Kenya Thriving is delighted to announce that our dedicated fundraiser, Andy Taylor, will be in the saddle for us again this weekend. Here is Andy’s message:

I will be cycling 760kms from Mizen Head in the far South West of Ireland to Malin Head on the north coast, starting on 16^th May.

The route takes in much of the amazing ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ which runs up the West Coast of Ireland.

Those of you who have known me for some time will recall that we (myself, my wife Chevon and our children) have done a number of similar ‘end to end’ rides over the years in support of  Kenya Thriving, a charity my sister and brother-in-law set up over 10 years ago which supports nearly 50 orphaned children and young people in the town of Migori, South West Kenya.

Learning Stars Project

The focus of the charity has progressed over recent years from providing food, shelter and a family unit environment to empowering children through Education and Skills training.

This is something we take for granted in the UK but is far from the norm in rural Africa, especially for girls who only register at a 14.3% enrolment rate to Secondary Education.

The Learning Stars initiative focuses on enrolling these children in local boarding schools, ensuring they receive quality education within a supportive environment.

Currently there are a total of 46 children and young people being supported to achieve their full potential as follows:-

7-  Primary School

15 – Junior Secondary School (Years 7 to 9)

13 – High School  (Years 10 to 12)

A further 10 young people are being trained within a Vocational Skills establishment and 1 student is enrolled at College

This video will give you a taste of the great work that the charity does.  Kenya Thriving Learning Stars

What Difference Can I Make?

That was the question we asked ourselves when we first got involved in the work of Kenya Thriving. The need is so large and we can feel so small.

However (to misquote an often used phrase) while we can’t do everything for everyone in need, we can do something for someone!

Full time education costs in Kenya are lower than the UK and even a small donation can make a big difference to a Kenyan child or young person.

Here are some examples of how donations large or small can make a real difference.

One off costs for a child in education

• Plate Spoon and bowl – £6
• Towel – £6
• Metal Box (for personal belongings) – £17
• Shoes – £19
• Mattress and blanket – £20

Annual Recurring Costs

• Soap £9
• Detergent £9
• Pocket Money (£0.37 / week) £19*

*In addition to affording the children small treats, this enables them to learn the value of the responsible use of money.

Annual Boarding School fees

• £325 (or £108 per term)

Anything you can donate will be gratefully received and diligently spent to help create a brighter future for the young people  of Africa

Our goal is to be able to fund a minimum of 4 additional children through 6 years of education – i.e. a Target of at least £10,000

TO DONATE CLICK BELOW:

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/irelandendtoend