A STITCH IN TIME

A STITCH IN TIME!

Since 2004, the girls at St. Clare have worn jeans, a white blouse and flip flops as their uniform. Because Father Riwa was able to purchase these for less than $5.00 from street vendors, he was able to inexpensively clothe the girls and also allow them to jump and freely play.

St. Clare’s new administration convinced Father to change the uniform to skirts and blouses. They explained that the girls felt embarrassed and out of place when they began attending local academic competitions.

To help implement the new uniforms, Madam Joselyn, a local seamstress, has the job of teaching sewing to the older girls who can then create the skirts for the younger ones. Because St. Clare has only one foot powered sewing machine, it will be a long job to clothe 366 girls. Yet Madam Joselyn keeps smiling, as she slowly outfits the girls all the while teaching the others to sew. Eventually all the girls in classes 1 through Form 4 will be wearing blue skirts, white blouses, white socks, black shoes and a blue pullover. The smaller children in kindergarten and pre-K will wear the light blue tunic.

Friends of Kenyan Orphans has raised funds to build a Life Skills building which will house more sewing machines where the girls can learn and practice their sewing and knitting skills