Kenya
Map of Kenya
The first Vincentian Lay Missionaries (VLM) volunteers travelled to Kenya in 2019. Since then, many have volunteered in projects across Kenya, including to Thigio, Matisi and Kamulu. The VLM Schools Immersion Programme now takes place in schools run by the Vincentian Fathers in Kenya. Kenya is located in East Africa, bordering Ethiopia and Tanzania and with a coastline on the Indian Ocean. It has a population of 54 million.
A Few Facts
- The Republic of Kenya is named after Mount Kenya.
- Kenya has a coastline of 536 km along the Indian Ocean.
- Kenya is famous for its national parks, including Nairobi National Park, Tsavo Game Reserve, Maasai Mara Game Reserve, and Amboseli National Park, among others.
- Maasai Mara has one of the largest densities of the lion in the world.
- Kenya is famous for its long-distance runners and attracts elite athletes from all over the world to train at altitude.
- Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to win theNobel Peace Prize, was born in Kenya in 1940. She was known as a fearless social activist and an environmental crusader. She started the movement to reforest the country by paying the country’s women a few shillings.
- Kenya is home of the father of Barack Obama, the former president of the United States of America.
- The staple meal in Kenya is a delicacy known as “ugali.” This is a meal made from flour.
- Coffee is the biggest foreign income generator for Kenya. Only 3% of the coffee grown in Kenya is consumed locally.
- The flag of Kenya has the following meanings – black represents the indigenous population, red the struggle for freedom, green the land and white unity and peace. The shield and spears are carried by the Maasai people and reflect the traditional ways of life in Kenya.
Kenyan flag
Thigio
Thigio is a rural area located around 1 hour outside Nairobi. The Vincentians run a school here from grades 1 to 7. It has 330 pupils.
The Daughters of Charity run community development and health projects here –
- Kitchen gardening for women.
- Hospice with 9 beds.
- Health clinic plus pharmacy.
- Counselling service.
- Community library and IT classes.
- Learning difficulties project with 66 people children to young adults. Autism and cerebral palsy. They try and do some activities eg baking, some have capacity for learning.
- Physiotherapy.
Matisi
Matisi is a suburb of Kitale, a town in Western Kenya. It is an area of poverty, drug and alcohol problems and a high proportion of young mothers. A lot of children are raised by their grandparents. The Vincentians run a school with 385 pupils from KG to grade 7. It has an IT suite.
The Daughters of Charity run Upendo children project for street boys aged 10 to 17 years old with up to 50 boys a day coming to the centre. The boys have been living on the streets of Kitale for varying lengths of time. They are able to shower, wash their clothes and then take part in activities, informal and formal learning. The project campaigns for the human rights of the street boys and against human trafficking and advocates for the boys. Their ultimate aim is for the boys to return to their homes.
Chepnyal
Chepnyal is located in a remote and hilly area in West Pokot District in North West Kenya. The Daughters of Charity came here in 2002. The services offered here include:
A Community development project, which provides the following programmes:
- Income generating projects
- A Water programme, providing access to clean water by providing well maintenance and repair service and is also available to start new wells when a particular community is committed to the project and to cost share
An Education project, which offers the following programmes:
- St Mary’s Nursery, an integrated programme with an outreach component to targeted and up-scale outlying
- The Women’s Polytechnic.
- School Resource teacher services, primarily for the girl’s primary and secondary school and activities for children.
A Health/Education Project, which offers the following programmes:
- A programme connecting children with disabilities to medical facilities to address their needs for surgery or for follow up medical care.
- A programme for the elderly providing socialization, hot food, clean clothing, and weekly medical advice by a nurse and assessment when needed.
Due to the difficulty accessing health care transport of the sick is provided to area clinics and to the District Hospital.
This project specifically looks for physiotherapists, teachers, nurses and farmers.
Kiio
Kiio is located in Eastern Kenya and is very dry and hot all year round. The Daughters of Charity came to live and work here in 2009.
The services offered in Kiio include:
Education/empowerment
- The Administration of Kiio Polytechnic which offers the following courses; Carpentry, dressmaking, Masonry and Mechanics to trade test levels III, II and I. Classes in Business, Bookkeeping, Typing, Computers, Cookery, Crafts, English, Health, Hygiene, and Agriculture.
- Teaching in primary school
Community Outreach;
- To the elderly, including health and social groups.
- Support for the carers of children with disabilities.
This project specifically looks for physiotherapists, special needs teachers and occupational therapists.
