Susana Navarro and Lina Shatara talked about their site visit to the Orbit Village Project in Nairobi, Kenya, which was founded by Sevierville native Cyndy Waters, who has talked to our club about her many activities, including photography, in Kenya.
Susana started off by noting that Orbit Village has 436 students, with 81 living in the orphanage. The kitchen serves some 1,500 meals a day to the community.
She showed a video of the spirited welcome that their party received. She noted that $30,000 of renovations are under way, including a new roof for the primary school, a new classroom, and pavers over the entire campus. She said that this last item was the most valued by the kids, because it got rid of the oppressive dust that had plagued the whole campus. They really want a great library, among many other needs, including water and electricity for the clinic.
Susana noted that we in our club have adopted seven kids, which costs about $1,000 per year. Our club also donated Christmas baskets and books for the library. We are now soliciting phones and laptops.
Lina showed more about their site visit to Orbit. “It is a happy place,” she said. Lia also described her safari experience, which was the full deal of elephants, lions, water buffalo, hippos, and leopards. “Elephants were all about,” she said. “We could hear hippos all night.” They went to Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Ngorongoro Crater.
They are going back next June, 2025, and need 10 or 12 Rotarians to sign up. Townes Osborn and Bob Marquis are going back. Her daughter, a music teacher, is going with 100 recorders to give a weeklong music camp. So think about signing up!