SUPPORTING SACRED HEART SCHOOL, NAIVASHA, KENYA DREAM FOR SOMETHING BETTER
A dream for something better, Wangari Ceclia
Charity Trustee Changes
Having served as a Trustee of our small Charity since the beginning back in 2009, Jill Wadsworth has reluctantly decided to relinquish her role as Trustee due to the increasing challenges faced by us all as we get older. Jill was instrumental in raising the profile of the project through her work, locally and nationally with the Women’s Institute, specifically when Wangari’s story was featured in their ‘Women Reaching Women’ initiative. It seemed at one point that nearly every WI member was carrying a Karuri handbag. The smart uniforms worn by the children at the school are also due largely to Jill’s marketing and promotional skills. She does remain on our Management Committee.
As one door closes, another opens and we are delighted to welcome Luke Smith as our latest Trustee. Luke has been supporting the project for several years and was one of the four intrepid souls who raised so much for us by completing the Northampton Round, an epic and unforgettable (certainly for them!) 88km in 24 hours walk in 2024. He is the producer of this newsletter and brings much needed skills to our team.
Not resting on his laurels, Luke is marking becoming a Trustee by setting off on another walk…
New Sponsored Walk
Luke is tackling the Around the Island Walk – a hike along the entire 77km Jersey Coast Path in one go – later this month in aid of the project. Not as long as the 88km Northampton Round two years ago, but it’s a tough test with the coast path more than double the elevation gain.
Starting at 3am on 20 June, Luke will stride out on his second Around the Island Walk – his last circumnavigation was 15 years ago. This time he is attempting to walk the route in 15 hours and aims to raise fifteen hundred pounds in support of Karuri and specifically the Cooking Stove Project.
Please help him get round the island – find out more and sponsor him here.
Cooking STove Project Update
As previously mentioned, our major fundraising initiative this year is to replace the cooking stoves at the school. These are now coming to the end of their very hard working lives and are vital to the provision of hot food for the children.
Wangari is currently trying to find the best value in the costs of replacement and thinks she is likely to need three new stoves. We have already received some specific donations recently (thank you) and any funds raised through Luke’s walk will go towards this.
Sponsor Luke now here to directly support the Cooking Stove Project – thank you!
Coppers for Karuri
Many of you will remember our campaign to collect copper coins as we found that people either threw them away or didn’t know what to do with them. Well, one of our Committee, Marina Barreau, has continued to collect pennies at Masses for the last ten years and has also collected clothes, toiletries and many items needed at the school.
The collected pennies help to fund the cost of sending the items to Kenya. Most recently, she sent 8 boxes, weighing 109 kilos, costing £360. She estimates that she has sent over 100 boxes over the years.
An incredible effort and rest assured that your pennies in her bucket are all used.