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Makindu Vocational Program

Makindu Vocational Program is a charitable non-profit organization, a U.S. based funding source for the building and operations of the Makindu Advanced Training College for adolescent girls and boys in Eastern Kenya

 

 

 

BECOME A SPONSOR AND EXPERIENCE JOY

One of the joys of sponsorship can be communicating with your student. You can send photos and letters as the samples below. Correspondence like this can really personalize your experience over the one or two year period that your student will receive financial and emotional support from you.

 

INSPIRING LETTERS FROM SPONSORS


Being a sponsor for the Makindu Vocational Program has been both educational and inspiring to me. 

I learned of this program when I moved to Eugene two years ago and reconnected with my high school friend from Ohio, Jan Johnson.   Getting together for coffee and catching up on a lot of years, I was intrigued when Jan told me about the Makindu Vocational Program and the amazing progress they have made.  

I have sponsored two students and feel very connected to them through their letters and photos.  I know how hard they are working and how this program is life changing for them and their families.   My donations to their education and their future is money well spent.

Lin Runyon

Being a sponsor for the Makindu Vocational Program has been both educational and inspiring to me. I learned of this program when I moved to Eugene two years ago and reconnected with my high school friend from Ohio, Jan Johnson. Getting together for coffee and catching up on a lot of years, I was intrigued when Jan told me about the Makindu Vocational Program and the amazing progress they have made. I have sponsored two students and feel very connected to them through their letters and photos. I know how hard they are working and how this program is life changing for them and their families. My donations to their education and their future is money well spent. Lin Runyon


Dear Elizabeth,
Congratulations on starting your program in dressmaking and tailoring. I am so happy you will be learning the same skills that have been such a joy to me in my career.

I am a costume designer for theatre. Like you, I learned patterning, sewing, and design to make costumes for the stage. I also taught these important skills to my students so that they could use them in their careers. They have taken many different kinds of jobs now. Some are teachers, some are designers, and some make patterns and sew in costume shops. Some have started their own business in making clothing for children, interior decoration, while others have gone into dyeing and painting fabrics, and even hairdressing.

What gives me great joy is learning how each student uses what they learned in my classes and adapts it to fit their own character and talents. I look forward to you being able to decide how you will apply your new skills, too.

As you can see from my photo, my sewing machine is very similar to the ones in your classroom, though mine is electric. I hope to meet you some day when I am able to travel to your school. Until then, I wish you all the best in your studies. I know you do your best to be a successful graduate of MATC.

Best, Sandy

 

 

Dear Gloria,

I just reread your letter to us. I apologize for taking this long to get back to you. We are so proud of your accomplishment! You are learning so many skills that will be able to practice on customers once you graduate. It is such a pleasure to support a young woman who is motivated to improve her living condition. It takes hard work and persistence. The rewards in life are well worth what it takes.

Greg and I are retired. We live in Eugene, Oregon. The weather here is much cooler than Makindu. We have lots of very tall evergreen trees and colorful flowers. We raised our son here. He has two children ages 23 and 19. They are both in college. Like you, they are working to learn what they need to know for future careers.

I would like to know where you are from and about your family if you write again.



Best wishes,



Ellie Smith

 

 

SPONSORSHIP

 

Dear Donors and Supporters of Makindu Vocational Program:

Recently, I had the wonderful experience of sharing with Tom Mwanzia (Director of Makindu Advanced Training College) the positive outcome of our annual event. We shared mutual amazement at the generosity of our donors and volunteers.

This year, the MVP’s Board of Directors’ focus was honoring and thanking our donor and volunteer teams. There is a common thread which binds Makindu Advanced Training College Board and Staff with the MVP Board of Directors, donors and volunteers. We are all interconnected by a deep caring to make the world a better place and a desire to provide opportunities and hope to those who may have lost it.

Tom has shared stories of girls who will daily check to see if a sponsor has been identified. Frequently, sponsored girls come from circumstances of extreme poverty. They often arrive without shoes, underwear, personal hygiene items or a bar of soap.

