2025
No future without a history!
In recent years, an inventory has been made, dreams and reality compared, which means that in 2025 we can finally start implementing a plan devised a few years ago: printing and distributing children's books for free.
We have been looking for a good foundation: people who want to help us roll out our plans. People who will discuss the content of the books with the children, at school, in a hospital, in a home or library.
Experience taught me that not reading was not only due to
missing books... Where an almost perfect library was provided, the books were shining unread on the shelves. Inquiries told me that even managers did not read 'for their own pleasure'.
Parents, grandparents... they read what was provided at school. Reading at home, especially reading for your own pleasure, was and is (still) not part of the daily routine.
This is currently being worked on with all our might. Reading books, at school and in the library … next step: owning books!
That is what we want to work on and with. Owning books.
To this end, we will publish a title ourselves 3 times a year, a cheap edition of an existing title made available to us by
colleagues in the best case.
In addition, we will draw on stocks available on site and
make these available to third parties.
A book transport will take place several times a year, the rhythm will depend on donations from third parties and/or specific requests.
Reality shows that many books arrive second-hand in Kenya, from the USA and/or the UK, but these are often not recent editions. No Harry Potter, no diary of a dummy, no tree house (for the experts among us. We see this as a challenge! On February 15, a transport left with a number of banana boxes full of books, That tastes like more!!!
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Once they arrive, they will be distributed among the
interested organizations as requested. With them we will organize evenings and days, or even weekends, to not only enjoy stories or poems, but also to use our creativity by painting, sculpting or cutting and pasting.
Many activities will be aimed at children with special needs in any form whatsoever.
All help with this is welcome!
Donations in the form of books (in English, for children, young adults and adults) but also financial contributions …For those who didn't know yet: we have an ANBI status, your donations are deductible
Stichting Starborn
NL82RABO0342276174
Thank you!!!
2024
Imara International
The home for teenage mothers … we help with clothing, toys, books and craft materials and where necessary with presence during special activities. After inventory of wishes we look at how to act, what to buy.
Grain of Rice School
Here too we try to help as much as possible with not only an endless stream of ideas but also books, materials and presence. Reading sessions, always a success. Board games crocheted by enthusiastic crocheters are now also used regularly and with great enthusiasm. Together with management and staff, a preliminary phase was worked on for the free distribution of books. Not after the content will be covered at school …
First edition will be distributed in March 2025. Taking the long way home is the title of our scoop 😊
Sangida
This project was previously closed, but reconsidered after renewed contact ... In the meantime, helping to set up a snoezel room, is being further developed, this in connection with steady transport material. There was also a question whether we could provide the so-called Ikea chairs. We can, each time 3 chairs will go along in the suitcase. These are either purchased second-hand or donated by third parties.
Furaha
We built a playhouse here earlier, which is used a lot by the way. Last year we organized sports days. Small tournaments for the older children, craft projects for the little ones. The party was complete after handing out pancakes with chocolate spread, ice cream and other refreshments.
Sererit
Where we were previously able to install solar panels with the help of the Signify Foundation, our aid there has mainly consisted of clothing and food aid in the past year. Samburu, especially the Sererit location, is located in a dry location. Where residents can still get their water in small doses, it is different for the cattle. No cattle, no money. No money, no food. Especially for them, we have adjusted our objectives here and there and provided basic provisions, from oil to rice, to flour and matches …
For teenage girls, we are working on a constant flow of sanitary towels and related items.
Nanyuki Library
In the meantime, a real library has been set up in Nanyuki. Libraries like in schools are more a storage of educational books. Libraries as we know them are scarce, namely 4 in a country of 15 times the surface of the Netherlands.
Of course, the remaining stock of books was immediately donated.
This library was opened in November 2024. In the meantime, there is intensive contact. And grand plans have already been worked out for 2025.
Earlier projects
Dolls & Toys
The lack of toys in the various facilities, including hospitals, schools and orphanages was baffling: no dolls, no cars, no puzzles, no books.
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Due to the lack of availability of black dolls in Kenya, we started a collaboration with Coloured Goodies in the Netherlands. They developed a special line of dolls with specific features. Combined with books and other toys, these dolls help spark imagination and improve reading skill of children.
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We're raising money to buy dolls and doll houses. These dolls will be distributed in the various play areas across Nanyuki. Interested? See the section on the right for details.
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Of course, the dolls need clothing. Hence several ladies, are now at work with great enthusiasm to knit and crochet clothes.
It's very import to a childs self-esteem to see themselves in the toys we give them to inspire their imagination.
