Miracles in Action

Why I Need Your Help

Four years ago I went to Kenya for a month to work with infants at a local orphanage. While out adventuring, I came upon a large slum on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. The children I met were full of love and happiness, but they were living and learning in utter squalor.

This was near the front of Grace Junior.
This was the extent of their school supplies.
With the help and prayers of friends and family, my friend Sally and I were able to build and stock a new school for their small community. It was a true miracle.
Here was the new and improved Grace Junior.

New uniforms and desks.

This is Mary, their head teacher.

This is Sally. She's getting vaccinated with the children at one of the orphanages they sponsor.

Sally returned to LA and founded Stepwise, a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit to benefit orphans in East Africa. They quickly sponsored our school (Gracie Junior) and were able to take over all the financial and supplemental needs of the school for the past four years.

Stepwise has a series of schools and orphanages that they sponsor all over Kenya. Unfortunately, it has come to their attention that some of the children attending one of their sponsored schools were being abused at their orphanage (not run by Stepwise). Through a series of tender mercies those girls are currently being transferred to a safe house by a partner NGO which Stepwise has agreed to fund. This has been an extremely delicate and costly – but absolutely necessary – endeavor for them.

After hearing about this saddening situation I wanted to do anything I could to help, so I have volunteered to help alleviate some of the financial stress by fundraising and begging for donations to help support Gracie Junior School this year. This will help Stepwise focus all their time and energy on getting the needed help for the rescued children.

The financial breakdown is as follows:

Financial Breakdown -- $233 a month ($2,800 a year)

Rent – This covers two classrooms and a kitchen

Salaries – This covers the head teacher’s salary, one teaching assistant, one sustainability assistant and a cook. They are able to receive yearly raises by completing classes at a local educational center.

Supplemental Fees– Fixing or replacing uniforms, school supplies, books, teaching tools, extra desks, etc

The Food Program – This covers one meal/snack a day for each child. This is an incentive program to keep the children attending on a regular basis and for some is the only meal they’ll eat that day.

Sustainability Program – This instructor teaches the children/parents life skills: growing/tending a garden, nutrition, basic health and sanitation, crafts, etc.

How to Help

If any of you feel it in your heart to make a donation to this very effective and efficient organization, all donations are to be made directly through Stepwise on their website: http://stepwise.org/. Just click on the PayPal button to use your credit card or PayPal account. They area a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit in the US, and all donations are tax deductible. Any questions you may have about their organization can be made to the US Director at sallyh@stepwise.org.

Please email me at denisemrobertson@yahoo.com If you choose to make a donation. I need to keep track of how much money I still need to raise, and make sure that your donation is set aside specifically for Grace Junior and not applied to any of their other East African initiatives.

I am so thankful for the love and support from each and every one of you. Please keep these children in your prayers as they find safe and loving homes to help them heal.