A Wilmslow based charity has been inundated with enquiries following the Comic Relief programme which featured Lenny Henry and other celebrities staying in the Kibera slum in Nairobi, Kenya.
Kibera In Need (KIN) provides a lifeline for children and adults living in the Kibera slum. Their Guardianship Scheme, currently enables about 200 children to have an education, regular vaccinations and hot meals, whilst their Business Support Scheme gives adult residents the chance to setup small businesses and be economically independent. It currently has in excess of 400 beneficiaries.
Estelle Goodwin started the charity with her husband Phil a few years ago following a visit to the slum. She told me "We have had lots of emails asking about our projects in Kibera from people who want a more direct involvement and to know who they are actually helping. The KIN Guardianship scheme makes this possible."
The scheme works by linking UK Guardians with a Kibera child for £20 a month cost. That money ensures that the child is able to go to primary school, have 5 hot lunches a week, a school uniform, books and vaccinations.
Estelle goes to Nairobi twice a year and has just returned from her latest trip where she was accompanied by one of the KIN Guardians Jill and her son Andrew, who were able to meet their sponsored child.
Speaking about the trip Estelle said "We found all the projects in Kibera working well. There were about 200 children at the Saturday feeding and I met the ladies from the bead work group who make paper beads which we have found to be very popular in the UK. The children looked happy and healthy.
"The rains started while I was there and it was apparent that life in the slum becomes even harder when it is wet. Many of the shacks are not water tight and the sanitation is so bad that sewage spills out of the drains and into the houses. The KIN Quiz Night on Friday 9th April, which is now sold out, will be fundraising to pay for some of the repairs."
Roof repairs to one shack cost about £130, a pair of wellies for a child about £6, a waterproof cape about £5 and a mattress for a family £26.
Estelle said "I am inspired every time I go to Kibera by the resilience of the people there. Every caregiver I meet wants the best for the children and is desperate for the children in their care to be able to go to school. KIN's projects make this possible for some and we would like to extend the programmes to include more.
The Kibera is a slum area of 2.5 sq. km in Nairobi, Kenya which is home to 800,000+ people. Houses are sheds with corrugated iron roofs, roads are tracks strewn with litter, sanitation is non existent and raw sewage spills over the pathways. The stench is overpowering and disease is rife. Some 20% of children die before their fifth birthday and close to 60% of people living in the Kibera have HIV/AIDS. Few have jobs.
Estelle added "It is challenging work and we are keen to expand the charity so that more Kibera people can benefit. KIN would welcome more volunteers or Trustees on the KIN committee. For more information email Estelle or visit the Kibera in Need website.
Photo: Nicholas, one of the KIN team, with Jill and Andrew meeting their sponsored child, and some of his siblings at the school he is attending.
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They raised £2,700 which will fund boots, capes, mattresses and repairs for families in Kibera to protect against the rain.