My dear friends Charles and Prisca have managed to send photos of the wonderful donations made by volunteers Leanne, her husband James & their daughter, Chinika. The family were meant to volunteer with us back in May but delays and circumstances meant they couldn’t. Leanne had been very busy fundraising to bring items with them to the village of Uhundha on the shores of Lake Victoria and insisted on sending everything over in their absence.
As is the way in Kenya, months went by before the large package finally arrived. After heavy negotiation and expense from the village’s ambassador, Charles, who luckily works in City Square, Nairobi, the packages finally made it through the selfish grasps of KRA. Charles and Prisca then transported the “invaluable support to Uhundha community”, refusing to accept financial compensation. The goods arrived at the end of October and the parcels were presented to the school with pupils, teachers, parents & guardians all present.
Charles and Prisca and the community wish to thank Leanne and her family.
I would also like to thank Charles and Prisca too for their endless support to their community.
I was lucky enough to sit chatting with them at their wonderful home in April watching a storm pass, luckily a way off from their porch, in the light of kerosene lamps. My son and colleague Karl had gone to watch the football in the local town with Charles and Prisca’s 2 sons. Prisca was smiling as she remembered how much fish they had bought from the community during the difficult times after the election violence in 2008.
They would buy the fish (omena above) and tilapia , the primary source of income for the entire fishing community, because there was no market as a result of the upheaval in the country. Luckily this was the only effect on the village, lucky distanced from any violence due to it being 2/3 hours drive west of Kisumu.
Charles and Priscah also made a separate donation that day of plastic chairs to the orphanage. The children had been sitting on a dusty floor prior to this. My own experience of standing in the little classroom in the field, pictured here, with my own children, listening to the faces above singing songs reminds me how lucky I am to know these great people. They carry on regardless. They use the resources they have and do their best to gain an education, fish and farm the land for a living and to provide for themselves. They don’t need cars, they walk. They don’t need money for boats, they build them from trees, they appreciate the little things and they do not underestimate each other.
We’re still hoping for progress with the eco project in the community but in the meantime life continues in a truly beautiful place. Let us know if you’d like to visit!
Hundreds of miles away down on the Tanzanian border is another beautiful place; Enkito where we’re hoping to sink a well to help the community. The organisation we’d originally partnered with are now, unfortunately, unable to help so we’re looking for another drill team. Please watch this video and help if you can, either by referral or financially.
Help shape the futures of others, because you can and because its Christmas x