The Kenyan Child Foundation was delighted to invite Dr. Vincent O’Neill, the Irish Ambassador to Kenya and Somalia, to the grand opening of phase 3 of St. Patrick’s Primary school. He has been following the progress at the school since the beginning of the project in 2015. I am sure he envisioned a standard event with flags, ceremony and speeches.. but this was not to be!

The roads around the village of Kawese had been washed away by floods making them impassable so that cars, jeeps, even the local motorbikes or bodaboda could not make it along the paths to the school! There was no alternative – the Ambassador would have to travel by ox cart!

Dr. O’Neill had promised the children and their parents that he would attend their special event and on Sunday the 6^th of May, he didn’t disappoint!!  You can imagine how surprised they all were to see him enter the compound in a trailer pulled by oxen! Not to mention, the many other visitors and dignitaries from the County Education Board who also had to wade through the floods to get to the school that day.

The Kenyan Child Foundation, the children of Kawese, their teachers and parents were honoured to have Dr. O’Neill officially open the 5 new classrooms as part of phase 3 at the school. He is a shining example to all who work overseas as representatives of the Irish Government and on behalf of the Irish people to promote development and education in Kenya.

“As Irish Ambassador to Kenya, I am very proud of the relationship between our two countries. We are friends. We are proud that Ireland has worked in a friendly spirit of partnership to help in the development for many, many years. The fact that this school is called St. Patrick’s will mean that you have a little piece of Ireland with you forever. But let’s not forget that it is really a celebration for the children here today. Because what we are celebrating is their futures and the way they can contribute to their communities, their families, and to Kenya in the future.”

• Extract from speech made by Dr. O’Neill – May 6^th

Dr. O’Neill has become something of a social media celebrity in Africa and here in Ireland on foot of his actions in Kawese this May. Social media went into overdrive when they saw an Irish ambassador prepared to travel by ox cart to meet and prioritise children and the Irish charity who support them in a remote community in Kenya. We thank him for his bravery and courage.

Asante Kwa Kutumia Muda Na Sisi Dr. O’Neill

Thank you for spending some time with us.

Article from Merrion Street about the Ambassador’s visit to Kawese

The Irish Accountancy awards were held in the Ballsbridge Hotel on the 26^th of April 2018.

John McCarrick & Associates and The Kenyan Child Foundation were once again delighted to be named the winners of the Corporate and Social Responsibility Initiative of the Year.

The judges were “won over by the sheer scope of the Kenyan Child foundation initiative. It is ambitious in what it sought to achieve.” They were “impressed with the planning that went into it and the amount of work devoted to it to make it a reality.” They commended everyone at John McCarrick & Associates for the Kenyan Child Foundation initiative.

The Kenyan Child Foundation has set up a nutrition and food programme this year in St. Patrick’s Primary school to combat hunger and malnourishment among the students. We recognised that some of the children were coming to school hungry as there was simply not enough food in their homes during periods of extreme drought and flooding.

The breakfast club and nutrition programme was founded to overcome this hunger and to encourage and promote concentration during lessons.

Every morning the children get a nutritious meal of maize porridge, rice and seasonal fruit that has been freshly prepared at the school.  Fresh drinking water is available for the students at all times of the day. Local suppliers arrange the provision, which provides a small boost to farmers and shopkeepers in the village.

It is heartening to observe that the children in a few short months are beginning to look healthier. Their teachers report that they can already see the impact of an improved diet in the children’s schoolwork. “They are more settled and happier during lessons and better able to concentrate on their classes” said Principal Mary.

The girls and boys of Kawese really look forward to their breakfast of porridge, rice and fruit every morning. Thanks to all our sponsors in Ireland who donate much needed funds for this worthwhile initiative.

Asanteni

The pupils of St. Patrick’s Primary school went on their first school tour this May. You cannot believe how excited the children were to leave the village and travel by bus to the Animal orphanage in Nairobi National Park. Most of the students had never travelled by bus before, not to mention, the adventure of visiting their capital city, Nairobi, which is so far away from their homes.

The children were delighted to see the native Kenyan animals in the zoo. The lion and cheetah were firm favourites, as well as the zebras and giraffes that the children spotted along the highway as they journeyed to Nairobi by bus.

As an extra treat, the tour continued to Uhuru Park and Monument centre in Nairobi. This is a memorial garden where the Kenyan National flag was raised for the first time in 1963.

The senior students, their teachers and helpers send greetings and words of gratitude to everyone in Ireland who made their first school tour possible. Special words of thanks must go to a nearby secondary school: The Holy Ghost in Sultan Hamud – who provided an extra bus for the tour and who support and encourage the project.

The entire day was an amazing success. Field studies, Heritage & History, Conservation & Nature, as well as lots of fun and games were on the curriculum that tour day in May. The children are already planning where they can go next time!!

Asante Sana everyone.

Outreach 2018:

The bond between St. Patrick’s Kawese and St. Patrick’s Hollypark was further strengthened this year when a group of 8 teachers and volunteers made the journey to Kenya as part of the May 2018 Outreach group.

Particular highlights this year were:

• Teaching and learning in partnership with the staff and children of St. Patrick’s Kawese.
• Setting up the new 5 classrooms. Making new displays with art work sent from the boys of Hollypark and the pupils of Kawese. Creating a child centred layout with the new furniture most especially the new storage units funded by the recent 6^th class students of St. Patrick’s B.N.S. Hollypark, in each classroom.
• Visiting the homes of some of the pupils of Kawese.
• Distributing resources and teaching materials donated by the staff, boys, and Board of Management of St. Patrick’s B.N.S Hollypark, Foxrock, Dublin.
• Meeting Dr. Vincent O’Neill, the Irish Ambassador to Kenya and the Representatives of the Dept. of Education at the Grand opening of Phase 3 of St. Patrick’s Kawese.
• Visiting local schools especially The Holy Ghost Secondary school in Sultan Hamud.
• And who could forget our daily journey to school through the floods each day, on foot, even with an ox cart or two!

The Kenyan Child Foundation is humbled by the commitment of the wonderful volunteers in the May 2018 group. Their engagement, time, energy and dedication to the project is admirable.

We thank them for their hard work and inspiration during the fundraising campaigns and preparations for the trip.

We are grateful for their good humour, kindness and resilience during the trip this May. We wish them every success in their future endeavours and hope that they will someday return to Kenya.

The children of Kawese, their families and their futures have been forever changed by their hard work and example.

We couldn’t have done it without you.

Go raibh Mile Maith Agaibh.

Asante Sana

Hurray for our magnificent teachers:

A poem by the pupils of Standard 5

Our teachers.

The most inspiring people we have ever met. They have shaped our minds and our futures.

They have given us guidance. They have made a difference in our lives.

They have given us courage. They have made our minds better.

Our teachers, our role models.

They have given us confidence. They have made a difference in our lives.

We thank you. You have increased the magnificence of learning knowledge and wisdom in us.

Our teachers.

We don’t know how to express our gratitude for all you have done for us.

We absolutely must say thank you. Hurray for you.

Our magnificent teachers, thank you.