Greetings, Friends
If you have been to FTC,you will agree with me that Kaimosi is the home of rain. Two weeks ago, the Kenya meteorological department made it public that the rains we are receiving this season, particularly in the western part of Kenya, come as a result of an unusual weather pattern. Although the rains make driving difficult in rural areas, at least people are harvesting and have enough food for their families. Here at FTC, we harvested our corn in early August, and now our vegetable gardens—both in the open and in the greenhouse—are doing well. Our cows have enough to eat and our milk production has increased.
Maize harvest on the FTC farm
For years, a walk between the classroom building, the administration building, and the library has been a nightmare, especially at night and during rainy season. To get to any of these buildings, you had to look for an umbrella to cover your head and protect the books in your hands. Constructing walkways and connecting buildings has been my dream for several years since I first set my foot here as Principal.
Friends, I am thrilled to inform you that the dream has now been fulfilled. Construction of the covered walkway connecting these buildings commenced on August 3, 2022 and was completed on September 9. If you follow us on our Facebook page, you probably witnessed the progressive change. Students and faculty have had a sigh of relief as they walk singing along the way under the canopy. Now everyone can walk dry between the buildings.
Newly constructed walkway joining the Classrooms, Administration Block and Library
Resource Mobilization Workshop
The first guests to enjoy a walk under the canopy were institutional leaders from eleven affiliate theological colleges of St. Paul’s University who gathered at FTC for a five days’ workshop on Resource Mobilization. We were privileged to host this workshop, which was sponsored by Local Leaders International (formerly, Overseas Council Australia). Principals and academic deans were the targeted groups for this training.
The main objective was to empower institutional leaders with skills to mobilize the little resources they already have to achieve what they do not have for self-sustenance. Among the topics covered at this workshop were: enhancement of partnership and collaboration between affiliate colleges and St. Paul’s University; financial sustainability for theological colleges; and growth of resources through access to loans, opportunities, and grants.
On Thursday, we had a presentation led by Liston Ayodi, Director of Rural Service Program, an agricultural institution with which we share our campus. Liston’s presentation focused on Agribusiness for Financial Sustainability. The climax of this workshop was a visit to local farmers in the field, where we were exposed to simple ways of poultry and beekeeping,as well as the growth and production of improved species of bananas and vegetables. We also learned several ways of planting and processing certain plants, some of which are medicinal to
the human body.
Local Leaders International Workshop at FTC
Classes Resume
Our residential students who had gone on break reported back for their September semester on September 5, 2022 and are expected to complete their semester on December 2, 2022. Meanwhile, our modular students are on break and expected to return to class on November 21, 2022 for their November/December module. They will break just before Christmas on December 23, 2022.
With only a few weeks remaining to our eightieth commencement ceremony, we thank God for having come this far. We anticipate over 180 students wil graduate with degrees, diplomas, and certificates. This will be a combined team drawn from all six of our satellite campuses. The commencement ceremony will take place on Friday, October 21, 2022. This will be preceded by baccalaureate on October 14. The theme this year is, “Serving God with Humility, not Privilege,” drawn from Mathew 18:1-4.
Peace to you Friends,
Dr. Robert J. Wafula
Principal
Tel. +254 734 728564
Email: robertw@fum.org
Praise and Prayer
-We thank God for enabling us to host a high-caliber workshop on campus this September.
-We thank God for enabling residential students to return to class after the August break.
-Thanks be to God for the peaceful general elections in Kenya that were held in August 2022.
-Please pray for some FTC staff members who have lost their loved ones. Pray for Regyna Aura, Administrative Secretary and Registrar and Nancy Wafula, Director of Health and Wellness, who have lost a brother and cousin respectively.