Harambee for Gender Violence Recovery Unit, Nairobi Women's Hospital and Orphan Wisdom

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

Please join "Kenyans in Cambridge Taking Action" to raise $1000 by March 31 for two worthy causes: the Gender Violence Recovery Unit of the Nairobi Women's Hospital, and a nonprofit in Kenya called Orphan Wisdom. To date, nearly $1500 has been raised, but our target is $2500 (or more!). Donations will be evenly split between the two recipients.

The Gender Violence Unit of the Nairobi Women's Hospital (www.nwch.co.ke, http://www.gvrc.or.ke) has seen a large increase in the number of women seeking treatment during the past two months. Rape and other assaults on women skyrocketed during the post-election violence, and funds are badly needed to care for the great influx of patients.

NWH has set up 4 rape-crisis response centers--in Mathare, Huruma, Jamhuri Park, and Kibera--which are providing shelter, security, and medical and psychological care to rape victims who are unable to access the services

The fundraising tally for the GVU will be announced during the Boston visit of Dr. Sam Thenya, head of NWH, who will be in the USA on a fellowship this spring. Dr. Thenya is a pioneer in HIV/AIDS and gender-violence treatment in Kenya, and founder of Nairobi Women's Hospital, the first to exclusively address women's medical needs in east and central Africa.

On April 3rd, from 4-8 pm in CGIS South (Belfer Case Study Room), an afternoon panel and reception will be held to discuss recent events in Kenya, including the medical and humanitarian implications of the electoral violence, the response and way forward, and the national and international implications of the power-sharing agreement.

Dr. Thenya will be speaking as part of this panel, which has been organized with support from the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and the Harvard African Students Association.

Orphan Wisdom (www.orphanwisdominc.org), founded by J. A. Siwo-Okundi, a Kenyan resident of the United States, collaborates with communities to support orphans. They are currently supporting the Homa Bay Children's Home in Homa Bay, Kenya. The Home supports children of diverse backgrounds. It currently serves 30 infants in the baby house by providing medical care, food, formula, and a secure environment.

One hundred twenty pupils in the nursery school and 640 pupils in the academy receive instruction, books, uniforms, tuition, meals, and an integrated educational environment with non-orphans. Four hundred orphans in the community-based program are given medical care, tuition, vocational training, and visits from professional staff.

During the next three weeks, several events are in the works to help raise money for these worthy causes. Anyone wishing to contribute can do so online, by mail, or in person, using the following methods:

1) Mail your check with a note, including our account number, to:

Citizens BankAccount # 1311792160Account name: Kenyans in CambridgeBank's routing number: 211070175

6 JFK Street (Harvard Sq. Branch)Cambridge, MA 021382) Walk to Harvard, Central or Kendall Squares and make a deposit:Harvard Square branch: 6 JFK Street, CambridgeCentral Square branch: 689 Massachusetts Avenue, CambridgeKendall Square branch: 141 Portland Street, Cambridge3) Send a wire transfer through your bank:

Citizens Bank charges $16 for any wire transfer (on top of your bank's wire transfer fee).Use the routing number above. Transfers from outside the US need a SWIFT code as well.

Send an email to Sheila Kamunyori (skamunyori@...) if you need this code.4) Use Paypal:

Go to Paypal at www.paypal.com and click "Send Money" which is along the top of the page.

If you have a Paypal account, please log in and donate, or if you don't have an account, fill out the

form on the right hand side of the page. Send funds to skamunyori@...."Kenyans in Cambridge Taking Action" is a group dedicated to raising money to assist the displaced, injured and hungry in the aftermath of the 2007 Kenya Elections. It is an offshoot of the Harvard Kenyans and MIT Kenyans. Anyone is welcome to join us at the "Kenyans in Cambridge" Googlegroups: KenyansinCambridge-subscribegooglegroups

For more information, please contact Warigia Bowman at warigia@..., or call #505-690-4033.

