Founder), Shulamit Kahn (Chair), Abby Kral (Treasurer), Catherine Mosca (Secretary), Christina Stellini, Devin Powell, Jacqueline Mosselson, Mark Palmer, Paul Frisoli, Regina Schwartz, and Tulaine Montgomery

KENYA BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Terry Wavinya Mutuku (Chair), Benedicter Musau (Treasurer), Martina Amoth, Peggy Ochola, Peter Nduulu, Rasto Omolo, Joseph Mwongela, Verity Norman-Tichawangana (Secretary)

ANNUAL REPORT PREPARED BY: Verity Norman-Tichawangana (Narrative) Ryan Schwartz, Hiram Kioko, Peter Muasya (Photography) Laura Ewan & Mark Palmer (Design)

JITEGEMEE, INC. www.jitegemee.org 411 A Highland Avenue, #171 Somerville, MA. 02144 - and PO Box 1100 Machakos, Kenya

All images in this document are the property of Jitegmee, Inc. and may not be used without permission.