Karen Blixen Camp
Project
The Mara United School is a boarding school only a few kilometers from the Karen Blixen Camp. The school has approximately 320 students from ages 4 through 15 years old, from Kindergarten to Grade 8. Parents of many of the children are employed as staff at Karen Blixen Camp. The school is owned and managed by the local community and it is approved by the Ministry of Education and National Environment Management Authority.
Needs
General School Supplies:
Book Bags, Chalk, Colored Pencils, Compasses, Crayons, Erasers, Glue Sticks, Handheld Pencil Sharpeners, Markers, Pencils, Pencil Cases/Bags, Pens, Protractors, Solar Calculators, and Wide-Ruled Paper
Reference Materials:
(English) Dictionaries and Age Appropriate Encyclopedias on CD
Flash Cards:
Alphabet, Math, and Word
Laminated Wall Charts:
(English) Human Body, Language, Math, Science, and World Maps
Text/Reading Books:
(English) *Age-Appropriate Story Books, General Science, Language/Grammar, and Math
Hesperian Health Guides:
(English) Community Guide to Environmental Health, Disabled Village Children, Where There Is No Dentist, Where There Is No Doctor, Helping Children Who Are Blind, Helping Children Who Are Deaf, and HIV Health and Your Community
Art Supplies:
Acrylic Brushes and Paints, Beads for Bead Work, Buttons, Craft Glue, Craft Scissors, Earring Hooks, Fashion Magazines, Gage Wire, Sewing Needles, Thread, Watercolor Brushes and Paints, and Wire Cutters
Computer Hardware/Software:
Printers, Solar-Powered Working Laptops, Tablets, USB Cables, and Working Laptops
Educational Games/Toys:
Chess Sets, Puzzles, Scrabble, and Stuffed Animals/Soft Toys
Sports/Outdoor Activity:
Frisbees, Inflation Pumps, Jump Ropes, Netball/Basketballs, *Soccer Balls, Team Uniforms/Kits for Soccer, Tennis Balls, and Whistles
Clothing/Shoes:
New or Gently Used Children’s Clothing and Shoes
First Aid/Health:
Antibiotic Ointment, Band-Aids, Sanitary Napkins, and Tampons
Office Supplies:
Markers, Pencils, Pens, Printer Paper, Rulers, Scissors, Solar Calculators, and Staplers
Kitchen:
Bowls, Pans, Plastic Serving Bowls, Plastic Serving Cups, Plastic Serving Plates, Pots, Serving Spoons, and Spatulas
Gardening:
Books about Gardening, Cloth Caddy for Small Tools, Gardening Gloves, Hand Fork, Small Pruning Shears, Spades, and Trowel
Health/Personal Grooming:
Bars of Soap, Combs, Hair Brushes, Hair Pins and Elastic Hair Bands, Multivitamin Tablets, Sanitary Napkins, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Vaseline, and Washing Powder
Initiatives Supported
Listed on this page are the specific needs requested by the community project(s) so you can choose exactly what to pack for a purpose and express your gratitude to the local community with the supplies you take them. If you prefer, you may reach out directly to them to inquire about items which may be available for purchase locally. Arranging visits to community projects is beyond the scope of our mission. If you wish to visit a project, contact the participant and they can let you know what is possible.
Candy and balloons are not on the needs list as they are harmful for the children and the environment for the following reasons:
• Few of the children benefiting from these projects have access to toothpaste, toothbrushes, or a dentist. The candy promotes cavities.
• The balloons once they become deflated are a choking hazard for local wildlife.
Instead of taking candy or balloons, use that space for additional requested supplies, as they are priceless.
