Shamba Planting.

We the Ingrid Centre wish to thank you all who took part and made it possible the planting of the two acre Plot that has been leased to Ingrid Centre where we will be planting maize and beans for the feeding program.
We welcome you all to join us on board and make the dream of these young boys and girls meet their lifetime dream of Education at the Centre. Feel welcome .....

The spirit of Christmas is alive and here!

We just wanted to express our huge appreciation and this Comes deep from our hearts my Wife Grace and I together with the whole big family of the Ingrid Centre and all the Good teachers who have stood by us,Working and helping these Angels achieve their life time dream in Education and a better future.We are just speechless!! THIS JUST THE BEGINNING! we have just began...the angels will continue flying.

The generosity of "A Friend" is staggering, donating 64% of the target funds needed via JustGiving site with a simple message-Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We'd like to thank all the following its incredible!!
Much thanks to- Nick, Nicola, Jack, Robert, Liz, Sammy, Simon, Charlotte, Sally, Charlotte N, Raliette, Alec, Steve, Mary, Steven, Eleanor, Mike, Leila, Bridgette, Deb,Chumo,Jeniffer and all anonymous donors too for their generosity in securing the future of the 116 children currently being cared for and given the hope of an education under our watch (Douglas and Grace). ASANTE SANA

Merry Christmas to Everyone and God bless you all.
Douglas Monene
Founder Ingrid Centre.

OUR SECOND GRADUATION CEREMONY-2009

Despite fears that the land where the angels school stands might be lost!! and we have up to Decmber 29th to secure the land.... THIS COULD NOT STOP The Angels from flying high..yes they once again flew!!! It was a wonderful Day on 27th November 2009 at Ingrid Centre where 24 angels graduated to join Grade one next year.Parents and Guardians could not hide the Joy sitting under the hot sun outside Ingrid Centre cheering and watching the Angels parade for Guard of Honor!!! The pictures tell it all have a look here.and dont forget that you donations count a lot in securing the land for the Angels.Your prayers and any kind support is highly welcome...Karibu sana!!

Ingrid Children's Education Centre: Welcome to Ingrids Education Centre

Ingrid Children's Education Centre: Welcome to Ingrids Education Centre

This from Douglas Monene’s Desk

Dear Friends of Ingrid Centre:
This is coming from deep in my heart and on behalf of Ingrid Centre Family-Surely you have all been very supportive to us, Without you we could have not come this far with the current economic crisis and food situation in the country-Kenya. We Sincerely Thank all the volunteers for the purchase of foods for the children, water Tank for storing water!Their Contribution towards children’s fun day which was a big success and the presents and gifts you brought for the kids not forgetting their contribution towards the deposit for the plot, to mention but a few. Receive our sincere appreciation; we cannot forget your generosity.
Am compelled to Mention the names of all the volunteers who took their time to volunteer at Ingrid last summer.
Beckee,Sam,Mariam,stan,Alec,Deb and Charlotte you are all God sent. Bravo to you all and your pure heart of compassion May the God in heaven bless you all.

sam and Beckee being shown how to make necklaces at the centre

Sam and Beckee at Ingrid Centre

Its nice to write you all! This Summer The Ingrid Centre was lucky to have 3 volunteers this summer, Beckee arrived on the 24th July and later she was joined by Sam.What a wonderful experince....they are wonderful teachers...Sam teaches in Grade 2 and 3 and Beckee is incharge of grade one.They are doing a wonderful job.Beckee volunteers till the 8th of August when she leaves for mercy Home in Western Kenya.
Sam will contunue teaching until 14th August.The kids are happy and we thank beckee and Sam for the gifts they gave to the kids and food donations..
We have another volunteer joining them as from Monday.Mariam will be with the children for two weeks 3RD OF August to 14th August when she too leaves for Mercy Home.we welcome you all. Ingrid Centre is open to all who could like to come and volunteer teaching the children.

Ingrid Team

Teaching Staff

Inadequate Basic Amenities

Clothing is also a major problem to the children. They cannot access education because of lack of clothes , school uniform used clothes from our well ushers is welcome.

Teenage pregnancy

The Kenyan domestic household survey shows that adolescent mothers constitute more than half (60%) of the adolescent girls in the country a big number of these girls drop out of school due to stigmatization. The Kenyan government and the ministry of education has a policy of re-admission of girls back to school after giving birth. But it remains a big challenge to mother child girl’s education due to stigmatization ridicule and abuses from other pupils. The readmission policy must be widely disseminated in schools and the community so that parents are aware of this.

Guardian negative attitudes towards educating children
Guardians mind about the education of their education of their own children rather than orphans under their care hence cutting down chances of orphans getting education , orphans start withdrawing orphans under their care hence cutting down chances of orphans getting education , orphans start withdrawing from education when hey feel unloved and hopeless when orphan girls lose hope they chooses the obvious by getting married involve themselves in prostitution leading to pregnancy and hence drop out of school before even they complete their studies

Inadequate Health Facilities

As it’s evident in other slums in Kenya. Matopeni /quarry village suffer from poor sanitation, purchasing and high rate of immortalities to mention but a few. All past and present government have not recognized this part as one of Nairobi city hence do not provide welfare services or social amenities . This can be characterized by poor toilets/latrines on top of the sewage line, one roomed tin/iron sheet dwellings without privacy. The village receives water once a week from NAIROBI SEWARAGE AND WATER COMPANY and without storage facilities many go even without water or buy at 20/= a jerrycan. The communal toilets are very dirty and in poor conditions without doors girls and women feel them to use the school toilets.
Disease such as malaria, pneumonia, diarrhea the children resulting death. The sick destitute children and injured orphans must walk 4 km to the nearest city council hospital for treatment. The hospital is not well equipped and lacks proper medical facilities and makes it difficult to curb and control any outbreak leading to high mortality in the community.

