My name is Fatma Salim, I am 18 years of age and the first born to my divorced mother. I have three other siblings: 2 boys and a girl who attend school at Vutakaka. I attended school up to class 8 and got my primary school certificate. My mother could not raise the school fees needed for my high school education and so that was the end of my schooling.

I am one of the benefactors of Vutakaka Center. I was in the class that graduated in July and was awarded a sewing machine. I really acknowledge the EAC in all of its efforts to empower women. At first it all seemed like a joke that we were going to get the sewing machines, though many of us remained faithful that the EAC would indeed come through and actually help us start our new businesses.

The younger generation in my community is full of aspiration of development but somehow those ambitions get destroyed. Our community lacks better health facilities; the dispensary does not treat all the conditions and most of the times we get referred to the District Hospital which is miles away. To get there you need to commute. At times you find a mother coming to the dispensary with a baby who is having convulsions from a fever: by the time she gets to reach the District hospital after being referred, the baby will have passed away. Our community needs to be educated on better farming skills to lessen the episodes of food insecurity.

The EAC has offered me a chance to start afresh. I was skeptical at first, but now I have hope, and my mother is glad that I now know how to sew. I will start sewing from our house before I venture outside to the open market. The money that I will earn from sewing, I will chip in to the budget at home and by so doing my mum will make enough savings to educate my other siblings. Thank you for reading my story. – Fatma Salim, 2005-2006 sewing graduate

On July 18th, 2006, the EAC gave away 13 sewing machines to our most recent sewing school graduates. These students studied tailoring for one year, while also attending adult education, health education, and small business development classes. These women are now both personally and practically equipped to start their own tailoring businesses. We wish them all the very best! Thank you so, so much to all of you who contributed funds to help us purchase these machines. Your donations have literally changed the lives of these women. They were all so happy when they saw the machines, they just couldn’t stop smiling. Click here to see more pictures of the sewing machine distribution day – Suzanne Jeneby

I was worried how the women were going to transport their new sewing machines home. To my surprise, a group of bicycle taxis (known here as boda-bodas) arrived and whisked away every woman and machine in a matter of minutes.

When I was preparing to come to Kenya I had a vague idea of what the school would be like, based off “Save The Children” advertisements, and old National Geographics. Neither of which prepared me for the shock, amazement, and contagious joy I felt when I entered Vutakaka for the first time.

The students wear adorable blue and white checkered uniforms and sing the Kenyan national anthem every morning together. The school has a metal roof that is ear-drum-shattering during the rainy season. The windows are metal screens and the desks are wooden tables and benches. When the garbage is burned nearby, the smoke sometimes fills the classrooms. Children walk miles to school, each morning, without shoes. They use plastic bags for book covers. Some can hardly afford pencils and use a small stub of a pencil that American children would have thrown away.

The thing that got me the most was under these conditions the children are so excited to learn. By second grade they can read in English and Swahili, they know multiplication, division, religion and geography. When the teacher asks a question all the students raise their hands, begging to be called on. If a child gives the correct answer, the class claps and sings a song.

The students are so loving and happy. They hold hands and hug each other. The Mazrui and the Giriama kids (children from two different tribes) play together, regardless of their religion (mostly Muslim and Christian), and socio-economic class differences.

I feel an enthusiasm at Vutakaka that I can only explain as everyone seeing life as just getting better. – Laura O’Leary

The EAC is a remarkable grassroots development organization offering real opportunities for positive change in the lives of hundreds of people, each and every day. In order to keep the organization continually running in good order, we are in need of ongoing volunteer support, both in and out of Kenya.

If you are interested in volunteering in Kenya, visit www.comekuona.org. Come Kuona is a separate organization, based in Kenya, that recruits and guides volunteers through the entire volunteer experience of working with us at Vutakaka Center in Takaungu, Kenya. We always need more volunteers to help us run the Center. If you have any questions about the program, please email volunteer@comekuona.org.

Moreover, if you have a passion for international development, and/or skills in non-profit / NGO management, and can't get to Kenya but would still like to volunteer, please contact Theresa Wilson at twilson@eastafricancenter.org. We would be happy to list you as one of our "on-call" volunteers in the US. (This means we would contact you if we need extra assistance for specific events or special tasks)