MY DAY AT FOX-6 NEWS CHANNEL

I stayed up longer last night because for some reason I could not sleep. Part of me was really anxious about the live T.V appearance today and part of me really really missed mama. If only she was alive... I would be on phone telling her all about my interview. Ironically, I am going on air because of her. I am on air today because she is my hero, a perfect example and I want to be just like her-Selfless.

I am on air today because of the Sabaots of Mt Elgon too, the people my mum loved and so do I. Brothers and sisters of Mt Elgon, I know we are ready, let us hold hands and not tire until we accomplish what we set out to do. That mountain has intelligent and beautiful people. It holds fathers and mothers with big dreams for their children but with little hope and resourses. You and I who God has blessed and chosen, let us do our part because we owe them and because we are able.

CLICK BELOW AND SEE THE INTERVIEW

http://www.myfoxal.com/global/category.asp?c=151146&clipId=&topVideoCatNo=151721&topVideoCatNoB=169550&topVideoCatNoC=130699&topVideoCatNoD=169551&topVideoCatNoE=104817&clipId=4332900&topVideoCatNo=151721&autoStart=true

DROP-OFF POINTS FOR THE CANS

I am blessed to be part of this great initiative. What started out as a small dream for the people of my community has now become such a big big vision. I dreamt alone but now I ride on the shoulders of giants........ my family, my friends, supporters, fans and donors. I am very grateful for the support you have given me and continue to give. May you be blessed.

This is the kind of container you will find at any one of the drop-off points.It is now easy for us to keep up with the overflowing donations of cans. We have six drop-off locations. We are trying to have as many as we can possibly have because we are trying to make it an easy exercise for our supporters and donors. We are also welcoming volunteers. Those wishing to give us containers to those wishing to spare time and join us during our can collection drives.

Drop-off location:

1. Watson Town&Country-1300 Brookside Coalburg

Mt Olive, Al 35117

2. Lawson State Community College-3060 Wilson Road S.W

Birmingham, Al 35221

3. Laborers In Christ Church-95 Robert Jemison Road

Birmingham, Al 35205

4.Wananchi Grocery-1900 21st Ave South,

Birmingham, Al 35209( Located opposite Walgreens,near Vulcan Park)

5. Troy University.

6. Miles College.

On a personal note:For me to realize this dream, I need your support and given a chance and a platform, I will be happy to share my story.

Contact number remains the same: +1 (205) 566 7324

SOURCES OF WATER

As I look at these pictures, I cannot help but wonder how we have survived. Most water sources in my village serve both man and animal, and depending on the season they can also ran dry. My family can count itself among the lucky ones, because the stream runs across my father's land. It makes it easy for us because we do not have to walk a long distance. It is also easy on us because the water is protected making it somewhat clean. The protection however, does not guarantee its safety. Above is Chepangur stream, from where we draw our water for domestic use.

In the driest of seasons, this is exactly how the streams and rivers look like. Like I mentioned earlier, these water source is supposed to serve all of us (man and animal included). During such dry spells alot of animals die and alot of diseases contracted. I know for sure that water would not be a problem if we dug wells, and also made sure that water from the already existing streams and rivers get treated and piped. This would ensure clean and safe water for our families.

That is why we at, "My Can will Change a Life" intend to use part of the resources collected to ensure that our community gets water fit for human consumption.

WELCOME....TO MY VILLAGE, MY HOME

This is basically how our traditional home looks like and this is pretty much a representation of our community.

This particular structure funtions as a kitchen by the day and a bedroom at night.

The blankets you see spread is probably all the family has as their bed linen. It is shared amongst 6-8 members of the family.

Typical family setting. The little house structures is all this family has. It is their kitchen, their living room and their bedroom.They have so little but never complain. They make do with what they have because they do not know any other way of life and/or have no means to make it better

Ooh, how I wish I could give them the world because they are so deserving. This community, this community that I so dearly love carries mothers and children with great potential and given the opportunity there are boundless possibilities. This is the community that gave me the greatest mother ever and it is a community that she loved to her death. It is going to be up to you and me to make a difference.

KAPTAMA FRIENDS HOSPITAL----OUR LIFELINE

This is our hospital or should I say dispensary.
This is the hospital that is supposed to cater for thousands of villagers. This is the hospital where our mothers, sisters, fathers, brothers and our children are supposed to feel safe when thay are sick. The picture on the side is that of our lab. Where all lab work is supposed to be done yet there, lies only one microscope and probably nothing else.