Inadequate Public Schools

In Matopeni /quarry village there is only one public school and one private school which charge high charges high fees that the community cannot afford due to the level of poverty . Kindergarten education is not free in Kenya and the government has no policy and proper guideline for early childhood education program. As result of the community members decided and agreed to send their children to INGRID EDUCATION CENTRE to get basic & firm foundations of education, children walk as far as form 4 km to 8 km to school

Poverty and Child Prostitution

Poverty level in Matopeni /Quarry currently is high and stands at 60% . This means that most people are living below poverty line. It’s characterized by the hardship and poverty families and individuals face. Guardians/Parents have to choose between taking their children to school or letting them go and work in the quarry because of high costs of fees, child labour is the answer for family survival when there are no jobs girls provide unpaid labour at home, around the quarry some engage in prostitution in order to meet their needs and boys turn to hawking from door to door .

Exploitation Of The Girl Child

Domestic chores for girls are numerous and demanding leading to girls having no time to study for example if there is a baby to be taken care of it is the girl child who must do so at the expense of her education . Some parents are forcing expenses of her education some parents are forcing their daughters to carry their siblings to school. Girls take the whole burden in doing housework which include cleaning , washing clothes utensils, cooking, fetching water and looking after the young brothers are sisters

Child Labour

Child labour is on the rise within Nairobi slums Matopeni/quarry village with No exception face rate of child labour especially within adjacent quarry farms
The area is engaged in the mining of ballast and building stones. Both small boys & girls accompany their parents to work in the quarry farms. Another big setback! Girls of school going age 6-17 years old are employed as domestic workers in the neighboring Kayole and Komarock estates some sell vegetables and boys engage in hawking, child prostitution in exchange of money. HIV/AIDS is the most urgent danger facing the youth and they are the most vulnerable with the highest rates of infection
The economic constrain puts pressure on girls to involve themselves in sex in exchange of money and when money is involved it’s difficult though to have a safer sex. This has led to the worst consequences of HIV/AIDS death hence increase of orphans leading to children dropping out of school when side with poverty studies show that HIV/AIDS of school drop out with current static Matopeni/Quarry SLUMS HIV/aids orphans stands at 12,000 and it’s projected to rise to over 20,000 by 1015 (MOH/NACC 2007)family headed by children are on the increase in Matopeni /quarry due to HIV/AIDS impact.

Problems affecting children

Lack of food
Lack of food has lead to malnutrition and related diseases is amounting the children in Matopeni/quarry slum one of the factors that keep away children from attending schools. How can you teach a hungry child, most of the children’s families don’t have anything to put on the table for dinner. The food they eat serves as dinner

Volunteers

We are inviting all volunteers who wish to visit our school and donate their time and experience especially in teaching and fund raising.
Donate - If you would like to sponsor one of our needy children. Once you select you sponsor child. Please contact us. You can send your sponsorship fees or make a general donation by donating through ……………….
You may also make general donations for specific purpose by bank transfer : WESTERN UNION , MONEY GRAM , and paypal

If you are visiting Kenya, we welcome your visit and donations you would like to carry with you
We are located in Nairobi city Kenya in Kayole a slum called Matopeni /Quarry slum
Volunteers in one of the class session at the centre
Incase you are visiting Kenya, Ingrid children Education centre welcomes you. Email us please we would be happy to arrange a visit

Address P.O Box 214-00515 Buruburu Nairobi Kenya

Telephone + 254 7236044715 / + 254 722 250060

About us

The Matopeni/Quarry slum is a slum village 25 Km drives from Nairobi City, the capital of Kenya. The overall economic situation is desperately poor. Poverty is at its peak illiteracy, lack of food and medical facilities and care are rare commodities resulting to suffering of orphans. Mortality rate from common disease such as cholera malaria, pneumonia and HIV/AIDS is very high four out of ten children in this village is directly affected by HIV/AIDS. Resulting to a handful of orphans who do not have anybody to turn to turn to be flocking in the streets of Kayole and Komarock estate in search of food to eat. When children lack a firm foundation to accessing education they easily involve themselves in petty crime and hence become law offender posing security threat in the society. Public schools are free in Kenya but are not available to many children and private schools are charging
We decided to offer free kindergarten education to the children in the slums because the government had no policy and guideline for early childhood education program.
This led Matopeni /quarry village to open a community based school to try to provide them with education for just 8,800/= )$ 117) a year an orphan can get a school uniform, one meal a day, and most importantly education surprisingly enough all this is out of reach for most orphans/destitute children. From our bodyline statistics research we discovered 25 of the neediest orphans with no one caring for them. They have in one way or the other dropped out of school to look for jobs to support their younger siblings. At the present we have more than 100 former street children who would like to rejoin school but no means to attain the dream
The squatter village of Matopeni/quarry slum is a home to more than 35,000 residents most of whom live under a dollar a day -women earn a living by making necklaces, basket weaving and a big number work in a quarry farm nearby.