The Maisha Project Inc

Programs: Missions partners bring tools and resources to facilitate lasting solutions. Four or more mission teams travel to kenya every year. They work side by side with the local community building, hosting classes, exchanging ideas and promoting the spiritual life of children and adults. Each team is unique in how they serve at maisha and picks a legacy project to support. Team maisha plays a vital role in accomplishing our goals and mission. At the same time, serving on team maisha opens up the opportunity for individuals to put their passion into action and share their gifts with the maisha community. Each year between 25 to 50 people visit maisha. In 2017, the 30 people that visited maisha focused on on working with our academy students, launching our continuing education program and first year graduates retreat, launched a partnership with the gathering place to provide health insurance to our clients in the nyalenda slums and helped to gather updated information for all the children in our legacy of hope project. Twelve maisha children traveled on missions from kenya to the united states as light the future choir in the fall of 2017. They came to serve as ambassadors and participate in cross cultural activities with sister schools and churches in oklahoma. In addition to oklahoma, the choir visited partner schools in lancaster, pa and were guests at an event in dallas, tx. Upon return to kenya, they carried all they learned to continue as leaders in their own community.

education is the heart of maisha, molding the minds of tomorrow's leaders to transform their community and nation. Over 900 children, baby through high school, have received education through the legacy of hope project which funds school fees and educational expenses. Children sponsored through legacy of hope attend almost 130 schools throughout nyanza province. Many of the legacy of hope recipients attend maisha academy where an 8th grade class level was added in 2017, bringing the class total to ten. We now have 287 students enrolled at the academy. A continuing education level was added to legacy of hope in 2017 to further the student's education journey beyond secondary, with targeted mentoring for that segment. Other educational and mentoring initiatives include the gospel project, youth rallies and teachers for teachers. Youth rallies with local leaders are hosted to mentor and discuss future planning and goals with the children. Over the next several years, we aim to appoint mentors for each segment of the legacy of hope project. The gospel project bible study for children has been very successful, not only with children in the academy, but with the entire community who may attend the repeated lesson on the weekend. A highlight of the year is when the children and their families receive christmas boxes full of school supplies and other gifts. To ensure proper nutrition for learning capability, maisha feeds lunch to over 600 people each day. More than 187,000 meals were served in 2017.

health comes with access to clean water, healthcare, improved nutrition and spiritual nourishment. To meet the health challenges of our growing maisha community, a full-service out-patient clinic exists. The clinic's goal is to provide medical access so treatable conditions such as malaria will no longer result in death. A pharmacy, known in kenya as a dispensary, is located within the clinic. No other health care facilities are within a reasonable walking distance to serve the community. In an area where the main mode of transport is walking and with so many affected by hiv and other seriously disabling diseases, having a nearby clinic and dispensary is essential. Previously, the clinic has been open part-time to the maisha community only. In 2017, we opened to the public with a full-time kenyan staff of health care professionals. We want to raise up legacy of hope graduates who dream of becoming doctors and health care professionals to serve in their own community. Care & encouragement were given to those living with hiv/aids through living positive, our home based care project. Home based care workers and volunteers are sent each week to help care for clients by praying, counseling, providing medical care and taking groceries as they can. They also monitor arv adherence, nourishment, water, sanitation and children's educational progress for each household. We assist nyalenda residents to start their own small scale businesses to create a source of revenue for themselves and their families. Maisha also hosts health and hiv/aids educational rallies, partners with organizations to provide water, hygiene and sanitation education to children at maisha and throughout local schools. Through mosquito net distributions, access to nutrition and these other health projects, maisha boosts the overall health and longevity of the community.

other projects infrastructure creates a safe environment to thrive and results in transformation. Finishing touches were made to the clinic and the clinic was opened for full-time operation. Landscaping projects began for beautification of the grounds. Additionally, sports fields were constructed for athletic events and recreation. The girl's dormitory was completed in early 2018. 7th and 8th grade girls were the first to move in. The dorm will house upper primary and secondary students that attend maisha academy. Empowerment helps people earn a living and transforms the economic structure of the community. Maisha trains youth and adults in making hand- crafted goods, dressmaking skills and holds weekly forums of the community-owned table banking project. A table banking project provides micro-finances to implement income-generating projects and discuss better business methods. Lease to own tuk tuk (motorized rickshaw) and sewing machine projects continued in 2017 as new projects were developed. Maisha is a hub of activity, bringing life and economic opportunity. Empowerment not only helps our community earn a living, but brings self-worth and the joy of a job well done. In 2017, a strategic effort towards sustainability began through a dairy farm initiative, horticulture projects and a community water kiosk. These economic empowerment projects laid the groundwork for further micro-loans distributed to key families in the maisha community in 2018.