This is how the admission rooms look like. They
hardly have any available linen, the mattresses are thin and torn. The rooms look cold and empty. Yet at our sickest moments, this is where we run for refuge because sometimes it is better than the homes we live in.


The distances we have to cover to reach the
hospital is sometimes long. The patients are transported there using bicycles and sometimes donkeys. The roads are in pathetic state and worse when it rains. Visiting sick relatives is rare because of the distance involved and poverty.




This dipensary, Kaptama Friends is the nearest hospital we have. For specialized treatment, our people have to travel about 82 miles and that sometimes, is impossible because they are so poor and cannot afford. Due to these kind of circumstances, the villagers have long given up and this has led to some of them succumbing to sickness that would otherwise have been treated. Because of the prevailing conditions, women still give birth at home and most of the childre never get immunized. Last but not least, we have no ambulance

It is because of such that I choose to collect cans. It is because of such that I will not tire appealing to friends and donors because I know the aluminum cans you donate can change our lives dramatically. Help me, carry this dream for the people I love most.

MY STORY----From a village in Mt Elgon Kenya.

I will not die an unlived life. I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire. I choose to inhabit my days, to allow my living to open me, to make me less afraid, more accessible, to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise. I choose to risk my significance; to live so that which comes to me as seed goes to the next as blossom and that which comes to me as blossom, goes on as fruit.
- Dawna Markova


My beloved friends,


This seed died on August 24th 2008.

On that afternoon, a phone call from thousands of miles away in Africa informed me that cancer had claimed one more victim, my mama. Diagnosed on Aug 21st, this pillar whose strength I had learned to take for granted would only last three more days. Weird as it may sound, on the day that Mama was buried, I knew that a new, different, purpose -filled journey of my life had begun.

My name is Faustine Kipkech, a first born among five. My father, Isaac Kipkech Naibei, lives in Kenya with my siblings. I came to the U.S.A to pursue higher education (BSN), I am a registered nurse (RN) and currently enrolled at the Lawson State Community College. Stating that my life’s path has changed, with all that I have been through this last year, is quite an understatement.

Personal Search

Oscar Wilde, the Irish writer aptly remarked that, “All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his”, an apt summary, of the legacy my mama left behind.

“My Can will Change a Life” is a project that was born from a desire to provide hope and love to the people of my village, in Mt Elgon (Kenya), especially the mothers and children. With the help of my dear friends, “My Can will Change a Life” is a collective initiative of people working together to bring changes in the lives of a community I so dearly treasure.

Through this initiative, we will help dig wells, educate my community about the dangers of girl-child circumcision (Female Genital Mutilation), finish the construction of a church mama and dad were building for the community, and most importantly build a hospital. This is the one thing I wish Mama had lived to see and use.

These long term dreams can come true if, all of you can help me realize my short term objective of collecting 30 million aluminum cans and raising funds from selling them. I do realize that there will be many challenges, but none that I am not willing to face. No challenges exist that our collective effort cannot surmount. I am humbly asking all of you to help me collect these cans and realize a dream for my people.

Though I intend to continue my pursuit of education, self-fulfillment cannot be solely driven by scholastic achievement; it has to be backed by a higher purpose. Life cannot be constant receiving. That only creates a Dead Sea- all inlets but no outlet! That is why I intend to use every bit of knowledge I already posses, and the wealth of gifts and talents that God has abundantly blessed me with, to help impact others – like I have similarly benefited.

This dream is wholly driven by the admiration I had for mama and what she did, single-handedly and without resources, for the children and women of my village. I now have a clear purpose, which is shaped and guided by God, the respect I have for my host country America and the love I have for my home continent of Africa.

Realizing the limitations of a written page, I would be privileged if you gave me a platform to share my story. And, with just a can, you will help bring a lifetime of hope to the suffering mothers and the needy children of my beloved community.

Thank you and God bless you.

MY HOME SCHOOL...AND MORE LIKE THESE

We used to wake up with great hopes and now
they do. They hope that they will one day be
nurses, journalists, doctors, teachers, lawyers.... you name it. Their dreams are just like those of other children but the circumstances so much different. They have the desire and the will but they lack the means. This is the daily life of most children from my community.

Most of us wanted to take in what the teacher said but sometimes it was so difficult because of the hunger and the fatigue and now these children go through the same thing. Most of these children walk miles and miles just to get to school. Most of them will probably just have one meal a day. Despite all this, they choose not to despair and they will not lose hope because we before them did not.


