Making a difference in Kenya

Tragedy hit a family in Soy, Northern Kenya, recently. The husband killed his wife and then himself, leaving five little girls orphaned and unprotected against a world that can be harsh and frightening. Their grandmother was left to care for them, and their futures looked bleak.

In the UK, Social Services would step in. The welfare of the children would be paramount, their needs met, schooling assured. There would be counselling and medical care, welfare benefits to help the family financially.

In Kenya, there is none of this. At best, the extended family would swoop in, separate the children and take them far from all they have known. At worst, the children could end up on the streets.

World In need’s East Africa Director, Robert Mulumbi, was determined that the children of this family would not suffer any more than they already had. Through his efforts we were able to highlight the family’s plight and within a week sponsors had come forward for all five of the children and for the grandmother. This means the family can stay together, secure in the knowledge that there will be an income to cover basic needs. All of the children can attend our school, the Nancy George Academy, ensuring they receive a good quality education, allowing them the best possible start in life.

Of course, these children are not the only ones whose life chances are blighted by their circumstances. Many thousands of others, in Kenya and many other developing countries, are trapped in lives of poverty and hardship. They struggle on, hungry, uneducated, unable to break free, perpetuating the cycle of misery.

At World In Need, we know this doesn’t have to happen. Given a chance, a child can grow to make a difference, both to their family, and to the wider community. If we can send children to school, they can grow to be engineers, doctors, teachers, lawyers. The cycle is broken and hope is born.

We help to break the cycle through our child sponsorship programme. Sponsors give a monthly amount which enables the child to go to school, to receive nutritious meals and a good start in life. It doesn’t cost much from a western perspective, but to a child in the developing world, it is priceless.

If you would like more details about what sponsorship entails and the difference it can make, or if you’d like to discuss becoming a sponsor, please contact us at info@worldinneed.co.uk, or phone 01892 669834 and ask for our child sponsorship department.