With greatest thanks for your generosity, and all best wishes,

Warigia BowmanDoctoral Candidate in Public Policy F. Kennedy School of Government

Harvard University(617) 495-5566

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

Please join "Kenyans in Cambridge Taking Action" to raise $1000 by March 31 for two worthy causes: the Gender Violence Recovery Unit of the Nairobi Women's Hospital, and a nonprofit in Kenya called Orphan Wisdom. To date, nearly $1500 has been raised, but our target is $2500 (or more!). Donations will be evenly split between the two recipients.

The Gender Violence Unit of the Nairobi Women's Hospital (www.nwch.co.ke, http://www.gvrc.or.ke) has seen a large increase in the number of women seeking treatment during the past two months. Rape and other assaults on women skyrocketed during the post-election violence, and funds are badly needed to care for the great influx of patients.

NWH has set up 4 rape-crisis response centers--in Mathare, Huruma, Jamhuri Park, and Kibera--which are providing shelter, security, and medical and psychological care to rape victims who are unable to access the services

The fundraising tally for the GVU will be announced during the Boston visit of Dr. Sam Thenya, head of NWH, who will be in the USA on a fellowship this spring. Dr. Thenya is a pioneer in HIV/AIDS and gender-violence treatment in Kenya, and founder of Nairobi Women's Hospital, the first to exclusively address women's medical needs in east and central Africa.

On April 3rd, from 4-8 pm in CGIS South (Belfer Case Study Room), an afternoon panel and reception will be held to discuss recent events in Kenya, including the medical and humanitarian implications of the electoral violence, the response and way forward, and the national and international implications of the power-sharing agreement.

Dr. Thenya will be speaking as part of this panel, which has been organized with support from the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and the Harvard African Students Association.

Orphan Wisdom (www.orphanwisdominc.org), founded by J. A. Siwo-Okundi, a Kenyan resident of the United States, collaborates with communities to support orphans. They are currently supporting the Homa Bay Children's Home in Homa Bay, Kenya. The Home supports children of diverse backgrounds. It currently serves 30 infants in the baby house by providing medical care, food, formula, and a secure environment.

One hundred twenty pupils in the nursery school and 640 pupils in the academy receive instruction, books, uniforms, tuition, meals, and an integrated educational environment with non-orphans. Four hundred orphans in the community-based program are given medical care, tuition, vocational training, and visits from professional staff.

During the next three weeks, several events are in the works to help raise money for these worthy causes. Anyone wishing to contribute can do so online, by mail, or in person, using the following methods:

1) Mail your check with a note, including our account number, to:

Citizens BankAccount # 1311792160Account name: Kenyans in CambridgeBank's routing number: 211070175

6 JFK Street (Harvard Sq. Branch)Cambridge, MA 021382) Walk to Harvard, Central or Kendall Squares and make a deposit:Harvard Square branch: 6 JFK Street, CambridgeCentral Square branch: 689 Massachusetts Avenue, CambridgeKendall Square branch: 141 Portland Street, Cambridge3) Send a wire transfer through your bank:

Citizens Bank charges $16 for any wire transfer (on top of your bank's wire transfer fee).Use the routing number above. Transfers from outside the US need a SWIFT code as well.

Send an email to Sheila Kamunyori (skamunyori@...) if you need this code.4) Use Paypal:

Go to Paypal at www.paypal.com and click "Send Money" which is along the top of the page.

If you have a Paypal account, please log in and donate, or if you don't have an account, fill out the

form on the right hand side of the page. Send funds to skamunyori@...."Kenyans in Cambridge Taking Action" is a group dedicated to raising money to assist the displaced, injured and hungry in the aftermath of the 2007 Kenya Elections. It is an offshoot of the Harvard Kenyans and MIT Kenyans. Anyone is welcome to join us at the "Kenyans in Cambridge" Googlegroups: KenyansinCambridge-subscribegooglegroups

For more information, please contact Warigia Bowman at warigia@..., or call #505-690-4033.

With greatest thanks for your generosity, and all best wishes,

Warigia BowmanDoctoral Candidate in Public Policy F. Kennedy School of Government

Harvard University(617) 495-5566