Map of Kenya
The first Vincentian Lay Missionaries (VLM) volunteers travelled to Kenya in 2019. Since then, many have volunteered in projects across Kenya, including to Thigio, Matisi and Kamulu. The VLM Schools Immersion Programme now takes place in schools run by the Vincentian Fathers in Kenya. Kenya is located in East Africa, bordering Ethiopia and Tanzania and with a coastline on the Indian Ocean. It has a population of 54 million.
A Few Facts
- The Republic of Kenya is named after Mount Kenya.
- Kenya has a coastline of 536 km along the Indian Ocean.
- Kenya is famous for its national parks, including Nairobi National Park, Tsavo Game Reserve, Maasai Mara Game Reserve, and Amboseli National Park, among others.
- Maasai Mara has one of the largest densities of the lion in the world.
- Kenya is famous for its long-distance runners and attracts elite athletes from all over the world to train at altitude.
- Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, was born in Kenya in 1940. She was known as a fearless social activist and an environmental crusader. She started the movement to reforest the country by paying the country’s women a few shillings.
- Kenya is home of the father of Barack Obama, the former president of the United States of America.
- The staple meal in Kenya is a delicacy known as “ugali.” This is a meal made from flour.
- Coffee is the biggest foreign income generator for Kenya. Only 3% of the coffee grown in Kenya is consumed locally.
- The flag of Kenya has the following meanings – black represents the indigenous population, red the struggle for freedom, green the land and white unity and peace. The shield and spears are carried by the Maasai people and reflect the traditional ways of life in Kenya.
Kenyan flag
Thigio
Thigio is a rural area located around 1 hour outside Nairobi. The Vincentians run a school here from grades 1 to 7. It has 330 pupils.
The Daughters of Charity run community development and health projects here –
- Kitchen gardening for women.
- Hospice with 9 beds.
- Health clinic plus pharmacy.
- Counselling service.
- Community library and IT classes.
- Learning difficulties project with 66 people children to young adults. Autism and cerebral palsy. They try and do some activities eg baking, some have capacity for learning.
- Physiotherapy.
Matisi
Matisi is a suburb of Kitale, a town in Western Kenya. It is an area of poverty, drug and alcohol problems and a high proportion of young mothers. A lot of children are raised by their grandparents. The Vincentians run a school with 385 pupils from KG to grade 7. It has an IT suite.
The Daughters of Charity run Upendo children project for street boys aged 10 to 17 years old with up to 50 boys a day coming to the centre. The boys have been living on the streets of Kitale for varying lengths of time. They are able to shower, wash their clothes and then take part in activities, informal and formal learning. The project campaigns for the human rights of the street boys and against human trafficking and advocates for the boys. Their ultimate aim is for the boys to return to their homes.
Chepnyal
Chepnyal is located in a remote and hilly area in West Pokot District in North West Kenya. The Daughters of Charity came here in 2002. The services offered here include:
A Community development project, which provides the following programmes:
- Income generating projects
- A Water programme, providing access to clean water by providing well maintenance and repair service and is also available to start new wells when a particular community is committed to the project and to cost share
An Education project, which offers the following programmes:
- St Mary’s Nursery, an integrated programme with an outreach component to targeted and up-scale outlying
- The Women’s Polytechnic.
- School Resource teacher services, primarily for the girl’s primary and secondary school and activities for children.
A Health/Education Project, which offers the following programmes:
- A programme connecting children with disabilities to medical facilities to address their needs for surgery or for follow up medical care.
- A programme for the elderly providing socialization, hot food, clean clothing, and weekly medical advice by a nurse and assessment when needed.
Due to the difficulty accessing health care transport of the sick is provided to area clinics and to the District Hospital.
This project specifically looks for physiotherapists, teachers, nurses and farmers.
Kiio
Kiio is located in Eastern Kenya and is very dry and hot all year round. The Daughters of Charity came to live and work here in 2009.
The services offered in Kiio include:
Education/empowerment
- The Administration of Kiio Polytechnic which offers the following courses; Carpentry, dressmaking, Masonry and Mechanics to trade test levels III, II and I. Classes in Business, Bookkeeping, Typing, Computers, Cookery, Crafts, English, Health, Hygiene, and Agriculture.
- Teaching in primary school
Community Outreach;
- To the elderly, including health and social groups.
- Support for the carers of children with disabilities.
This project specifically looks for physiotherapists, special needs teachers and occupational therapists.