From dream to reality.
When Wangari left Northampton to return to her home village in Kenya in 2010, she left behind a small group of dedicated volunteers. The School was named the ‘Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School’ in honour of the parish in which she worshipped whilst in Northampton.
Those friends became The Karuri School Project, devised of people from many walks of life, including teachers, social workers and nurses, and we became a registered charity with the UK Charity Commission in 2010. The Karuri School Project is run entirely by unpaid volunteers who give their time and expertise freely. There are no administration costs whatsoever; every penny raised goes directly to the School.
Ten years later, the School now has new classrooms, a residential unit, staff accommodation, clean water and electricity. The most recent (and biggest) project has seen the addition of a new kitchen and dining hall/school hall area. Wangari has also developed a small farm and vegetable patch which provides additional food for the children. You can read more about the School’s development and history in our archive of newsletters.
There have been many challenges along the way; floods washed away the original pit latrines and at one time the future of the School itself was in doubt. Wangari’s faith, hard work and determination however has been relentless and by 2019, the achievements of the children at the School was receiving national recognition.
However, there is always more to do.
Supporting the ongoing costs of running the School, maintaining the buildings and providing nourishing food remains a challenge. In 2022, the global rise in food costs is the latest of them. The children’s staple diet of maize and beans has doubled in price.
It’s more important than ever that the Project helps these children to grow, learn and thrive. Your support helps us continue that work for the years to come.