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I am a resident of Kuria West Sub County, Migori County of the Republic of Kenya. Working as a civil servant in the Kenyan government, Ministry of Labour & Social protection.Other than working with Kenya government, in the locality, I am an opinion leader, assisting Tatwa Maahe Educational Trust of the UK in coordinating their programme of educating needy and bright girls in Kuria Community.

Currently due to Covid-19 Pandemic, Schools have closed down and all of our students are at home in the community. Students under my care have suffered as most of the schools closed abruptly and they did not know how long they were going to stay. Which means, students didn’t carry any study materials from school at the time they were told to go home. The efforts of the students to reach the schools’ managements to get their books and other personal effects have been fruitless, and some schools are far away for them to reach. All students, both school and university have now been told that they will not return until next January.

Personally I am scared when I read some of the scaring massages from the media, such as, “prepare for the worst!” The county governments are reserving land for graves, while plans are underway to procure body bags in large numbers in readiness for the Coronavirus storm to come. I thought as governments they should be talking on how prepared they are in terms of drugs and other medical equipment and come up with more integrated programmes instead of land to bury people.

Three of our students are now pregnant. I am urging well-wishers to fund programmes which will integrate our girls in the community where they live in. Programmes such as economic stimulus programmes , parent to child programmes (parents will have time with their children, physical fitness) and clubs at village level, as this is the only way we can have our children back in the society.

My request to the Charity is asking them to continue supporting all the students they have been supporting that will include those who are pregnant.
Mathias Mwita

Kenyans have really suffered in this year of COVID 19, which followed in the wake of locust invasions and floods. Livelihood for many is precarious with the added risk of death. This has hit Kuria and the charity's work. We are doing what we can to reassure our students that our support will always be there for them.

In March, all students were sent home from schools and universities as the Covid pandemic hit Kenya. The disease has made a steady impact and now many families in Kuria as elsewhere have suffered untimely deaths. in addition, our students face the age-old problems of young girls left effectively in idleness for many months. Schools and universities will not return until January. In remote rural areas such as Kuria, families do not have access to equipment which would give students online access to educational programmes. Not surprisingly, some are now falling pregnant. We will do what we can to support them and their families.

Congratulations to our students who passed their KCSE examinations with flying colours.

Ester Muhutu B+
Sheila Ester B
Maseke Wegesa B-
Mubusiro Ester B-
Joyce Maurine D+

Congratulations to Elizabeth who obtained a B.Sc in Nursing from Nairobi University and is pictured here on her graduation day in 2019

Congratulations and thanks to Richard and Pete who completed the North Coast 500 cycle ride in June 2019 and raised almost £2000 for TMET. Read more here: North Coast 500

Suzette and Sally have just returned from three weeks in Kuria to visit our Coordinator, Mathias Mwita, and our students. For the first time we were able to attend the annual Get-Together Party as the school students were on holiday, though not, unfortunately, our university students. It was a great event, with students, parents and members of TOWS groups. Dr. Gesaro, who lectures in Literature at Rongo University and has established a wonderful new library in Kehancha, was the guest speaker and gave an inspirational talk. Particularly touching for us was the attendance of some past students who had made special trips to talk of their gratitude to the Trust (as Cecilia Below).

At the same time, 3 of the 4 Kuria clans in Kuria were circumcising and the school compound where the party was held was acting as a sanctuary for 180 local girls who were fleeing circumcision. They spoke of their desire for education and not excision as a marker of maturity.

We found Kuria transformed, a great leap ahead after just two years, with many well-built permanent houses, solar-powered electricity, and some improved roads. It was almost unrecognisable though, with such evident prosperity, poverty was also very visible. We came to admire again the parents who were struggling so hard to ensure a better future for their daughters and we were grateful that we could help them.

The welcome was as warm as ever and Suzette felt that she had come home and Sally that she had found a new one. We are grateful to the SFIC Sisters who facilitated our trip with such care and affection, to Mathias and family who celebrated our presence with goat soup, and to all our Kuria friends who do not forget us.