SONDU/MIRIU HOME PAGE
Mrs. Clara Ondego (Secretary)
AN ESSAY ABOUT MYSELF AND THE S.M.P.L
I, Clara Ondego was born in the year 1963 June 17th at dawn time, Nyabondo Mission Hospital. I was given the name Anyango as my surname. I was the fourth born in a family of 7, that is 4 boys and 3 girls.
It came to pass and when I was 5 years old, I joined a nursery school at Nyabondo Girls Primary School. My mother by then was working as a house mother at Nyabondo Home for Crippled Children, by then my father had no job. My mother was the family bread winner.
In the year 1971, I joined Standard 1 in the same school and this year was a very bad year for me. It's the year that I lost my beloved father. He passed away on a Monday morning when he was hospitalized at Nyabondo Mission Hospital. My mum was now left alone with us.
Time came to pass, my mum being a hardworking woman struggled up and down to meet our basic needs. In 1977 I did my Certificate of Primary Education and passed. I was called to join Ahero Girls Secondary School but I could not due to school fees problem. My elder sister was sponsored by one of the convent sisters and she joined Nyabondo Nursing Home. She passed well the same year I passed my C.P.E. She was posted to Ombo District Hospital, Migori District. She tried the much she could and got for me a day boarding school i.e. Kadika Girls Secondary School. I joined F1 in the year 1978 and was chosen to be the School Captain because I was a good netball player.
In the year 1979 I was chosen to be the dormitory prefect, F3 I was assistant Headgirl and F4 I was the School Head Prefect. I was above average academically. I was loved by everybody in the school because of my good character. They use to call me "A BORN LEADER". During my fourth year in the school I became sick and I was hospitalized at Ombo District Hospital. My performance dropped though I just sat my K.C.E and got a 4th Division that is the year 1981.
Life became difficult on my side and I thought getting married would square all my problems. I got married in the year 1982 next to Base Camp. I was blessed with a baby boy during our honey moon time and I thought life was good. After that I started giving birth like a hen. Life became more difficult, I was frustrated in the family and I had no hope for life.
I turned to my Good God in the years of suffering and he held my hands. My husband agreed to take me to a Commercial College and I joined St. Paul's Commercial College in Migori this found when I had my second born now in F3 at Thurdibuoro Secondary School, the best netball player - Mercy. I completed my college in the year 1986 and this same year gave birth to my 3rd born. I got a pass in Typing, Office Practice and Business English.
Things did not favour me, life became more difficult and frustrating. I looked for any job but I could not get any. I started a small income - generating activity that was not doing well, I then embarked on selling second hand clothes which is also the same - profit/loss. This was the year 1994 when I had given birth to my 5th born now in standard 4 at Aomo Primary School.
One day when I was in my Shamba digging, the office messenger of Thurdibuoro Secondary School came to me that they needed a typist. I went, did the interview and was employed by the B.O.G at a small amount of small Salary. Since this money wasn't enough for me to meet my children's basic needs I had a thought of starting a group of few women for a merry-go-round.
In the year 1998, October 30th, we had a discussion with another woman i.e. Mrs. Agan Celestin at length and we agreed to call some few mothers to join us start the group.
The First meeting was held at Mrs. Okoth Sabina's place and the turn up was good. The office bearers were chosen and the name of the group given as Hera Women Group that's (LOVE). I was elected to be the group secretary and I have worked hand in hand with the Chairlady Mrs. Agan and the group members as well. We laid down the rules and the group objectives, where some we've not achieved.
One day in a meeting at Mrs. Agan's house a member brought forward an Agenda of visiting Nippon Koei Office to consult if we can get any help from them. After a thorough discussion, I among the other two were chosen to book Mr. Sakoda for the discussion.
Time came to pass, after booking Mr. Sakoda, the Consultant Nippon Koei, Project Engineer Sondu Miriu Hyropower Project. Our request went through and we visited the office. We got Madam Sarah, Mr. Sakoda's secretary who really welcomed us warmly.
Mr Sakoda was called and after discussing the matters we forwarded at length, Mr. Sakoda promised to see a friend and that he was to give us the feedback.
I saw God's miracle in the year 2001, when my group, the Hera Women Group got a letter from Mr. Sakoda that they were charged with the responsibility of running Sondu Miriu Public Library which was opened on June 16th 2001 officially in the presence of Mr. Yanagida, Project Manager KVM, Mr. Sakoda himself, Teachers and Pupils from Aomo Primary School.
The Library has worked well since it's opening though I can not say that we've served hundred percent right. Something good must have disadvantages and advantages. We are being given atoken of 100/= per day from Mr. Sakoda's own pocket not from the projects as many do think. The Library opens from. The Library opens from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily except on Public holidays.
To me as an individual, the Library is of great benefit to me because my children's performance is highly improving because they can get textbooks to read in the library. Besides that, I've also benefited a lot since Mr. Sakoda has occasionally organized for us some tours to go and see how the Kenya national Library and British Council Library both in Kisumu are being run. Only that I still need more knowledge about that so as to enable me manage the S.M.P.L more perfectly. I have that in my deep mind if I can get somebody to sponsor me.
As at now I count that the Library is of great benefit to the whole country, Kenya. In Nyanza, it is now the 3rd Library in existence, in Nyando District It's the First Public Library. Many Students of Thurdibuoro Secondary, Snding'o Opanga Secondary and Abwao did well in the last year 2001 K.C.S.E exams and have some students who are to join the university just because they were regular readers in the Library. The daily record attendance can show that. Also many pupils join secondary schools because they were getting books in the Library that their parents and may be the schools could not afford to buy.
Thanks to the Japanese Kenya Friendship. I congratulate all the donors who have donated books to the Library that has helped the community at large.
May I on behalf of the Community thank Mr. Sakoda, Mr. Okamura, Ms. Ishiguro, Mr. K Endo, Mr. Matshushita, Mr. & Mrs. Kuroda, Japanese School, Zonal Office (Kodingo), Kusa Community Dev. Project and the Nippon Koei Office once more for their kind donations towards the Library.