Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I am raising money for a wonderful charity that aims to support the health and education of orphaned and vulnerable children in Kenya. Western Kenya is a region of abject poverty. Life expectancy in Kenya is just 57 years, but is much lower for such vulnerable children, who have already had the worst of all possible starts in life. AIDS is a huge killer in the area, and without the important work of the charity many of these children would go on to become infected. Poverty and the desperate malnutrition that comes with it is forcing children as young 10 years old into prostitution, simply to survive. KOP provides education on sexual and other health and social issues, helping to arm these young people against the awful disease that took many of their parents. The charity gives these children lifesaving medication and nutrition, protection and shelter, free of charge.

The Kenyan Orphan Project gives these children, in other words, a fighting chance at life.

In the summer I travelled to Kenya to help the charity with their work- improving the desperate conditions that these desperately underprivileged children survive in. Here, I paid for my own transport and expenses while the money I fundraise goes straight to the charity. I have witnessed for myself the work KOP does and the difference our donations are making. Omen feeding centre being an example of one of the projects KOP is involved in. Here they feed about 75 orphans who are of school going age. These kids are given two meals a day where without the feeding centre; the kids would go hungry, hence under performing at school.  The kids do not deserve what they have been handed by life. Listening to kids tell their life experience makes you realise how quickly they had to grow up in order to survive this harsh world.

KOP is not a large charity, and as such doesn't have to pay out huge staff and advertising costs. It relies only on kind and generous people like you. Donations are essential for this project to be successful. You can be assured that all the donations go straight to the children in Kenya.  ALL of the money raised goes directly to giving young Kenyan people something approaching the life chances that we take for granted at home.

Please be generous and make a difference to someone’s life. PLEASE donate, no matter how much you donate; may it be a pound or ten, every penny counts. Please help me reach my target of £800.

THANK YOU!