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In collaboration with Coloured Goodies, we now offer the opportunity to adopt a coloured doll for a child in Kenia. These dolls are created in image of the children which help them identify with their own culture. These high-quality dolls come with different clothes and other accessories.
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We have 3 different doll sizes available:
Small € 25,00
Medium € 35,00
Large € 70,00
To adopt a doll, please transfer directly to NL82 RABO 034 227 6174. Make sure to include your name or the name of your choosing so we can give it to the doll as a token of our appreciation.
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Do you have questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out to us via stichtingstarborn@gmail.com.
Union School Eldoret
We made our first visit to the Union School in Eldoret (Africa). Library inventory was made followed by a strategy meeting with the teachers. Next meeting with the school’s Head Teacher’s regarding the broken/missing windows and other urgent repairs that were needed.
Library
In December 2018, renovation of the library takes place together with local volunteers, ex pupils and family members.
Sponsor run de Meander Ootmarsum
The Meander School in Ootmarsum held a sponsored walk. Family, friends and acquaintances sponsored the pupils by donating money for every round they walked. At the end of the fundraising campaign there was an astronomical amount of money raised by the school and their pupils. The final amount and cheque was presented on another day and what a day it was.
18 April 2019
The total amount of the fundraiser was announced and the cheque was presented to Loes on behalf of the foundation. What an incredible and emotional day it was. It was truly mind blowing.
4 June 2019
A meet and great was organised within The Meander School in Oortmarsum. This was for a diverse group of people who wanted to know more about Kenya and what we were doing there. The pupils who were taking part asked us questions, wrote to other Keynan school children and once we returned from Kenya the pupils got their replies.
Eldoret School
With the help of volunteers but also builders we managed to replace or mount 1,120 windows that The Eldoret School, Kenya needed. For the infant part of the school we repaired the leaking roof, ceilings and we painted the walls. We thought about a follow up project and for this we need to raise more funds to cover these projects.
Thanks to the Galaxy Hardware Store in Eldoret it was possible to carry out this huge renovation project efficiently. They made sure that all the materials and ordered materials arrived on time but they also helped us with the renovation work but let’s not forget that without the help and knowledge of the local Kenyan people this project would not of been as smooth as it was. 😊
Whilst the renovations took place the Kenyan students were busy replying to the Dutch pupils that had written to them whilst the Dutch and Kenyan teachers were busy exchanging contact details so that they could directly keep in contact with each other.
Football campain
A new Facebook donate a football campaign has been setup and carried out. The actual Footballs that were brought at full shop price were donated to hospitals, orphanages and school. A part of the football purchase price was donated to a foundation that stops the illegal poaching of Kenyan wildlife. Even though the football were not cheap we managed to buy and distribute 60 footballs. How amazing was that!
Furaha children's home
In july 2021, we constructed a new building within the walls of the Furaha children's home in Nanyuki. A so-called playroom: a space to develop their fantasy with books, games and arts and crafts.
Every weekend there will be a story told to whoever wants to listen … A dollhouse, dolls, cars, craft materials … all is present. A little library, which will increase every trip we make to Nanyuki . This room is not just available for the children living in the Furaha children’s home, but also for children living nearby.
The building is constructed using local materials and local workforce. The floor is poured concrete, the frame is timber and the walls and roof are constructed from metal sheets. The inside is painted in bright colours.
Many thanks to the Nanyuki Furaha Foundation for allowing us to build within their walls and help us run the playroom.
We did it! The playroom is a fact. The first playroom, I should say … I hope this is only the start of a large number of playrooms in and around Nanyuki. We started building after finding a ‘fundi’ we promised to be able to build within a week. That would leave us a week to decorate … Luckily the fundi kept his word :-) . Once we started decorating we had to keep the kids at a distance: nosy, nosy, nosy kids. But we managed to keep it a surprise!!!
There is a little video when they have their first peek at the room:
We provided them with dolls: a dollhouse, bed and seats for the dolls as well. Cars, a puzzlehighway is still in progress and will be added soon.
Books: the library will be extended every time we visit Nanyuki (at least one suitcase of 23 kg every trip).
A blackboard.
A corner to read books to the children, a chair for the adult and cushions for the children to sit on.
Crafts materials, some donated by Talens, which will be replenished after finishing.
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And then there was the inauguration…
Not just an inauguration, but an inauguration with benefits :-)
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We started the party by handing out new (!) clothes for everyone, donated by Koopmans mode Tilligte, and a beanie, knitted by Bientje Werkhoven and friends.
Speeches, big thanks and other kind words were exchanged …
The best came last: the reactions of the children when they had a first peek. Going in was no option at that time, the floor was not dry yet…
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The ‘wows’ and ‘ah’ and ‘ohs’ made it all worth it!