How can school holidays, particularly Christmas holidays, mean the fear of starvation for children?  When then only food you get is from sponsored meals at school and you know the frightening, painful churn of going for days without food, the prospect of school holidays will be daunting for many, including the children of Jolaurabi School, Mombasa.  This appeal ensures each of the 600 pupils at the school will receive a family food parcel containing the staples of maize meal (ugali), dry beans and rice to cover one meal a day for the holiday period.  The food is purchased and distributed in Kenya by our school community and costs just £7.50 per parcel; the price of a couple of coffees!

Jolaurabi School provides a free education to children living in utter poverty in a rural area of Utange, Mombasa, where there is no possibility of otherwise attending school at all.  The school takes in 80 children each year from hundreds of applicants, all desperate to escape poverty through education, and supports them through the 8 years of primary schooling.  Each pupil is individually sponsored by a UK (or USA) family through the charity who runs the school, Educate The Kids.  And the pupils excel! They are amongst the highest achievers in the region despite having to do their homework often by the light of a lit rag dangling out of a tin can of kerosene!  These children really want to escape the chains of poverty and give their schooling their very best, despite long walks to school after walking many miles for water, and other chores in many instances.  

Whilst education is 'free' in Kenya there are still basic costs that need to be covered for a child to be able to attend a government school. They need a uniform and money to pay for exam fees for a start!  When this is not an option for a family in these Utange villages, this charity can step in for the limited number we can accommodate.  The £11 per month sponsorship fee per child allows Educate The Kids to cover all costs of uniform, shoes, teaching staff and security, exam fees and, crucially, two good meals each school day. The  children can then have the sustenance to concentrate and drive themselves to achieve their best.  Regular volunteer teams from the charity visit to help ensure continuous progression and successful outcomes in many areas of these children's education and lives.

Educate The Kids is a UK based charity set up by Maureen and the late Ian McIntyre 22 years ago and has given a free, high standard education to around 13,000 children who would otherwise have had no hope.  Several former pupils are now qualified teachers and are proud to be teaching at their old school.  Other former pupils are business leaders, Masters graduates and local politicians.  Jolaurabi has proven to provide a tangible , achievable escape from poverty for thousands of families.  The charity his run entirely by volunteers; there are no paid officers in the UK, nor are there any premises used outside of volunteers' homes.  Only the school's Kenyan teaching and support staff are paid.  All helpers/supporters and charity managers are volunteers and pay all of their own expenses to be involved - including flights and hotel costs - when giving of their time in Kenya and UK.  This is a charity in the true sense of the word - every penny donated goes directly into the children's education.  

If you would like to sponsor a child or a teacher or support the charity in any way beyond this food parcel appeal, please visit the website educatethekids.com or contact me via heatherjmunro@yahoo.co.uk.