The weather in Gitombo, as well as in most parts of Kenya, has been chilly and cloudy. Heavy rains (El Niño) are also forecast for most of the country. We are making arrangements by cleaning our gutters to harvest water and improve drainage to prevent erosion and flooding.

   

Wanji with Grade 9 students (L); students eating lunch (R)

On August 24, 2026, our school joyfully reopened for Term 3, welcoming a total of 247 students, just one less than last term. This small fluctuation in enrollment is not uncommon, as families often relocate for various reasons throughout the year.

Exams We have acquired both the term opener and midterm examinations for all the grades. These continuous assessments help our children to remain engaged in their studies and ultimately contribute to the learners’ final grades in Grade 9.

We are now preparing for the upcoming Grade 6 and Grade 9 exams. These are national exams conducted by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), scheduled to commence countrywide on October 23. All schools must be closed by that date.

On Sunday, September 6, we held a joint school and parents’ prayer meeting for the 2026 Grades 6 and 9 candidates. The prayer meeting was well attended. The photo above left shows the parents in attendance.

We have received the awaited confirmation from the Education Office that PAAV-Gitombo is now considered an exam center! We will no longer be taking our children at great expense to sit for the exam at a neighboring school. We are thankful to God for this milestone.

Senior School

The children, teachers, and parents collaborated in the selection of senior schools that the children would work for, based on their selected pathway and aptitude.

Staff News

Teacher Lena, our Swahili teacher, is on maternity leave. We have hired Teacher Yvone (middle in photo at left below) for a period of 3 months to cover her lessons.

Cosmus Kisilu, the cows’ caretaker at Tumaini, will be leaving soon to join government service. We have been blessed with another caretaker to replace him upon the completion of his orientation. The photo at right above shows Cosmus (R) and Kilonzo (L).

Student Project

The agricultural shed, now called Kilimo House, is used by the agricultural students. for their practicals. One of the classes held practical lessons
teaching the learners how to do a fried chicken enterprise from scratch: sourcing ingredients, slaughtering, cooking, serving, and selling it. The photos below show the chicken enterprise and Kilimo House.

 

Learner Welfare

The month also brought challenges. We experienced two cases where learners hadconvulsions. The children were taken to our Afya room for first aid. This experience was a great reminder of the necessity of getting detailed profiles of the children upon admission. It is not unusual to admit children with undisclosed medical conditions, out of ignorance or to avoid stigma. As the school grows, we must be ready for all these complexities!

On September 7, we held an important meeting with the parents of our Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE). This meeting focused on our youngest Preprimary children due to a recent incident of children mimicking behaviors they’d seen online and on television. The meeting held a lively discussion, and the parents promised to work together with the school to create an environment that nurtures positive development
both at home and in school.

Sports

Games and sports, both indoor and outdoor, remain a part of our school life. Every Tuesday and Friday afternoon, students engage in games and sports, fostering teamwork and physical well-being.

   

Library

The school has three libraries, namely Msingi Bora Library (ECDE), Mnara Library (Primary School), and the Tai Library (Junior School). Learners an interact with age-appropriate books in their library and develop a reading habit as shown in photos below.

   

Daycare

In our daycare facility, we care for our staff members’ young children under the supervision of Teacher Agnes, as you see in the two photos below. The three children we now have enrolled—Gianna, Kyla, and Ivan—are making wonderful strides. It’s heartwarming to see them walking and talking. Their presence adds warmth and joy to our school community.

   

Tumaini Farm

Following a nationwide shortage of fodder for the cows, we procured maize stalks to prepare silage for the cows. The silage preparation exercise was carried out in conjunction with the agriculture teacher, Andrew (second from left in photo left), as it is one of the agricultural activities for the children. This was quite an exercise that involved the fodder being chopped using a chaff cutter, with molasses, and packed into silage bags in layers.

       

Each layer was thoroughly compacted to remove air, and the bags were tightly sealed to facilitate proper fermentation. A total of 12 bags of silage were successfully prepared for future livestock feeding. The exercise we have learned helps reduce fodder wastage and provided an opportunity for both the staff and children to gain practical knowledge on proper silage preparation, preservation, and storage.

Sponsorship program and youth discipleship

Youth With A Difference (YWAD), a group of PAAV-sponsored youth, has continued with their discipleship program. On September 6, a fellowship meetup brought together 16 young participants to connect and share (see photos below). Together, they discussed the story of King Hezekiah and the importance of making positive choices and supporting one another. This vibrant group will continue to gather weekly to inspire one another on their journeys.

   

Community Outreach

We have been fortunate to have Veronicah, one of our sponsored graduates, help at the school. Guided by Wanji and the management team, she has reached out to various organizations to seek support. Recently, she engaged with representatives from the Karura Rotary Club (see photo below), leading to a productive meeting focused on the history of our school, ongoing projects, and current needs. We highlighted the challenge of balls occasionally going over our field’s fence into neighboring properties, which could lead to misunderstandings with the community. The Rotary Club expressed interest in aiding us with netting for the field, and we are hopeful it will come to fruition.

Pillars Bible Study

Our Pillars Bible Study group continues (photo below), with members currently studying the teachings of the book of Acts every Sunday. Together, they strengthen their faith, community bonds, and commitment to making a difference in their village.

Financial

As of August 2026, the school was approximately KES 2 million above the initial budget at the start of the year. This was largely due to additional expenditure on approved special projects and major infrastructure works. The school spent KES 603,000 on the solar project and KES 1.3 million on the perimeter wall. Approximately KES 2 million was spent completing the Sifa House academic building. Overall, the variance reflects significant investment in school infrastructure alongside the normal operations expenditure. School fee collections have continued to cover the school’s loan repayments.

Looking to God, our Refuge and Strength. – Psalm 46

Blessings.