Hi Everyone
We wanted to give you an update on what we’ve been up to over the past few weeks and towards the end of 2018. In addition the launch of our brand new website (please take a look around)!
Amazingly this is Tim’s 20th year visiting Kenya since setting up our projects and we want to thank everyone that has made it possible – we are very grateful that it continues to grow and we are able to make a difference.
Picture: Kicked off with a performance from the Kibera slum ballet school
So, this month we headed over to Kenya to participate in the Red Rubber Ball “Anything Is Possible” conference. The event took place over 4
In addition, 18 of the children’s sponsors managed to make it out to Kenya to join in, all of whom were associated in some way with Kogelo Tours. Tim was over to oversee the logistics and help with the transport to and from the event.
Picture: Most of our scholars
The children came in from 4 main areas;
Mundeku (the village where Marthas guest house is located),
The Kibera Slums in Nairobi
The Kogelo area – Where grandma Sarah Obama lives
and Homa Bay – The ancestral home of Obamas’ great grandfather.
The workshops focused on life skills and development – things which they would be able to take away and give back to their local community. So instead of just looking at personal development, the aim was for the children to gain skills which they could actually take home and help the development of others.
Picture: Workshops underway!
Some of the children who came had previously been through the program so it was great to see them speaking and reflecting back on their own experiences.
One participant (John) was previously a sponsored child, however after being through the program is now grown up and actually sponsoring other kids…. which is just amazing!
We were also accompanied by David Kinjah, Kenyan’s best-known cyclist and trainer of Chris Froome, to find a place in Western Kenya to start another Bike project with the Red Rubber Ball Foundation.
After the event, some people went home but 14 people stayed on with Kogelo Tours and came up to the guest house.
They spend time in the village visiting farming projects and schools, we then organised a safari for them.
A few went off to Nakuru and luckily saw 8 rhinos and the others went to Masi Mara and had a nice long trip.
Once everyone had left the village, Tim stayed on and had a very productive meeting with the elders. He is currently working with them to set up a welfare and investment project – similar to a credit union – for small investment projects.
He also went out and purchased two additional Donkeys as our old ones are now working elsewhere. We have named them Jean and Graham! …and we still have our Donkey cart.
Thanks for reading, we hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year – we have some exciting ideas and projects for 2019, so please contact us if you want to be part of our program!
Best wishes,
The team at Kogelo Tours