Our teachers.....we are proud of them, more than they know. There face
so many odds but they choose to do what God has called them to do. Just like their pupils they trek long distances just to get to school. They gave us hope back then and they continue to give hope to our sisters, bothers, cousins, friends and children.. They teach and pray that some day things will get better. They hope that someday one of us will be courageous enough and ask for help.



We went to school without shoes, books and pens.
Now they do. Many a times we went to school feeling cold because it had rained the whole night, and after school we would walk home under an unforgiving sun and now they do. I so desperately know that if they hang in there things will some day be okay. I so desperately want them to know that with an education they can dine with kings and queens. With an education they can take control of their future. With an education they can give back to the community and collectively we can build our community. Children...you will make it because we did.

THANK YOU CENTRAL PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

I had a wonderful time talking to students of Central Park Elementary school today and sharing with them about the project and my home. My gratitude goes to the principle and the teachers of the school for giving me the opportunity to meet with them and the students. Thank you Mrs Rhonda Smith.

TROY UNIVERSITY & BCM MEMBERS

Thank you so much Troy university students and the BCM members. Your contribution and support is trully amazing. May the Lord continue blessing everyone of you. Thank you for helping us carrying our dream.

LAWSON STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE---- YOU ARE AWESOME

My gratitude goes to Mrs Dean Cook, head of the student life office, Mr Davis, Mrs Patricia Warren, Mrs Rhonda Smith, Ms Sadie Harris and the Lawson SGA. Thank you all for taking my hand and helping me carry this dream for my people. I know that working with you will go beyond what I had dreamed of. I feel lucky to be part of this wonderful family. May God bless you as you continue blessing us.

How we are doing it

Collecting Cans Pictures Click here

Walking in mamas footsteps

Well, this organisation was born out of a desire to continue doing the good work our mother had been doing for and with the people of our village. Our parents donated a part of their land to the African Inland Church.This is our home church,the place we were baptised, the place where mama met with women and shared the gospel with them. This is where deep friendships among the women was born, a place where they learnt to pray together, to talk about their problems, to celebrate their achievements and to worship together. This wonderful small church changed the lives of many women. It is also the place where mamas funeral service was held. This church symbolizes a testimony of a faithful servant called home to rest after a profitable time of work.We want to help complete the building of this church so that the wonderful work that the L ord began will continue on and so that the memory of this beautiful woman will live on in the lives of the people who come to worship the Lord in this temple.

The cans you are giving and donating to us will make this a possibility.Thank you again. We know that the blessings of God are with you.

The first steps

 

The can collection is going on and we are excited at the people´s response.Here is just a little look into what we are doing as of now!!!!The first step into a better future.

 

  

 

 

Can collection update

Well,who would have thought!!!!We already have 20 members on our facebook group.We want to say thank you for joining and we hope to hear from you soon and ofcourse to collect cans from your neighbourhood.It would be an honour for us to get to know each of you personally and what your thoughts are about the best way to bring change to the families we are reaching out to.Please feel free to leave a note on the group wall,write us an email,call us or comment here on the blog.
At this time we can report that we have already collected about 30 000 cans!!!It is no easy work but it is for a good cause and its a pleasure doing it.we want to say thank you to the people who have offered to help in many ways,the many gas station owners who have allowed us to use their premises to collect cans.Gas stations on highway 31, highway 150, my neighborhood gas stations on Lorna Road, Green Springs and highway 280. Watson town & country gas station,thank you for allowing us to use your premises for storage of the cans.We say thank you too, to the many,many good citizens of Alabama who have given us their cans even though they know nothing about us.We thank you for your trust.God bless you.

The beginning of the dream

On the 24th of August 2008, my mother died, three days after being diagnosed with cancer. Our lives have never been the same again.... not just the family but the whole community in my village. She was the most generous person I knew and had tried to do her best to help the women in my village and the whole district at large. She led christian conferences where life within the family was discussed and we watched her over the years giving food to the people who were poor and providing free milk to children whose mothers couldn´t afford to buy any and also to the children whose mothers had died during childbirth. On the day she was laid to rest, the beginning of a period of long soul searching began for me and ended with the birth of My Can Will Change a Life. We want to take up from where she left and because we have more resources in our hands, we want to do something that will change the lives of families once and for all. This means that instead of just giving handouts, we are going to educate and empower the people to make good use of the resources they have, we are going to support their endeavours to fight poverty and we are going to build a hospital that is greatly needed; a hospital that I wish my mother had lived to use. We will also help in the completion of the church still being built on the piece of land my parents donated to the African Inland Church. So, I pray that for you, this journey of transforming lives will be as exciting and as fulfilling as it is for us at My Can Will Change a Life!!!!