OASIS OF HOPE

Latest news

OoH news November-December 2021

After the authorities closed the school on 15th October, this month has been marked by our work in order to be able to reapply for authorization as education center. Thanks to some substantial separate gifts from individuals and the first payment from Y’sMen, the first four classrooms have now been almost completed.  This first payment from Y’sMen covered expenses for doors and windows in three of the rooms. A new latrine must now be made before we can apply for authorization from the authorities. We hope and believe that we shall be sble to reopen in January 2022.

Although the school is closed for education purposes at present we have nontheless been permitted to distribute food to the pupils, which means a lot to those who have limited access to food at home.

Here in Norway November has been a very profitable month. As previously informed we received some substantial sums from private individuals, which made the completion of the first classrooms possible. On Facebook we have also invited people to contribute by Vipps, which many have done.

Vettre school at Asker has joined our team. They wish to have the Oasis of Hope school as their sponsor school in the future, for which we are most grateful.

They arrange yearly Christmas markets at the school, from which we are lucky to receive the profit. Due to the corona pandemic this year’s market will be somewhat restricted, but we do anyway look forward to cooperating with them in the years to come.

OoH news September-October 2021

September turned out to be a month with several positive happenings. We managed to get solar panels for the classrooms used by 8th level. This enables them to prepare for their final exams both in the early mornings and late evenings after dark. 

Instead of wedding gifts a bridal couple asked for donations to us, resulting in a considerable amount of money for which we are truly grateful. We also received an offering from Heggedal church in September and from Østenstad in October.

In October we encountered some adversity. Firstly, for reasons unknown, we were locked out from Facebook. We have lodged a complaint against this decision, but do not know when or whether we shall be admitted again. As this is our only channel of communcation with our donors this is untenable for us. We consider creating a new Facebook page before Christmas, as this is a good period of the year for fund raising campaigns.

From Kenya we received information that as of 15th October our school would be closed down without further notice. Kenyan authorities claim that our premises are not suitable for education purposes as the interior has not been completed. Our application process in order to at long last  be registered as «Education Centre» was also stopped. Luckily we have a Kenyan board taking care of the situation. They have talks with local education authorities in order to find a solution to this challenge. Although this is dramatic for both pupils and teachers we know that the board members handle this in a wise manner and trust that once more good solutions will be found.

OoH news July-August 2021

In Kenya the schooldays are running normally. The school year follows the calendar year here. Following nine months of Covid locked down schools in 2020 the authorities have taken steps to put the schools back on track during 2022. This means intensive school periods and shorter holidays. The school year which should have started in January 2021 therefore commenced on 26th July and will end in March 2022.

There has been no graduation so far this year as the authorities do not allow such activities due to the Corona situation. In spite of this some schools arrange downscaled graduation for their pupils. We shall await a decision with regard to our school.

We are also pleased that or 8th level pupils have had «trial exams» with very good results. Oasis of Hope became number 6 out of 20 schools in the area. This motivates both pupils, teachers and us.

In the beginning of August we received the best news ever for us: We were granted means from Time of Fast Y’sMen International's aid programme. The means we will receive are earmarked for doors and windows in the new school. We are extremely grateful for this fantastic donation!

0oH news May-June 2021

No sooner had the first floor been completed than some of the classes moved into the new building. They enjoyed ample space, but in June we received an alarming message from the school. Many pupils coughed a lot and felt ill, and so did several teachers. Medical personnel concluded that this was due to all the dust in the new classrooms. There is much powder dust on the floors, which cannot be brushed off. This will only create more dust. The teachers now sprinkle  the indoor floors with water in order to bind the dust, but this evaporates rapidly, and in addition the water must be bought. At present we cannot afford to complete the interior of the classrooms making this a great challenge. We have applied for support in order to purchase doors and windows, but a reply to our application will not be forthcoming until August. In spite of this both the board and the teachers in Kenya agree that the classrooms have to be completed «step by step» and that we do not have financial means  enabling us to complete the classrooms shortly.

In June and July the temperatures at Mbita are down to 15-20 degrees. It is especially cold in the mornings, and to prevent the pupils from catching colds due to cold draught the window openings have now been covered by corrugated iron plates. Willingness to find solutions is definitely there! 

At the end of June we received another challenging news. The Indian mutation of Covid 19 is infesting the area. So far Mbita has been spared infection. Now lockdown and curfew after 7 p.m. has been reintroduced, and everybody knows someone or have relatives who are infected. The hospitals  in the nearby cities are uvercrowded and people are scared. So far, however, the school has to our knowledge not been closed.

Finally, some very good news: At last we may arrange exams at our own schiool. The Kenyan board have been working for this for a long time, and means very much both for them and us.

Although challenges are queueing up in Kenya reports from Norway are positive.

Wednesday 9th June Run for Food was arranged, digitally, like last year. This did not affect the result negatively. Slightly more than NOK is defintely a satisfactory result. We do, however. Hope for physical attendance next year.

During the last school week the 8th level pupils at Hovedgården arranged plant auction. This was a creative and interesting idea which also resulted in some cash. We hope that the HUS pupils may be able to show more of their enthusiasm and creativity in their development aid project next school year – then without Corona restrictions.

OoH News January-February 2021

We commence a new year with expectation and gratitude.  We had several  Facebook campaigns in December: two in connection with birthdays and two directly to OoH..  In addition we sold Christmas cards also this year.  The result was amazing NOK 28,150.-.

Østenstad Sangeri arranged an outdoor concert before Christmas and the offering, NOK 5,425,- was also this time given to OoH. In addition the fact that several of our regular donors contributed with extra Christmas gifts to us and we received an offering from Heggedal congregation made December a profitable month for us.

We also got a double page in the January issue of Heggedalsposten and we are grateful for the marketing effect of this.

We have previously written that the casting of the horizontal division of the school building was completed in December. In addition they received means enabling them to continue erection of the first floor walls, and these works were also completed before the new year.  Thus the roof is the only remaining piece of work and we are both grateful for and pleased with the job carried out by the workers.

Monday 4th January was a big day at our school. The school was then reopened after Corona lockdown for nine and a half months. Both teachers and pupils showed up and the meeting with the school was a happy one. The class rooms at the building’s ground floor have been put to use, which is greatly appreciated by both pupils and teachers. The rooms have neither doors nor windows yet, but who cares as long as there are desks and blackboards. Due to social distancing we did not have sufficient number of desks for all before school start. The board then contacted a local joiner who made new desks using surplus material from the building of the school. Solution minded, practical and to our great satisfaction!

In February school days have been running normally, and we receive information about satisfied pupils. The teachers find it somewhat difficult to follow the social distancing order. The area is also very dry at present and the water tanks are empty. Water from Lake Victoria is delivered to the school, but this is expensive.  The rainy season is approaching and we hope that this will give us full tanks again.