Over $6000 Raised for Education in Kenya through We Charity

As the new year begins, I’m thrilled to report that, thanks to you, my first Heartfelt Endeavours campaign raised a total of $6079 for Kisaruni High School in rural Kenya! Your contribution will have a ripple effect in the lives of these students and their communities. A big thank you to all of the readers who have purchased cards and prints from my online store in support of the project and also contributed directly to WE Charity.

In 1995, brothers Marc and Craig Kielberger co-founded Free the Children, later renaming it We Charity. I've been a big supporter of WE projects over the years. I’ve co-led four Me To We trips to Kenya and offered staff training workshops over the past decade. My husband and I have supported a student at Kisaruni for 7 years.

Meeting students and community members allowed me to witness the impact of volunteer efforts and donations through WE Charity. Every time I visit I’m astounded by the progress of projects on the ground. In 2010 Kisaruni had just opened with 40 students and Baraka clinic was preparing to open it’s doors. Now there are two high schools, and WE College. Baraka is a full fledged hospital with a surgery and maternity ward. It is extraordinary to see the effectiveness of WE’s five-pillar sustainable development model in action. Some communities have graduated to self sufficiency and graduates of WE schools are creating a new vision for their future.

WE makes doing good, doable. The organization has invented creative ways of amplifying charitable support, such as my WE fundraising collaboration Heartfelt Endeavors. Marc and Craig believe that volunteering and service to society should be integrated into daily life. As detailed in Walden magazine, they use the term "minga" to describe when communities gather to complete a large task that benefits all members of the community in a short amount of time. This practice is the essence of We Charity's mission.

At the beginning of January 2020 I will spend my first couple of days with WE Charity staff in Nairobi, who will be back from rural Kenya after attending the 2019 Kisaruni graduation. Forty graduates are starting the new year with dreams and new opportunities because of their education ⁠— completely funded by donors like you. I think the look on these girls' faces says it all.

Below is a summary, in one student’s words, of what Kisaruni High School offers the girls. Their vision and excitement is contagious. They are part of the youth movement that is changing the world.

Being community: Kisaruni Girls’ Secondary School shall be a place where each individual experiences the family feel, is responsible to others and the environment, is heard, is appreciated, takes care of each other no matter what and where, and remembers that we are all peacemakers.
Building Cultural Values: We honour and maintain the education that we bring with us from our families and communities, e.g. respect, responsibility, courage, honesty, generosity, and hospitality, among others. We strengthen our abilities to be respectful, responsible, honest, and humble.
Valuing Diversity: We recognize and develop the gifts, talents, and differences of each of us and value the contribution of each of us.

Values: Kisaruni values pave the ground for resilience.
Promoting Leadership: We strengthen the sense of self-confidence and build the skills and abilities needed to have the power to contribute to our communities and the world.
Encourage active learning: We maximize learning by offering a curriculum that promotes inquisitiveness, interaction, participation, and full engagement in the learning process to ensure success.

Thank you again for your support. I hope 2020 brings all good things to you and your families. I will be in three diverse regions in Kenya in January. You can follow some of my adventures on Instagram and Facebook.

Happy New Year!

All the best,
Kathy