Update August 2009
We have taken in a new boy in DCC, a three- year- old boy: Mwangi number 2.
Asina, our mother at Warembo Girls Project, told us that he had been wondering on the streets for a week and a half without his mother, as she had given birth in hospital and is still hospitalized.
Mwangi spent the first 2 days at Ria’s house, because we had to make preparations at DCC. He was really filthy, the entire car smelled. He was really “wild”: he peed in Matheka’s office against the wall, he defecated on the bathroom floor, pulled open all the cupboard doors, kept turning the light switches on and off, pressed all the television- and computer buttons and constantly tried to get hold of the cell phones.
First Ria let him soak in a bucket with warm water and soap for half an hour, found some clothes and bought diapers. His head was covered with scab and he was constantly scratching his head, so she bought some medication for that and while she was at it, she bought some medication for intestinal worms as well. This turned out to be necessary as well because some really big worms came out into his diaper.
We did have to laugh, however, when he started eating his fries with a fork: He didn’t know how to use a toilet but did know how to eat with a fork!!
Mwangi is now at DCC and was immediately followed by the other toddlers. He is a very self- confident little boy, who starts fighting and hitting when he doesn’t like something. We also have to keep the gate securely closed.
A new lady is coming to work at DCC as social worker and assistant manager. Her name is Margaret. She is somewhat older, around 40 years’ old, and has some experience in management. She resumed her education at a later stage in life and aims to finish her part- time course “social work and counseling” in December. Margaret is supposed to take over the daily management at DCC in due time so that Ria can concentrate herself on getting the Warembo Project started again.
Monica had come home with a toothache, but also with a lot of internal unrest. She didn’t want to go back to school or to any other school either. After having dealt with her toothache (wisdom- tooth removed), we tried to reason with her, which didn’t go very well.
Ria contacted the owner of the childrens’ home, where Monica’s daughter has been taken in. He, very reluctantly, agreed that Monica could see her daughter at the Child Department. It was overwhelming to see how Monica reacted after seeing her daughter for the first time in 4 (!) years. We weren’t allowed to tell the little girl that Monica was her mother, but she was told that a woman wanted to see her. We made the little girl draw something and asked her some questions, and all the time Monica couldn’t keep her eyes off her. She looks a lot like Monica and is a very pretty girl. We agreed that Monica can see her 2 or 3 times a year. After that Monica was much calmer and she agreed to go back to school .