Newsletter – February 2023

Eating Stone update from Dr Cyprian Lumumba

To all our donors and supporters, let me take this opportunity to say thank you for all your generous support to Eating Stone Organization 2008 Kenya.

My apologies for the delay in publishing this newsletter. The year 2022 was full of challenges; many of our supporters experienced very hard times in life such as health problems, lack of jobs, lost business and some passed on.

Nonetheless, Eating Stone as a family has made tremendous achievements; the children have grown, most of them are getting on well with their education, and all these are because of your continuing support.

Everyone is special to Eating Stone – we always pray for your good health and prosperity. May Almighty God shower you with the desires of your hearts!

1. Feeding

Feeding has been a key project to the Eating Stone Organization. It has been very hard to raise funds to feed the children on a daily basis, but you’ve made it work. Our sincere thanks giving again to all:

The list is long, these are just but a few. We salute you for your tender generous hearts.

2. Farming

For a long period of time, we have been brainstorming on how the Eating Stone Organization can become self-sustaining. We finally decided to be productive by doing agriculture to produce food for the children.

We acquired a 5-acre piece of land, and leased another 5, both for growing maize, beans and rearing cows for milk. This has been doing very well and we are happy that we are able to produce 60 bags of maize and 5 bags of beans twice a year for food consumption. We sell the surplus to buy more farm requirements like seeds, fertilizers and small farm tools.

Most of our children love agriculture so they help by working on the farm. They manage and market the farm produce.

We also rear chickens. We already have 350 chickens and soon we will be selling eggs and chicks to the community for income generating activities.

We have also stocked 10 cows and 2 bulls and will soon be able to produce and sell milk to the community for Eating Stone to generate money for school fees.

3. Education

The Eating Stone Organization has Primary and Junior Secondary schools. Our pupils from Grade 1 to Grade 7 attend Wisdom Academy which is within the Eating Stone premises. Wisdom Academy is of great help to our children; most of the teachers at Wisdom Academy are Eating Stone children who have graduated and are now working at Eating Stone.

The community is happy; 250 pupils from the local community attend Eating Stone Wisdom Academy. We thank Kadii Higdon, Varico Foundation from Canada for her support to build classrooms for junior secondary school at Eating Stone Organization. Our great thanksgiving is also to Tracey Farleigh who is working tirelessly to equip the science laboratory for the grade 7 pupils.

We have students who are attending other high schools and colleges outside Eating Stone premises. Currently we have 6 students who joined National High Schools in February. Some other 15 students are continuing in different high schools in the country in forms two, three and four and another 7 are in different colleges. Our sincere thanks goes to Blair Foundation, Merlo family, the Goldie family and other sponsors for providing funds which caters for these students this year’s first term school fees.

4. Collaboration

Eating Stones Organization would like to acknowledge the good work done by friends and supporters both locally and internationally.

Locally we appreciate:

• Mr Maurice, the contractor for his time, expertise and generosity
• Mr Ngugi Gerald – we acknowledge the work you are doing to support Eating Stone. Thank you for your visit and support of Eating Stone from 2021 to date
• Mrs and Mr Kahenya
• Bishop Patrick Shitika
• Madams Agnes and Jackie – for sure your support to Eating Stone is above board. Bless your hearts

Internationally, we appreciate all, but just to mention a few:

• Chris Anderson of ANSO
• Rick Castiglione of Eye Doctors Canada
• Kadii Higdon of Verico Foundation

Thank you all for your continuing support of the Eating Stone Organization.

5. Entertainment

Let me take this opportunity to thank all the Eating Stone pupils / students for the good attitude and love they have shown to me and all.

Their discipline and willingness to learn and know is amazing. The Dance they have practised over the years is moving the world in a special way. The dancers are now the sixth generation! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

6. Governance

Eating Stone Organization is headed by the Board. The Board comprises the Chair – Tracey Farleigh, Secretary – Sharon Small, to Directors Dr. Cyprian Lumumba, Sandi Carlile and members of the Board where four Eating Stone Children are included.

The children also have their own way of governing themselves. They elect the President, Deputy President, the judge, and lawyers who always organize their daily operations at Eating Stone.

One good thing about the Eating Stone organization is that all the children have space to express themselves in different ways; they have their rights and they have their say. They do things themselves; cook, shop, clean, pray etc.

Thank you for being such wonderful young people.

Acknowledgement

May I take this opportunity to say THANK YOU once again for all for your continuing support of Eating Stone Organization Kenya.

A few asks:

• Sponsorship for the students to continue with their education is needed; it’s our humble request that every coin counts. WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON EDUCATION
• Yes we have started self-sustaining projects and we believe that in a few years to come, Eating Stone will be self-sustaining. But for now, putting food on the table for the children is a big challenge, WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS WE CAN NOT MANAGE
• We invite more friends to join in supporting Eating Stone from all corners of the world both locally and internationally

As always, every donation, no matter how small or large, will greatly help. Please head over to our donation page and follow the guidance to make a donation.

Make Eating Stone your home of choice; let’s come together for the common goal. Bless your hearts!

WELCOME
Dr Cyprian Lumumba