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My employer, Barclays Bank, will kindly match £ for £ the total sum raised through sponsorship doubling the amount that I can raise for Karibuni Children.

On 30th April 2022 I’m due to take part in one of the most famous cycle races in Europe - the Mallorca 312. The long, 312 kilometer route, consists of a loop through the Tramuntana mountains, giving rise to a total elevation gain of 5000 meters.

Mentioning the event during  a pre-Christmas catch-up with David Farmer, my old manager at Barclays and now a trustee at Karibuni Children, he asked whether I’d consider using my participation in the event to raise money for his charity - in finding out more about Karibuni Children I was happy to do so.

Please see below some information about Karibuni Children and the great work they do. Any sponsorship support you are able to provide would be very much appreciated and would go to a very worthwhile cause. 

My entry in the event is in no way conditional on raising money for any charity - it’s something I’d planned to do for ‘enjoyment’. However, if I can raise money for a very worthwhile charity like Karibuni Children along the way then I’d like to do so.

Karibuni Children is a UK based charity, which focuses on transforming young Kenyan lives. We believe that the key to breaking the poverty cycle lies in the transformative power of education. As well as education, the provision of nutritious feeding programmes is an essential aspect of our work, as it is difficult to learn when you are hungry.

In Kenya, the state provides free primary school education for all. However, for the poorest families living in slums, the cost of a school uniform, school meals and other extras, is beyond their means, making it impossible to break the poverty cycle.

Furthermore, with an English based curriculum, it is critical that children have a good grasp of the English language by the time they reach primary school; for children being brought up by uneducated parents and guardians who rely on casual labour for income, this makes nursery education essential. However, with no free state nursery schools, nursery education is beyond the means of these families. Our only selection criterium is that we support the ‘poorest of the poor’, irrespective of faith, tribe, or academic potential. 

How we operate

We partner with professionally run projects in Kenya, run by Kenyans. At any one time, we are supporting around 700 children across Kenya and we walk with the children through their whole education.

As such, each year we make a 20-year commitment to each new child we agree to support into nursery education, standing ready to support those who wish to learn a vocational trade or skill, alongside those who aspire to university.   

We may be a relatively small charity, but that gives us advantages. We can be nimble, making quick decisions when the need arises, lines of communication are short, and we are close to the projects we partner.

Furthermore, we have low overheads, with most of the work in the UK done by professionally qualified trustees and volunteers who give of their time for free. This ensures that nearly 90% every pound donated is spent in Kenya on supporting Karibuni sponsored children.

For each and every child we support we can, and do, make a difference, meaning that these children can go on to become independent, productive citizens who will make a positive contribution to their families, communities, and country.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.