Growth, Gratitude, and Upcoming Adventures with Kiota Kids
Hello Friends and Family of Kiota Kids Children’s Home,
I hope this message finds you well! I'm happy to share some exciting updates from March and April, and more importantly, to say thank you again and again for your unwavering support. The progress at the orphanage—and within each child individually—has been truly inspiring. None of this would be possible without your generosity and care.
I’ll be returning to the center on April 26th and staying for a full month! I’ve already cried (more than once) just thinking about the moment I get to wrap them all in hugs again.
While we're there, we’ll be sending more photos, videos, and updates to bring you along for the journey. I’m even hoping to get the kids to start their own newsletter!
UPDATES
Home & Living Upgrades:
-30 New Steel Bunk Beds Set Up– Durable bed frames provided a big upgrade to the facility and kids.
-15 New Mattresses – Replacing worn-out ones and adding extras to ensure every child sleeps comfortably.
Farming & Food Security:
Final Farm Harvest Completed!
-15 bags of beans (100kg each) = 1,500 kg total
-14 bags of maize (100kg each) = 1,400 kg total
These harvests go directly toward feeding the children and reducing food costs.
Next Crop Already Planted – The land has been tilled, and seeds are in the ground, continuing our efforts toward self-sustainability.
Education & Achievements:
-14 Academic Excellence Awards – Fourteen of our students received school-wide recognition for top performance in their classes and were honored with prizes of buckets, plates, and spoons. It's amazing considering many of them had not been able to attend school for years, or some even had never attended.
-Sports – All our children participated in inter-school running competitions last month and two boys qualified for county-level races!
Family & Community Growth:
-A New Family Member! – One of our beloved house mothers, Sara, welcomed a baby boy. The kids are obsessed with their new little brother!
-Health & Nutrition – The County nurses who provide monthly check-ins are now applying for a grant to launch a specialized malnutrition initiative, designed specifically for our children’s unique health and recovery needs.
As amazing as the last few months have been, with the next trip around the corner, we’ve got a big list of dreams and goals we’re hoping to bring to life...
Build a more efficient water catchment system to collect and store clean rainwater for daily use.
Paint the entire facility—inside and out! We want bright, clean, cheerful spaces for the kids to feel proud of.
Re-concrete the floors in key areas to make them safer, smoother, and longer-lasting.
Upgrade the kitchen and cookers so meals can be made more efficiently and safely.
Set up a projector and computer so kids can connect to guest teachers/friends around the world for remote Zoom classes!
Expand our chicken coop project so we can increase egg production for more nourishment for the kids.
Start art therapy classes to give the children more creative ways to express themselves and outlets to help process the heaviness of their pasts.
We’re exploring starting a beehive project—a fun way to teach responsibility, support the environment, and even produce some honey for them to enjoy!
Thank you from us to you!
Everything here has been made possible because of your generous support and heartfelt involvement. We are now able to not just meet their basic needs—we’re slowly being able to build this vibrant, expansive, happy and hopeful home for every child.
With many updates to come from the trip, and deep gratitude,
Lindsey and the Kids
