Helping Displaced Families in Kenya

During our last trip to Kenya in September of this year, Jesse and I accompanied Nderitu Mahinda and his aunt, Ms. Salome Lenana, to visit a community of people that was displaced from the Rift Valley after the violence that erupted after the 2007 presidential elections.  In October 2008, Ms. Lenana and her sister, Gladys Wachira, who lives here in Southern California, donated land they had inherited near the border of Nyeri and Laikipia to these forty families. We took a 2.5 hour drive north of Nairobi to a part of the country that was already devastated by drought when we arrived. The government has been promising the people the materials to build pre-fab homes made of tin (see picture) but nothing had been done and they are still living in the tents provided by the UN. A couple of government official met us there and Ms. Lenana and the community’s leader expressed their disappointment, not only in coming through on the housing but also for the lack of help with the basics such as dry milk for the children. One unit of these houses costs approximately $1000 in materials to build.

Ms. Salome Lenana during our visit to he community she supports

A family's home - A UN Refuge Tent

Since our visit in September, Ms. Lenana’s efforts have resulted in 10 homes being built out of a total of 175 needed. She tells me that most of the families still remain in tents and some don’t even have that rudimentary shelter – a serious problem now that Kenya is in the season of the “long rains”.

What your support can build

Any level of donation is sincerely appreciated. Twenty five dollars can buy dry milk for the children or a few posts for building the homes. Everything helps! Below is the bank transfer address for wiring funds. If you like information about other ways to send funds, please send a request to me by clicking here.

SWIFT CODE-BARCKENX

BANK-03

BARCLAYS BANK

BRANCH-055

NAME -SILOAM WELFARE

ACCOUNT NUMBER-1006549

Again, thank you for your interest and I hope you can help.

Pease and blessings,

Olivia