TESTIMONIALS
MARY,
TEACHER AT SWANI PRIMARY SCHOOL
"Attendance for girls has improved so much. We have also observed a great change in their hygiene, attitude, and acceptance among themselves. Our boys have also learned to respect and appreciate them as their sisters. Thanks again and God bless you and the project too.
Millicent,
Head Teacher at Salama Community School, Nairobi County
Ever since Project Imagine students started interacting with our children, they have built their self-esteem and communication skills. Because the children we deal with come from very poor backgrounds and some have not been in school for some time, they have difficulties expressing themselves, but ever since the Project Imagine students began interacting with them they are able to say what they feel.
Also, our students feel appreciated by Project Imagine students; the lessons they learn from them about menstrual hygiene, especially in such a school like this in such a community is so important. We know very well that our students would have missed a lot of information if PI had not come. Our elder girls were not informed about how to take care of themselves, but ever since Project Imagine began this program, I can say we don’t have any problem with menstrual hygiene. At all! They are now so courageous enough to say when they get their period. PI has taught them about teamwork and from that, even in classes, even when they are doing the academics - they embrace a lot of teamwork now and they want to be work in groups.
Project Imagine taught them about managing stress and anger and we find them sometimes our students even discussing about the same and trying to even joke around among themselves, telling them “Are you stressed? Why don’t you cheer up? What’s happening?” So I think it has been very helpful to our children because Salama is based on helping children that have not been able to go to school. We deal with single-parent children, some are total orphans. Some are being tortured in life. They’ve come from difficult backgrounds, so for them to have such an opportunity is a great help to the school.
pastor theta & pastor wade miller,
GRACIOUSLY INVITED PI TO PRESENT TO THEIR CONGREGATION
I have to admit I was a little worried when we invited Bella Bunkers to come and speak about Project Imagine. I was anxious because we were about to spend two worship services talking about the number one reason for school dropout in rural Kenya – a girl’s menstrual cycle – and how $7 can keep a girl in school for an entire year by providing sanitary napkins (without them, the average time out of school is nearly 2 months a year).
But what Bella shared was so much more. It was a reminder of John Wesley’s work establishing schools and clinics for the poor in England, and a reminder of our own Methodist Women, who in 1926, helped raise $50,000 for the Brookings Methodist Deaconess Hospital (established in 1912 as the Dakotas Deaconess Hospital with 20 beds). Bella reminded us to ask the question, “What do we take for granted?” as we seek ways to make a difference in people’s lives. She reminded us of what can be done with great Passion and Purpose.
At the end of the day, I felt proud and inspired. Many thanks to Bella and the Daly’s for sharing this special ministry!