November 27, 2020
I have been called a night owl, as I’m also generally an evening person who tends to stay up until late at night brainstorming or thinking through some issues and how to find and build on solutions to presenting problems. I’m also an early bird as well, but that’s a story for another day, and you might be lucky to hear it firsthand one of these days should you decide to venture physically South of the Sahara to meet our awesome scholars, boundary partners, and parents/guardians, who together with your wise investment in securing quality education and psychosocial support for our orphaned and vulnerable children, make up our TFFT Tribe. After evading some dozing off at around 2am local time, I peeled my eyes wide open in anticipation of how the night will go as we venture virtually South of the Sahara.
21st November will go down in TFFT history as the day our TFFT community of change-makers and game-changers, as we have become accustomed to, rallied together against all odds and under difficult circumstances with the COVID-19 pandemic to continue empowering the future of our scholars through investing in quality education. I stayed up like an expectant child waiting to unwrap a much longed for gift at Christmas. I was truly awe inspired by your generous giving and support for the vision and mission of The Foundation For Tomorrow. Your unwavering support continues to show that Ubuntu/”humanity” is alive and well, more so in this year where the world has been ravaged by a pandemic that is not only affecting lives, but livelihoods as well. In the true sense of ubuntu “We are TFFT, because you are”. We are truly grateful that your support over the years through the undying spirit of ubuntu continues to strengthen the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity. In the words of G.K Chesterton, “Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another. What we continue to learn from our scholars is that education connects them with the stories, theories and accomplishments of faraway cultures and generations. It offers them a body of knowledge greater than we can ever gain on our own in one lifetime!”
Our scholars said it all and just to reiterate the message from our scholar Saitoti Penet Mayka: “Thank you for believing in us!” and continuing to support the work of The Foundation For Tomorrow, through investing in education as one of the pathways to sustainable development. I sat like a proud dad smiling from ear to ear as a significant number of our scholars grabbed recognition awards for their stellar performance in class and in sport. Their bright eyes, minds and the future they envision for themselves through your support keeps us going. I remember during the video shooting exercise for the scholars, I asked one scholars, “What would you want to tell the many sponsors and supporters of TFFT who continue to support your education?”, and they remarked, “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. I press on hard days even when I want to give up, because I know I’m loved and supported”. That really hit home and I felt the authenticity of their gratitude as earlier in the year we visited their family to give a COVID-19 emergency relief food pack and homework when school was suspended at the height of the pandemic. We saw first hand how exclusion, disadvantage, and vulnerability can weigh on the shoulders of our scholars, and why it is so easy to quit school when responsibilities are impressed upon you to provide for the family- and putting food on the table takes precedence over your education, because of the little disposable income left on the table.
We need you now more than ever and as our TFFT community, you never disappoint! Thank you for reminding us that tough times never last, but tough people do!
Keep safe and healthy and let’s meet when you venture physically South of the Sahara one of these good days to see how your contribution is helping orphaned and vulnerable children to reach their full potential and thrive in their communities.
Karibu & Asante! (Welcome and Thank You)