The Advocates Kenya Outreach Project
You Can Help Advocates Improve Conditions for People with Special Needs Living in Kenya
The Advocates Kenya Outreach Project collects and distributes desperately needed resources and supplies for individuals with disabilities and their providers in Kenya.
History and Mission
The Advocates Kenya Outreach Project was started in 2009 by a group of Advocates employees originally from Kenya who recognized a unique opportunity. Aware of the lack of resources and often deplorable conditions for people with special needs in Kenya, the employees hoped to find a way to share the resources and knowledge of Advocates with those in urgent need across the globe. The group reached out to Advocates President & CEO, Bill Taylor, and with his support and encouragement the Advocates Kenya Outreach Project was established.
The Kiriko Special School
The first priority of the Project was to identify an organization who could benefit from a partnership with Advocates. Their search led them to the Kiriko Special School in central Kenya. With just four teachers, the school provides vocational and academic support to 74 Kenyan children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Lacking in the most basic of resources, staff sometimes even struggle to provide adequate food and clean water for their students. There are no computers, no internet connection, not even a phone on site.The school lacks adequate sanitation facilities, teaching supplies, books and sports equipment. The list goes on and on.
What the Kiriko Special School does have is a dedicated team of teachers and support staff who work tirelessly to educate and care for their students. With just the most basic of supplies, they could do so much more. In Kenya, a little goes a long way. The cost of tuition per semester at the Kiriko Special School is just $50, yet even that is too expensive for most of the students' families.
Small Steps for Big Change
Imagine what the Advocates community can do for a school that serves its students with special needs for less than $200 per year. With that in mind, the Advocates Kenya Outreach Project is taking small steps to make big changes for the children and staff at the Kiriko Special School.
The Project's first initiative was to supply the school with a resource library of books and training materials covering a range of topics related to supporting individuals with special needs.
Next up is the Kenya Outreach Shoe Box initiative. Members of the Advocates community have been challenged to work in teams to fill and ship small shoeboxes with everyday essentials for the school, such as toiletries, arts and crafts supplies, cooking utensils, and first aid items.
From the original group of employees, the Advocates Kenya Outreach Project has grown to include staff from all areas of the agency. The Project is also reaching out to the community and have been invited to present the Project to several local churches and community groups.
You Can Help, Too!
The Advocates Kenya Outreach Projects relies solely on the contributions of individuals from the Advocates' community and beyond. If you would like to get involved, please contact Project Director, James Irungu, at jirungu@advocatesinc.org. Donations can be sent to:
Advocates
Attn: Developement
One Clarks Hill, Suite 305
Framingham, MA 01702
Checks should be made payable to Advocates Kenya Outreach Project. |
