In the African nation of Kenya, a school has blossomed near Nakuru, growing from 25 to 300 students and improving lives of families nearby.
Sue Truitt, a former long-time kindergarten teacher who lives in Waunakee, spoke to the Waunakee Rotary Club about her visits to SOAR Kenya and meeting James Yegon, the school’s director.
Town of Springfield chairman Don Hoffman has been involved in SOAR Kenya for many years, since he returned to the country he spent time in during the Peace Corps. A member of the Waunakee Rotary Club, Don and other Rotarians have visited and made contributions.
“Rotary’s name is all over the place,” Sue said.
She said she is impressed with SOAR, noting that she’s done mission work in other places
“They go gangbusters. There are so many projects at once,” she added.
Sue described the area as a dusty place with dusty roads.
The school now has three large classrooms for the kindergarten through seventh-grade students. Rotary helped provide wells there, an addition Sue called “life-changing.”
SOAR Kenya sells the water to neighbors to help support the school. The staff knows all the cows and who they belong to, and charges 3 cents for each cow to drink.
“The community is really involved in everything they do,” she said.
Some of the students who attend SOAR Kenya may get their one meal a day there, Sue said.
One project Waunakee community members helped with was an irrigation system, allowing the school to grow its own food. Rotary also funded a latrine.
Community members and widowed women help out at the garden and the school, some to offset their children’s tuition costs.
Future projects at the school are aimed self-sustainability. The school is short on textbooks and library materials, and the hope is to provide a library the community could use.
Sue is working to set up a teacher-to-teacher program, but she said in the guest house, only squat toilets are available.
One mud hut classroom also needs to be replaced, and plans are underway to erect a stone building and use the existing metal roof. Also, some playground equipment will need to be upgraded.
Sue visited SOAR Kenya with Mary Ann Preston, a nurse from Waunakee. She said more AIDS testing is needed for children, as well.
Overall, Sue said what the school director has accomplished since 2011 “just blew me away.”
“I hope that you can see what you guys have done. In all the places I’ve gone, this one touched me the most,” Sue said.

 

Other news:
-The Steak Fry will run from 5-8 p.m. at Drumlin Ridge Winery, with Rex’s Innkeeper catering the dinner.
-The date for the Betty Lou Cruise has been set for July 17.
-At last week’s meeting, Ken Pesik clarified the project under consideration at the Village Center Pond. It would provide an aerator for the pond.

 

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Guests: Sue Truitt, speaker.   

 

Visiting Rotarians: None.

 

Birthdays: May 25, Joyce Maly; May 26, Bob Lenz

 

Anniversaries: May 23, Greg and Heidi Garton; May 24, Ryan and Sherri Knight; May 25, Mick and Jeamie Holm; May 25, Jon and Barbara Townley; May 30, Phil and Betty Willems.