Kenya........ Tony Robinson

Dear Friends,

I hope this letter finds you all well.

It is a while since I wrote regarding the projects that I’ve been doing in Kenya.  The last was in regard to the volunteer programme that took place in August last year.  Well, this programme took place!  We sent 15 volunteers in all between the 2 charities that I am a director of; relayNET (www.relaynet.org.uk) and Footsteps (www.footstepsuk.org).  Among the volunteers were my mother, her husband and my sister, as they decided this was the only way to spend any real time with me!

The programme was for two weeks and included; art, drama, football, tie-dye t-shirts, a school trip to the museum, airport and zoo, solar cooking, natural medicine, face painting, playground games like “British Bulldog and “What’s the Time, Mr Wolf?”, class room construction and interior decorating and training to the wider community in non-violence, discrimination and HIV/AIDS.  Those who went had a great time. (You can ask them! – see the Footsteps website - http://www.footstepsuk.org/Michael%27s_diary.htm )

The local community organised a fund-raiser also that raised over £2000 (which is in the context of the local daily average income of less than 50p).  Since March 2005 we have been helping out with the rebuilding of the school and we were delighted to see the progress that has been made with 7 brand-new class rooms in place.  This has led directly to Magunga Primary School jumping from 19th in the local league table to 5th according to the recent exams.  It was the most-improved school in the region.

Our involvement in the area is really making a difference.  In the Footsteps child-sponsorship programme, both the children that reached their last year of primary education passed with marks of over 60% which allowed them to progress to secondary school and our sponsorship will continue.  The local community are working together to develop community gardens, planting Artemisia in order to combat malaria and boost immunity in those with HIV/AIDS, and constructing flood defences to defend themselves against the terrible flooding that frequently affects the area.

With the success of our efforts at Magunga Primary School we are this year expanding the programme to Rae Mixed Primary School which is nearby.  It is slightly smaller than Magunga Primary School but facing all the same difficulties and very eager to welcome visitors.

We are now in the process of looking for volunteers to go on this years programme – our third.  All the details can be found here:

http://www.relaynet.org.uk/Volunteer2007-kenya.htm

Even if you can’t make it this year, please pass this e-mail on to all your friends, relatives and colleagues.  We have no budget for large scale marketing campaigns as we don’t spend money on administration, so we rely on the support of our friends and volunteers.

With best wishes,

Tony