SPORTS
Sporting activities play an important role in the rehabilitation process. These activities encourage socialization which improves communication and relationships with others, especially after coming from such debilitating circumstances. Sports programs offered at the home include karate, soccer, volleyball and basketball.
Every child at MCF participates in physical education during school as part of the cirriculum. The Karate club at MCF continues to be a popular after school activity because it offers the children not only a physical but mental discipline. MCF's Karate Club has participated in local and national competitions. Currently, the home's karate team remains the champion of the East African Karate championships and Kenya Karate Championships.
MCF has a boys and girls soccer team who participate in weekly games against schools in the neighboring community. It must be a little intimidating for visiting teams who play on the MCF Ndalani field. Imagine playing against a team with a built in family cheering squad!
At the end of every school day the children participate in various activities but one day a week is specificially designated Sports Day and the children participate in activities including volleyball and basketball.
KARATE
Since the karate club's inception in 2000, many aspiring talents have been developed as new and determined youngsters join the after school program. The MCF karate club members have participated in both national and international events and are the current champions of East Africa.
This summer The East & Central African and South Africa Karate championships were held in Nairobi and MCF was crowned the Champions! 20 MCF beneficiaries participated and won 19 trophies, 12 gold, 10 silver and 2 bronze medals.
The team also scooped the Most Promising Player Award in both boys and girls categories. Congrats to Mwongeli Mwaka and Jackson King’oo. First place in Karate Forms were awarded to Joan Atesro, Soliet Asali, Monica Mwikali, King’oo, Isaac Wambua and David Nachi.
The superb performance was witnessed by South African High Commissioner – HE Mr. TS Msimanga and prompted him to visit to Ndalani in July 2008 to learn more about the East African Karate Champions and the incredibly talented children of MCF.
ACROBATICS
MCF started and acrobatics program to provide the children with another recreational activity. It also created as another platform the MCF family could use to create awareness on various social issues such as HIV/AIDS, Child Labour, girl child education, water and environmental conservation, the plight of street children and drug use and abuse.
Under the guidance of the Nzumari Fiesta African Arts Team, an MCF team began training in April 2007. Since that time, the Acrobatics club has been invited to participate in local and national celebrations and the team has been honored by requests from Government officials to perform for Kenyan Dignitaries including the President of Kenya.
The call to participate in a national event was a moral boost and offered MCF another playform to reach out to the wider society with messages of encouragement and socio-economic development.
The acrobatics team has also been training in puppetry which offers MCF a creative approach to communicate key messages. These forms of publicity attract enthusiastic crowds which opens lines of communication and the opportunity to learn what the pressing issues are affecting community development.
SOCCER
Soccer is the most popular sport at MCF and provides a great avenue for socialization. It is not uncommon to see 40 kids run to the soccer field at the end of the day and join make shift teams for a quick game after school. Visitors marvel at how they can figure out who their teammates are.
The boys and girls teams particiate and perform well at various games and tournaments. They are encouraged to win the love of new friends and confidence of the community over winning the game. These games provide another opportunity to create awareness on drugs, HIV & AIDS and child labour. As MCF puts a great deal of emphasis on rehabilitation and girls, they use the girls soccer games as a time to encourage the community to provide oppotunities for girls as well as giving them the right to choose their own lives even after girls have given birth at a young age or suffered abuse. The girls use these matches as a time to share their experiences and Hopes. Messages on HIV & AIDS, Child labour, prostitution, child abuse and trafficking finds an able forum during soccer games.
The youth from Thika town have on several occasions visited MCF grounds for the friendly games. This has nurtured team spirit and that one becomes a loser if he/she losses the lesson but not the game. MCF teams have won and accepted defeat with humility, thus showing how determined they are in life.
MUSIC
If you ask MCF visitors what they miss most after returning home from MCF, most will say it's the voices of the children in song. Since its inception, MCF has emphasized singing to express God's love and compassion to the children. MCF has a number of choirs who have won awards at local and national competitions.
Music and dance are part of the rehabilitation programs. These activities encourage creativity and provide an platform for therapy as children share their fears and dreams for the future. Children are encouraged to participate fully and freely.
MCF is active in their community and the choirs, dance troupes and drama club often hosts performances for their neighbors.
MCF Ndalani has seven choir groups and five dance clubs. There is a mass choir in Ndalani that comprises of all the high school students . MCF Yatta has five choirs and two dance groups with presentations that range from spiritual dances to traditional dances. These clubs have had immeasurable impact on the community during MCF’s frequent Christian outreach programs as a means of sharing the gospel.
The home has performed well in drama/traditional dances in which they were ranked fourth at the national level. In 2002 Kenya music & drama national festivals, one of the MCF boys was ranked position one in the whole Republic of Kenya for best solo guitar performance.
Music, drama and dance give the children an opportunity where they can participate freely and discover and nurture their talents.
DANCE
Because MCF is a home of diverse cultural origins, the home is full of rich heritage as expressed in the songs and dance of their communities and tribes. Dance groups have worked to harmonize the co-existence of all children which is demonstrated in MCF's desire to celebrate together as one loving Nation. Never one to miss an opportunity to share of the HOPE that fuels the family, performance opportunities are used to pass on key messages of encouragement to communities in need of it.
ART
When resources are available, MCF offers after school art classes for those who are interested in pursuing the activity.
Students have participated in art competitions where drawings have been for posters creating HIV and AIDS awareness. MCF has used these images and designs to create T-shirts for the children in the home. This has encouraged the students and promoted creativity by showing them their work is valued. The confidence of the students increases as they express themselves through art. Visit the galleries section to view some of their art.
A number of the artists contributed pieces that have been sold in Canada with proceeds going back to the program. The children’s art work is also used to create Easter and Christmas greeting cards sent to our sponsors and supporters.
MCF recently began training MCF beneficiaries in the making of handcrafted jewellery; necklaces, bracelets, earrings and belts. MCF purchases the materials for the girls and coordindinates the sale of the product and proceeds are returned to the support the project. It serves as a small income generating activity that will be expanded in the future to aid in MCF's goal of sustainability.
An Orphans Journey - Art from the Heart.
The HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa through the eyes of a child.
The Kenyada Art Club at MCF painted this mural which Stephen Lewis, (former UN Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS in Africa) used as a backdrop for the "If I Had a Million Dollars" gala dinner held in Toronto, Canada. The mural was in response to a question. "How has AIDS impacted your life?"
First one parent dies and is buried. Next, the second parent dies - this most often the Mother. She dies a slow, agonizing death of decay and disease. In front of her children. Often while nursing a child or children with AIDS.
When both parents are gone, neighbors move in and take over the home and the belongings. The children are then considered orphans and they often become street children living from garbage cans.
The lucky ones are rescued and brought into a good orphanage to live, grow and be educated. Only then, do they have a chance at changing their lives.