2024- Embracing the Future.

Happy 2024 to everyone out there!

On January 2nd, Ruben Centre opened its doors again for the Mukuru people in this new year. "Oh MY! What has happened to 2023?" was my question as I sat down to reflect on the year of 2023. December 1st reminded me that I arrived back in Kenya exactly 11 months ago, largely to get down on the ground and save Ruben Centre. However, I must say that if the task was clear, the strategy or plan around how this could be done was anything but clear.

As we begin again now in this new January, I am in awe of what has been achieved, largely because of the unity of purpose among all staff, beneficiaries, and stakeholders associated with Ruben. This unity of intent truly proved to be fertile ground for a rebirthing founded on the known and very much cherished Ruben Centre culture.

*Ruben Centre administrators having a laugh during a meeting.*

At the last monthly Centre meeting of all Administration and project leaders, it was this definable culture that was the focus of my attention. In my presentation, I was not introducing anything new but rather reminding everyone that the Catholic cosmology of right relationships with the divine, self, our community, and the environment is the foundation of our culture here at Ruben. A culture with tangible expressions of vision, objectives, unwavering principles, and strategic plans, framed by the Centre's three defining values of PRESENCE, COMPASSION, and LIBERATION.

The 4th quarter of 2023 can be summed up with the defining activity of the Centre Administration's energy spent on the Mid-term review of this current 2021-2025 Strategic Plan. Ruben now has a clear mandate going forward into the last two years of this plan, and it fills me with optimism for the future of the Centre. Of course, paramount to a plan and implementation of good activities is a cohesive, talented, and committed staff, led by inspiring and competent leaders, and finally, I feel we are getting there at all levels.

Governance

*Ruben Centre’s certificate of incorporation as a charitable trust.*

The Christian Brother’s Ruben Centre Trust is finally a reality. Work on this began in mid-2021, but like so many things in those first two years of this current Strategic plan, nothing happened. Already there have been two meetings, and I am confident that the trustees’ experience and commitment will ensure full adherence to the vision and mission of the Centre and full implementation of annual work plans.

Chair of Trust - Ms Zipporah Njeri Mwangi, former staff member and health centre In-charge and now Chief Officer with the Nairobi County.

Trustees – Br.. Simon Peter Odongo who is the African Province Finance Officer; Br. John Paul Oluoch, formally Project leader at Education For Life Eldoret; Ms. Elizabeth Wanjiku Mwangi who served at Ruben for several years as Program Manager; Mr. Justus Mwendwa who is the Operations Manager for WE Charity Foundation Kenya.

Another great leap forward has been the strengthening of the Administration Team. We have added two new Managers and a Monitoring Evaluation position. This team has gone from a skeletal team of four to a muscular seven members.

Administration

Forming the Leadership Team:

Director - Br. Frank O’Shea; Operations Manager - Mr. Albanous Gituru; Program Manager - Ms. Veronica Mukati

Completing the Administration:

Human Resources - Mr. Chrescent Ebembe; Monitoring and Evaluation Mr. Tony Okolla; Chief Finance Officer - Mr. Festus Mwendwa; Accountant - Mr. Joseck Onziya and Communications Officer - Mr. Gregory Barake.

*Some of the students who went through the tuition program being addressed by Ruben Centre alumni.*

489 Grade 8 students completed their primary education and will now move to Form 1 somewhere. After the mid-year examinations results were published, teachers went into depression at the thought of the school finishing this NATIONAL Grade 8 era on a disastrous note, so I found around thirteen former Ruben Primary School alumni and recently cleared secondary school students waiting to get to university and funded a tuition program for the low performing two hundred students. This eight weeks of special attention with small tutor to student ratios, learning materials galore, and a positive "YOU CAN" atmosphere, helped produce even better results than 2022 results. A great finish to this era of 8 years of Primary education. Well done teachers in very trying conditions.

Staff

*Ms. Leah Kahonge giving her farewell speech.*

All staff are highly motivated and excited to live the new ideas and plans for the last two years of the Strategic plan, and their newfound spirit and energy were very evident on the 22nd of December as the Centre closed for Christmas. Twenty orchestra members (12 who have been invited to join the Kenya Youth Orchestra) enlivened the occasion with Christmas carols and some other favorite Kenyan music. Recognition was given to the retiring longest-serving staff member Ms. Leah. After 26 years, she was laying down her tools of work as a cleaner at the primary school and going up country for a well-earned retirement. Other staff who had been recognized by various partners of Ruben were honored and thanked. A few goats were grilled, and all left buoyed and replete.

January is busy now setting structure around the implementation of the dreams for a better Ruben Centre, and this will be very evident at the upcoming Trustee meeting as Trustees take on various roles and responsibilities that will give oversight to all projects. I will be away for some weeks from January 31st. I could go on, but really nothing more needs to be said but my total appreciation to everyone, workers, , administration, and the Mukuru community for getting Ruben Centre through this truly character-defining year.

Everyone is now ready to embrace a blessed future.

By: Br. Frank O’Shea
Edits: Gregory Barake