2013 Summer Expedition Opportunity

While Koins for Kenya doesn't have an official summer expedition planned for 2013, there are several other groups planning to bring expeditions to the Mnyenzeni area of Kenya.

One of those groups is WHOlives.org.

WHOlives.org 2013 African Humanitarian Expedition Date Announced! APRIL 26, 2013 Dear friends of WHOlives.org, We are excited to invite you on our African Humanitarian Expedition for July 2013. You will experience the difference you can make as part of a WHOlives.org expedition. It is life changing for those we serve and for those who participate. Our expedition is ideal for young adults 17-27.  It makes an incredible senior trip, graduation present, or just an opportunity to live and experience another culture and gain lifelong and life changing perspective. Experience a rough, 12 day rural immersion at Mnyenzeni district in Eastern Kenya. You will be participating at schools, medical clinics, shadowing and in farm/agriculture activities. Then experience the true joy of helping the helpless while working two days in a Nairobi slum orphanage. Another aspect is the culture experience, including breakouts to the parks, sightseeing, beach, camel rides, safari, shopping and more.  2013 Humanitarian Expedition Dates July 3 – July 24  Expedition Cost $2,000 Airfare estimate $2,400 Safari $400 Limited to 10 participants: Send in a signed expedition application with a $500 deposit as soon as possible to hold your spot. We can offer fundraising ideas upon request. For further information and to get involved contact:  John Renouard, President  801-987-1300 John@WHOlives.org

Read more here

June Photo Expedition Open for Applications

2013 Photography Expedition Scheduled

We have a new photography expedition planned for this summer.

The dates for this expedition are June 16 - June 29.  The full details can be found here:

www.kenyaphotoexpeditions.com

With a combination of safari, city and village experience, as well as daily instruction and help from  professional photographer Paul Meyers, this expedition will be a photographer's dream trip.  The trip is limited to 16 expeditioners, an application and $500 deposit are required to hold your spot.

All the details can be found here.  Should you have further questions, contact us at info@koinsforkenya.org.

CrossFit's Impact in Rural Kenya

In 2012, CrossFit made an impact in rural Kenya in a big way.  With the help of Dallin Frampton, a repeat Koins expeditioner and committed humanitarian, CrossFit came to Kenya with a vengence.

Through the efforts of CrossFit HQ and individual CrossFit affiliates, classrooms, desks and water cisterns were built in the villages of Dzendereni.  Currently, additional classrooms have been built in the village of Mkanyeni, with others already on the drawing board for Dzivani, Majengo, and Chizini.

New CrossFit classrooms being built in the village of Mkanyeni

Water cistern construction at Mkanyeni

There are several articles and videos available on kenya.crossfit.com, CrossFit's Hope for Kenya initiative website, spotlighting and explaining the projects that have been undertaken by CrossFit.  During a recent expedition, the 2008 CrossFit Games Champion flew his team to our village area to see the work for themselves.  They raised enough money within their CrossFit affiliate to construct several classrooms, and with their own eyes witnessed the walls go up.

Koins is very appreciative of the partnership with CrossFit in this classroom construction.  CrossFit has caught the vision of our work in Kenya, and what the results mean to the people of these rural villages. We are providing real hope for the future, in the form of better education for the children and better water resources.  This Mkanyeni project took less than a month to complete, showing the dedication of both the Mkanyeni villagers and the CrossFit sponsors, and the efficiency of the Koins team in Kenya.

Finished classrooms at Mkanyeni

New NorCal CrossFit classrooms in Mkanyeni

Students anxious to start using their new classrooms

Brand new desks in a brand new classroom

Students who are very happy with their new CrossFit sponsored desks

Very happy school children

This cistern will capture rainwater for student needs

The back of the classroom with not quite finished pipe to cistern

Well done, CrossFit.  You have provided hope and the promise of a better tomorrow to yet another village in Kenya.

Veracity Schools Built in November

In November, Daryle Stafford, President of Veracity Insurance, went to Kenya to finalize the building of two school buildings in Peku, a rural village in Kenya.

Working with Koins for Kenya, the donation from Veracity Insurance Solutions provided school buildings where there had been none, as well as desks, chairs, and school uniforms.  For these rural villagers, the gift of a school will be a blessing for generations of children.

Having Daryle come to Kenya to see the results of the donation, and to witness the gratitude of the villagers and children who will be attending the school made it all worthwhile.

Asante, Veracity.

IVL

A Thanksgiving Greeting from Leah Muthoni, Kenyan Director, Koins for Kenya

Leah in front of the Mwache River after recent rains

A Thanksgiving Message from Koins for Kenya

We do not celebrate thanksgiving here in Kenya but we sure have a lot to be

thankful to God for especially here in the village.

As you celebrate the holiday with family and friends and as you count all

the things you are thankful for, know that here in the rural community of

the Kenyan coastal region we are thankful for you!

Someone wise said that we can only be said to be alive in those moments when

our hearts are conscious of the treasures life has given us.  Koins is our

treasure!

May you have a million reasons to be thankful to God.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Yours Truly,

Leah Muthoni

Marty Cej, BNN Anchor, Shares his Kenya Experience

Recently a group representing CrossFit was in Kenya.  Marty Cej, a Business News Network anchor from Toronto, Canada was with the group, filming, interviewing and observing life in rural Kenya.  This clip was shown on the BNN station this morning.  It is a great overview from the perspective of a newcomer to Kenya, with photos and experiences he had while there.

Click on this link to watch the video.  There is a brief ad at the beginning of the clip.

http://watch.bnn.ca/business-day/november-2012/business-day-november-10-2012/#clip804617