Raise Awareness About a Charity in Kenya

Some of the problems faced by Kenyans in Mgongeni are lack of water, lack of education, lack of training and racial tension. These problems can be tackled and The Mustard Seed Project is not there to give them money, but to help them build a life and be able to do things for themselves. Since being in Mgongeni they have already bought furniture for school, built toilet blocks and constructed a school block consisting of 3 classrooms.

Solutions

Water –

The women do most of the work in Africa and the women gather most of the water which can be located many miles away. With the money donated Geoff and Rita can build wells however they told me that they have been trying to build one well since September but racial tension is making it difficult. In Kenya they live in tribes, this is causing arguments over where the well should be situated, with one tribe claiming that it is too close to the other and vice versa.

Schools-

Since being in Kenya Geoff and Rita have already bought furniture for their school which was desperately needed as they informed us that the smallest children previously had to sit on the floor and were often trampled on by other students. They have bought plastic chairs for the classrooms allowing the children to sit down at their desk.

They have also painted the classrooms as problems with flooding have caused great damage to the buildings structure and appearance.

Rita also showed us a school block that has recently been built for around £8000. The block is very attractive and contains three learning classrooms for the children. They are currently training teachers in Kenya with the money they have raised through the Mustard Seed Project.

Since 2003 education has been free in Africa however unless the child’s mother can afford shoes and a school uniform for their child then they cannot attend school. Private schools in Africa cost around £30 a month, however Geoff and Rita only charge £5 a month and in many cases charge even less. They told us that if the mother could not afford the £5 they would reduce the amount and some mothers who cannot afford anything can still send their children to this school. Their aim is to get as many mothers paying as possible in the hope that it will encourage them to work and pay for things themselves.

Disease-

     Disease is rife throughout Africa and Geoff and Rita told us that on asking the women what they need, medical supplies were extremely low, in some places completely absent at all. They also told us that drugs to treat the common disease malaria cost only 80 pence each, however people are still dieing from the disease.