Blog Posts

cecilia & cedric houilles (paris) 2016

11/20/2016

HELP CECILIA AN ORPHAN GIRL TO DEFY THE ODDS!
SUPPORT CEDRIC’S EFFORT! THE UPENDO GIRLS HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!
Like Cedric, help Cecilia to reach her Dream and continue her education! (Secondary school)
Cecilia (Cece), born in 2000, came to Upendo in 2003 with her twin sister after their parents died in 2000.
Cece wishes to become a Lawyer and serve as a role model for other girls like her.
To donate:
www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/the-eunice-upendo-project/cecilia

PLEASE HELP CECILIA, AN ORPHAN GIRL, TO DEFY THE ODDS AND CONTINUE HER EDUCATION!
Back in 1997, Eunice W.Kamotho, the founder of UCRC the Kenyan NGO we support, decided to act and saved a group of orphans.
19 years later, despite difficulties, financial stress, setbacks and many crises, Eunice managed to lead 24 girls to a secondary education, 2 girls to University and College.
Also, 220 local children benefit from an education at Upendo Primary School.
Sadly, only 48% of girls in Kenya attend secondary school, among orphans, the statistic drops even further.
SUPPORT CEDRIC EFFORT! AND HELP CECILIA TO PURSUE HER DREAMS
The race is going to take place in Houilles (Paris) the 18th December.
The cost incurred by a secondary school education is approximately 1250 euros a year.
To donate:
www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/the-eunice-upendo-project/cecilia
Education Changes Lives
A secondary school education changes lives. Your sponsorship doesn’t just change the lives of the student, but also the Murang’a community, improving the quality of life for everyone – now and into the future. Your sponsorship can help end the cycle of poverty for the orphans at Upendo and help the girls transition into a future full of success, fulfillment and independence.
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela

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VENICE 2016 ESTHER & Riccardo

10/12/2016

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For Esther, Riccardo is going to get moving his old... but valiant body ...for 42 Kms!
Riccardo is going to run the Venice Marathon (23rd October)
Make your move ! You just need to do few clicks to support Riccardo, and enable Esther, an orphan girl to attend her second year of secondary education!
Esther is a very promising and bright child.
She deserves an education! All children deserve one !
See the link below :
https://www.justgiving.com/…/the-eunice-upendo-p…/esther2017
As you can recall, in 2014 Riccardo ran the Dublin Marathon to raise funds for paying the annual salary of a Primary School Teacher (in 2014).
Last year he ran the Dublin Half Marathon to help Esther, to cover the costs of her first year in secondary school.

Contained within this video is a message to Riccardo from Nancy, Gladys and Margaret. 3 girls in the orphanage we support.

Thank's to Riccardo’s Action and Dell’s people who supported him.
Esther a 15 years old orphan is going to be able to pursue her dream.
As a first step Riccardo’s action enables her to have a secondary education.
Esther is a very promising girl, extremely bright with an altruist touch.
See pictures of Esther and Riccardo talking about our organisation, within Dell during an annual meeting.

Esther wants to become a surgeon :
"I would like you to sponsor me from form one to University. The reason as to why I want to reach from that level to the last one, is that I want to attain my goals. I would like to be a surgeon when I grow up. And for that, I will be able to help my siblings, other orphans and you too"

Esther arrived at Upendo in 2006 when she was five years old. She did not know english when she arrived be very quickly became fluent. If you met her, you would immediately believe that she can accomplish her goals of not only going to university, but obtaining an advanced degree while also caring for orphans that have had a childhood like hers.

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EUNICE

10/9/2016

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Eunice Kamotho the founder of UCRC the Kenyan NGO we support, has saved a group of orphans in the beginning of the century.
Back in 1997, Eunice decided to act, with only a vision and almost no resources.
Since then, Upendo has expanded to become home to 40 orphan girls and a primary school for 220 additional local children.
Eunice managed to lead 24 girls to a secondary education, 2 girls to University and College.
Only 48% of girls in Kenya attend secondary school. Among orphans, the statistic drops even further.
Eunine'a work has been commended by both Kenya's second president and 3rd President, giving Eunice two awards OGW-Order of the Golden Warrior" and HSC "Head of State Commendation" respectively.

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A new dormitory for 48 Orphans girls!

6/6/2016

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Eudias and Gladys

Aurelie is going to run the Versailles Princesses race the 19th June to support the 40 orphans of the Upendo Children's Rehabilitation Centre.
To complete the construction of a new dormitory!

https://campaign.justgiving.com/charity/the-eunice-upendo-project/newdormitory/view
http://www.gosportrunningchateaudeversailles.com/

Back in 1997, Eunice W.Kamotho, the founder, decided to act, with only a vision and almost no resources. Since 1997, Upendo has expanded to become home to 40 orphan girls (24 are currently in secondary school) and a primary school for 220 additional local children.

In 2002 the group, with the help of local community managed to construct basic facilities e.g. a dormitory for 20 children, toilets, a bathroom and a kitchen.
On 1st October 2002 the first intake of 7 orphans aged between 8 months and 3-years were admitted under the care of a House-mother, an assistant and a night guard. The founder took charge of the daily management.

Now the most pressing need is the construction of an additional dormitory.
The one originally meant to accommodate 20 little girls now hosts 40 , most of them teens, 3 house mothers and a Social Worker.

The construction of the dormitory began in 2015 thanks to the funding from an American Charity (E.A.C.H), but additional funds are needed to complete the construction.

