Educational Development.
Seldom do we have an opportunity to make
a genuine difference in the lives of people in need. Yet
in Africa every single day, this miracle takes place for
Encounter Africa Safaris travelers who join in the good
work of Encounter Africa Safaris non-profitable arm –
Kenya Combined Development Programme!
Friends
of Kenya was founded in 2001
by a Dublin based educationalist and psychologist, Dr. David
Carey. While lecturing at a primary teacher training college
in Dublin he sent volunteer teachers to Kenya. Now, with
his colleague Tom Grimes, he is great friend to Kenya having
worked there for the past nine years on a regular basis
and the programme has expanded considerably. Kenya Combined
have partnered with Encounter Africa Safaris to help organize
their volunteer efforts in Kenya for many years. The ultimate
goal for this organization is to give back something of
value to the people of Kenya and Africa at large. Children,
orphanages, education and sports are our highest priorities.
Administration costs are funded entirely by Friends of Kenya
the non-profitable arm of Encounter Africa Safaris. What
began as a personal project of Dr. David Carey has grown
to a large and joyful responsibility. Kenya Combined supports
about two thousand children in Nairobi and its environs
with educational, sports, recreational and teacher training
opportunities.
Imagine two
thousand children touched with hope, joy and opportunity.
Two thousand children overjoyed to have access to appropriate
education, learning resources, sports equipment, a soccer
team to join or a book to read. So much is in such short
supply and the children’s gratitude is enormous. Helping
Africa’s youngest and neediest has touched our hearts,
as well as the hearts of Encounter Africa Safaris travelers.
We invite
you to join us. If you wish to participate we will happily
send you our news flash outlining how you can come and work
with us, bringing your donations upon arrival. Items such
as clothing, shoes, toys, medicines, baby care essentials,
blankets, fabric, school supplies, pens, pencils, chalk,
erasers, rulers and the likes. Upon arrival in Nairobi,
our staff will assist you on how to deliver your gifts to
where they are most needed. We can assure you that everything
donated is given only to the neediest children in the neediest
schools in the slums. We keep detailed inventories of everything
on a monthly basis. We only work with schools that have
proven to us they are sincere in helping children learn,
grow and develop into healthy adults with a proper education.
A visit to
work in one of our projects will be the highlight of your
trip. The reward of spending even a few hours with the children
immeasurable and the delight in having someone care about
them will stay with you forever. In fact it is not uncommon
for Encounter Africa Safaris volunteers, so completely delighted
with their work after a visit, to decide to return and work
with us the following year. The passage below is from a
letter written by a 10 years old girl named Atieno, from
the slums of Kibera, in Nairobi, Kenya, thanking us:
“When
I told my sister that you were coming to work in my school
me she ran outside shouting “Atieno is going to school
with white teachers! Atieno is going to a school that has
books” at the top of her voice. When she came back,
I told her David and Tom were sending the teachers. This
time she just kept quiet and started crying. My grandmother
thought I was playing tricks until I gave her your letter.
Then she kept saying, “It is God, it is God. We will
never forget the day you came here. I am your daughter now.”
You too can
change the course of life. We would be honoured to have
you as a Kenya Combined partner!