You can see that by being a sponsor, you are their north star, guiding them to a better future. You have no idea of the impact your generosity makes in the present and future lives of these adolescents. Please consider sponsoring a student.

We at MVP have been focusing on investigating options for sustainability of the college. We are working with another agency on creating a partnership, encouraging donors to include MVP in their wills, having discussions with businesses here in the US related to possibly selling some of the student’s fabric art creations, exchanging ideas with the Kenyan dressmaking staff regarding items which US and other visitors might purchase and more.

You can also be a part of this international program and the Makindu family. Join us!!!
Jan Johnson, Executive Director of MVP

 

OUR SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM

The M.VP Board of Directors and Makindu Advanced Training College staff and students are excited about the opportunity provided for girls living in Kenya. Although tuition fees and room and board iare low at MATC, due to extreme poverty, many girls are unable to attend the college.

Consequently, a program has been developed in which a sponsor can provide a full 2 year scholarship for a girl who would otherwise be unable to attend. The cost for tuition, room and board, the national examination fee, transportation, and personal hygiene items for the 2 year program (Dressmaking or Hair Styling) is $1,200.00.

Due to the economy, physical illness, famine, etc., some Kenyan families who have paid for the first year's program are unable to continue payment for the second year. Consequently, students can be sponsored for the second year for the cost of $600.
Twice a year you will receive a letter and recent photo from your sponsored student. You can also communicate with your student by sending a letter (handwritten or computer generated) with a digital photo. 

Please contact Jan Johnson, MVP Director at 541-221-3568 or by email (comrehabjan@gmail.com) to discuss whether your sponsorship will be for a one or two year duration. You can also decide if you have a preference for a specific program. Once you have decided, you can use our donate button (click on "Donate" in the menu bar above), or send a check (no Pay Pal fees, thank you!) to MVP, P.O. Box 41443, Eugene, Oregon 97404.

 

SPONSORED STUDENTS UPDATE


2024 School Year Sponsored Students 1st and 2nd Years

The following are Sponsored Graduates from the class of 2024

Jackson M.

Pauline M.
Mwende K

Faith K

Annastacia V
Veronicah M.

Ann M.
Esther M.
Janet K.
Mohammed M.
Jackline M.
,
Grace K.
Naomi R.
Salome N.
Anastacia W.

Everline S.
Faith M.
Susan N.
Jackline N.
Ruth N.
     

Mercy Musimbi - When she first reported to the college her family was able to pay for her tuition, but later they were unable to pay the required school fees. So bad was her situation she couldn’t even afford basic items like toiletry, tooth paste, and even bathing soap. She is a child of a single parent (mother) who is paralyzed and bed ridden.

Thankfully, through the sponsorship program, a sponsor came through for her, sponsoring her education and other basic necessities. This enabled her to settle in school and concentrate. Mercy graduated from MATC in 2021. She was pursuing a course in Tailoring and Dressmaking, and passed her certification exams with flying colors.

After graduation she landed a well-paying job as a Fashion Designer. She is now able to support her mother and siblings, and even plans to further her education in fashion design. Many thanks to all sponsors, who, since the inception of MATC, have supported the education of 57 students.

 

 

Faith Nduvi - Faith was sponsored for her school fees as well as for her second year, Faith is an outgoing 16-year-old girl, pursuing a course in Tailoring, Dress making and Embroidery. She has three siblings. Her father, who used to be the family bread winner, has been bed ridden with a chronic chest complication. Her mother too is on care and treatment, although she often times is usually in and out of hospital.

Due to the vulnerability status of the parents, who need care themselves, Faith has no one to pay her school fees/tuition, which has accumulated to Ksh 24,700. She is so determined that despite her challenges, she will complete her studies, secure a job and take care of her ailing parents and siblings. Kindly support her achieve her aspirations.

Thank you,
Thomas Mwanzia Director



 

 

 

Makindu Vocational Program is a charitable non-profit organization (501C3 Tax ID #81-5189538) that is the U.S. based funding source for the building and operations of the Makindu Advanced Training College for adolescent girls and boys in Eastern Kenya.