The new dormitory first phase is expected to accommodate 48 girls.

However, Eunice’s vision is to help at least 100 children (We'll go by phases but depending on other priorities)

Every Child deserves an education and every child deserves his own bed !
By supporting Aurelie, you are Going to make a lasting difference.

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September 13th, 2015

9/13/2015

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Yvonne is on her way up !
See Yvonne's pictures from 2011 to 2015.
Let's keep her smiling with your support !
Don't let her down !
And don't the other girls down !
Support Aurelie and Riccardo Efforts :

https://campaign.justgiving.com/…/the-eunice-upendo…/aurelie

https://campaign.justgiving.com/…/the-eunice-upendo-…/esther

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Esther Gatumbi ; Martha Wambui, ; Jane Njoki ; Pauline Muthoni ; Ann Wangari ; Joyce Mugure ; Veronica Njambi ; Linet Waithira.

8/23/2015

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Back in 1997 Eunice W.Kamotho decided to act, with only a vision and almost no resources,
She decided to help children (afflicted by HIV/AIDS or its social impact)

UPENDO CHILDREN REHABILITATION CENTRE (UCRC) was founded in 1997 and registered as an NGO in 1999.

In 2000 the group realized that a group of orphans was extremely vulnerable. It became imperative to save these orphans by providing accommodation. The local government kindly provided a piece of land in Central Kenya, Murang'a District, for this purpose.
In 2002 Upendo, with the help of local community managed to construct basic facilities e.g. a dormitory for 20 children, toilets, a bathroom and a kitchen.
On 1st October 2002 the first intake of 7 orphans aged between 8 months and 3-years took place.
Since 2002, Upendo has expanded to become home to 40 orphan girls and a primary school for 87 additional local children.
Over the years, she provides 40 orphan girls with food, clothing, medication, love & nurturing and also an education

15 years later, despite difficulties, financial stress, setbacks and many crises, Eunice managed to lead 19 girls to a secondary education (Only 48% of girls in Kenya attend secondary school. Among orphans, the statistic drops even further)

Naturally, along the way the support of like-minded people was crucial, with a special mention to East Africa Children's Hope (EACH) and its founders Melanie Dascenzo and Melissa Budnick.

So now we need to help supporting 8 more girls, who are going to reach secondary school next year !
They need individual sponsors or a Team of sponsors, you can also create an event for them!

The girls are:
Esther Gatumbi ; Martha Wambui, ; Jane Njoki ; Pauline Muthoni ; Ann Wangari ; Joyce Mugure ; Veronica Njambi ; Linet Waithira.
See our pictures!

We received letters from the girls :
See some extracts from the letters from Esther and Martha:

Esther Gatumbi, want to go to Unervisity to become a surgeon,and help others
"I would like you to sponsor me from form one to University. The reason as to why I want to reach from that level to the last one, is that I want to attain my goals. I would like to be a surgeon when I grow up. And for that, I will be able to help my siblings, other orphans and you too.

“Martha 14 years old” want to help people”
"How is the weather at your home ? Is it rainy or sunny ? Is your place green or dry ? "................................................"I would like to continue with my studies until University and get a better job and assist many people who are hopeless and don't have people to take care of them"

Structure of the Kenyan education system
Kenya’s education system is divided into three stages: primary, secondary and higher education. Primary education starts at the age of six, lasts for eight years and is organised in three stages: lower primary (ages 6-8 or grade 1-3), middle (9-10 or grades 4-5) and upper primary (ages 11-13 or grades 6-8). Secondary education lasts four years (ages 14-17 or form 1-4).

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Upendo a path to self-sustainability

1/26/2014

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Since 2002, Upendo has expanded to become the home of 39 orphan girls and a primary school for 100 additional local children. Upendo is run by Eunice and a dedicated staff consisting of a social worker, two housemothers, three farm assistants, two night guards, and 7 teachers along with a Board of Directors. Four classrooms have been constructed in addition to volunteer quarters and a water tank since 2002. Upendo’s goal of self-sufficiency reaches back to 2007 when a posho (grain) mill was purchased to allow Upendo to mill the corn they grow and to process corn for local villagers to increase revenue. The school has built a fish farm on their land to help decrease food costs while selling excess fish to the local community. Upendo has also a life stock including calves rabbits,chickens. Finally, additional revenue is received from the day students who are charged tuition fees (based on their family’s ability to pay) to attend Upendo Primary School.

This is the posho (grain) mill that was bought with the funds raised by EACH ! Now Upendo mill their own corn flour and make money by milling grain from other villagers. The girls gave Melanie Pessin (President and Founder of EACH) a very detailed tour and description of how the mill works

The fish farm is complete !

The livestock ! which includes cows, rabbits and chickens

Melanie gets a tour of the farm expansion , always in progress. The girls shows the 2 new calf's to Melanie.

Cute and very tasty !

Next to the fish pond, Upendo Children's Home and School grows some of its own food, fruits and vegetables including cassava, mango, papaya, corn/maize, beans sukuma wiki (greens), tomatoes and bananas in their garden as another effort to become self-sustainable

Growing !

Organic bananas !

The water tank

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UPENDO CLASS 2012

10/6/2012

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Back in 2006 there was only one classroom for the 30 girls living at the orphanage. Now they have a complete primary school with over 125 students, from the orphanage and the surrounding community.

Please see below Upendo classes pictures (click on the picture to have a larger image)