Helping children from the streets and slums in KenyaWinter / Spring 2014

Karibuni

London 10k

2014

Work party

2014

New website& online shop

UK School

Links

New

Trustees

www.karibuni.org.ukRegistered UK Charity Number 1044872

Letter from the Chairman, John Cotton

Dear Friends,

2013 has been a year of positive developments for Karibuni Trust.

It started with news of a most generous legacy from a long-standing supporter, Reg Whiley. It ends with the Trustees having agreed the most ambitious budget in our history, as we provide increased financial support for children studying at Secondary Schools and most significantly, increase the number of children to be sponsored each year at three key projects: Kibera, Tharaka and Njoro. As you will see elsewhere in this newsletter, you, our supporters, have been busy. More of you have signed-up for regular contributions to Karibuni, which are our life-blood. The number and variety of fund-raising events have multiplied, with more people than ever walking, running, climbing and dieting for Karibuni.

Our links with UK schools have expanded, including a new exciting partnership with Aylesbury High School.

We are delighted that 16 people have signed up to join a work party which will be visiting Kenya in February 2014. This will provide a practical and psychological boost to the projects concerned, and doubtless will be a great experience for members of the team. Several Trustees will also be involved in the important annual round of visits to all major projects, when we review progress and finances in depth. Joshua Katungu, our Kenya Representative, accompanies us on these visits, providing valuable advice and insights.

We welcome two new Trustees, Michael Carr and Peter Wells. We also remember with warmth and gratitude our friend Bill Murphy, whose drive and vision as Karibuni’s first Chairman continues to inspire us.

Finally, thank you all for what you do to keep the funds coming in, and for the encouragement you give us. We have a true sense of partnership with you as together we seek to do more to help some of the most needy children in the world.

John

Cotton

The news we are bringing you this winter is of some of the many and imaginative ways in which people are raising money for KaribuniA team entered the London 10K run in June on a lovely sunny day. Natasha ran in memory of her Auntie Susan who had been to Kenya twice as a work party member, and had been a very keen Karibuni supporter. Sonum saw us on our website and decided that this was a cause she could readily support as she is from a Kenyan Asian background. Most of the team are keen to run again for Karibuni next year. We still have some spare places available on 13th July – please contact us at office@karibuni.org.uk and ask for information. We ask each runner to raise at least £250 for Karibuni.

Peter Wells, one of our new Trustees, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with his daughter, Catherine. She writes: ‘In August, my Dad and I had the privilege of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in aid of Karibuni and of also visiting some of the projects. The climb was amazing; one of the hardest things I have ever done. Three days of relative calm and then eighteen hours of extreme physical exertion like I have never experienced! But to see the view of the snows and glaciers, floating above the clouds, to see the sun rise over the craggy rock and scree, to see the simple sign that said ‘Uhuru Peak 5895m’ at the top – that was quite extraordinary.Visiting the Kibera and Njoro projects was the other highlight of the trip and meeting the workers who are so steadfast and committed to the work they do with the children. As a teacher and as a Christian, it was a real encouragement to meet such wonderful adults and beautiful children in places which feel full of hope.’

Also in June, a much bigger group than usual took part in the annual Red Kite Ramble in the Chiltern Hills. David Welsh writes:“On 23rd June a handful of enthusiastic Karibuni supporters gathered in Saunderton for

the annual Red Kite Ramble. It was an early start – 8am on a Sunday morning – but we were blessed with near Kenyan weather. There were two routes to choose from and really keen walkers could opt to do both, a total of 17 miles. Most opted for this near-marathon and, despite a vicious hill near the end, managed to get round well within the allotted time and without too much foot damage. The reward for all this effort? Lots of money raised for Karibuni. Great to raise money and enjoy yourself! Why not join us next year?”

Retired Methodist Minister, John Peak, who, with his wife, Elaine, has been to Kenya with Karibuni as a work party member, completed a sponsored walk from Lands End to his home in Northlew, Devon. By road that is 100 miles – via the coastal path and other detours it is ‘very far’ as they say in Kenya! What an achievement – well done John you’re a star!

Others have done half-marathons, gone without chocolate for Lent, made and sold cakes, jams and chutneys, one man had his head shaved and one lady held a surprise 70th birthday party for her husband with a ‘Fun Casino’!

All these sponsored events raised in excess of £12,000 – thank you all!

The reliable strawberry teas, coffee mornings and craft stalls continue to raise significant amounts to swell the coffers. All of this, together with your regular donations and occasional gifts, has enabled the Trust to allocate bigger grants to the projects to support more desperately needy children.

Children like 3 year-old Ian who has a congenital disability that required expensive surgery when he was very young. His mother

New Trustees Like many Karibuni supporters I became involved in Karibuni through the magnetism and charismatic personality of Bill Murphy. He led a mission service at Oakley Methodist Church about the work of Karibuni.

Bill had a wonderful ability to describe the hope that education gives to the poorest in Kenya. He never asked for contributions – he didn’t need to, his eloquence said it all. From then I, and many at Oakley, were challenged to respond to the needs of these children. We recognised the importance of committing to provide regular support to enable Karibuni to plan and deliver its programmes. When I partly retired in 2007 Bill asked me to take a role in the management of the Trust, how could I refuse? The challenges facing the Trust are significant with ever increasing demands to support children who otherwise would be back on the streets. We have so much, they so little. It is a privilege to be asked to be a Trustee, I will do my best to help it meet its goals and objectives over the coming years.

I first joined Karibuni whilst working in Nairobi throughout 2011, acting as a “courier” each time I travelled between UK and Kenya. Visiting the projects and the townships whilst there made me realise that I couldn’t just turn my

back on the plight of millions of Kenyans and so, upon returning to UK, I joined the happy band of volunteers working out of Stoke Mandeville who keep things ticking over on the home front.After a career spent almost entirely in management in the IT industry I find myself helping out in the administration of our database and various other tasks as required and I am looking forward to my first working party in Kenya next February. I was flattered and pleased to be asked to become a Karibuni Trustee and I hope to be able to serve this wonderful organisation for many years to come.

Michael

CarrPeter

Wells

managed to raise enough money from family and neighbours to pay towards the cost, but was left with a balance to pay. Unable to raise more money she could not go for any follow-up appointments. Ian remains very disabled although he can now walk with difficulty. When we visited in June we were able to leave money with the project for the family to pay the debt and get Ian an outpatient appointment. The project chairman wrote:‘May I thank most sincerely the Karibuni Trust for the grant of Kshs 10,000 to enable Ian to have follow-up treatment following an operation to correct a birth defect affecting his legs and feet. Ian was taken for review last month. The doctors recommended that the boy undergo another operation that they say will fully correct the defect on Ian’s legs and feet.

The cost of the operation, Ksh 66,000 hospital estimate (£500) however, is prohibitive for the mother unless help comes from elsewhere. My assessment is she is overwhelmed by this problem.

Mother Ian spent Ksh 6,700 of the Ksh 10,000 you had left for her and has returned the balance of Ksh 3,300 which we have re-banked.’We were very moved that in her great poverty, living in very poor slum conditions, Miriam returned the balance of money to the project.

Any donations to support Ian should be sent with a covering note. If we receive more than is needed for Ian, we will commit to using it for similar health needs which we constantly meet on our visits.

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A growing trend is for schools in this country to have a link with a school or project in Kenya. This has met with varying degrees of success – communication is more difficult for school staff in Kenya. Here all our schools have fast internet access and people skilled in the use of computers. In Kenya very few schools have this luxury and correspondence relies on a member of staff having an email account at an internet café and being able to get to it regularly to check for mail, print it and go back to the school to share it, before returning to the computer in town to reply. Sometimes children and staff in the UK get frustrated by the apparent lack of response, but we do ask that schools remain patient and persevere.

Hazeldene Lower School in Bedford did persevere and they raised money to provide Tusaidie Watoto in Kibera with a new water tank which has reduced their water bills dramatically and given them a stable supply of clean water. They also provided stackable plastic chairs to replace the old heavy pews in the church to give much needed space to the baby class which meets in the church. The project and the church are very grateful for this practical help and evidence of love.

Brinscall St. John’s Primary School have a link with Mwithumwiru Primary School in Kaaga and especially with the Special Needs Unit there. They have helped to provide various materials to develop craft work with the children. It is hoped that these skills will equip the children with the ability to earn a living in the future. The schools have also exchanged letters written by the children.

Aylesbury High School, which has had links with us for some years, has adopted Karibuni as its school project and is already raising money in various ways. In addition to that five of the Year 13 girls are working with us at the office one afternoon a week as their voluntary community service. They are learning about the charity and how it functions, both here and in Kenya, bringing their insights and ideas, and undertaking several mundane but very useful jobs like re-organising the stock and packing suitcases ready to go to Kenya in February. We look forward to this partnership growing and developing in the future.

School Links

Bad hair day

raised £270

Aylesbury

High School

Kenya Work Party 2014A group of 16 intrepid travellers, all volunteers who are paying their own expenses, will be flying out to Kenya on 6th February to visit the projects, meet and interact with children, staff and carers and do some practical work in some projects.

At Kibera we are planning to paint the classrooms and do some repairs; at Embakasi we are hoping to cut more windows in the corrugated iron walls to bring some light into the very dark nursery classrooms, and to make some pin-boards for children’s work and bright posters. That’s the first week!

The second week we plan to paint the walls of the dining room at the Township Programme in Meru Town and also to extend the corrugated iron roof to make a long veranda that will shelter the children as they queue for their lunch – at the moment they get soaked by the rain as it falls and a heavy shower from the roof which has no gutter! We will also provide gutters and a water collection tank.

We will be carrying lots of donated items, for which we are very grateful, including school uniforms, T-shirts, footballs and boots, and many pens, pencils, rulers, etc. – a case full for each project. It is always very exciting and we are all looking forward to being there – most of the group for the first time. The 2014 group is full, but think about 2015!

Supporting Karibuni via a legacyAccording to a recent headline, charity income from gifts in Wills in the year to September 2013, grew at its highest rate since 2008.

Many of you will have received approaches from charities requesting donations in the form of legacies. This is always a delicate subject to raise with supporters. However, we just want to gently remind you that leaving a legacy to Karibuni Trust is an excellent way to support our work, enabling us to plan ahead and to take on new commitments with confidence.

If you have an existing will you can easily complete a codicil which adds Karibuni Trust as a beneficiary. We can send you a specimen on request.

If you would like to discuss this, please contact John Cotton on 01296 681226 or David Welsh on 01276 26470.

This newsletter was designed and printed by longarm.co.uk and at no cost to The Karibuni Trust.If you are a business and wish to support Karibuni please contact us via our website at www.karibuni.org.uk

Or you can e-mail us: office@karibuni.org.uk. As our office is not yet staffed every day please continue to use the usual phone number

(01296 681226).

How you can help...Please tick the box(es) that appeal to you:

Please complete the form and send it to our postal address which is to be used for all Karibuni Trust correspondence:

The Karibuni Trust, Stoke Mandeville Methodist Church, Eskdale Road, Stoke Mandeville, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP22 5UJ, UK

Become a Regular Giver – sign a Bankers Order form and commit to giving on a regular basis.

Sign a Gift Aid form so that your giving is increased at no cost to you as we reclaim the tax you have already paid!

Organise or help with a fund-raising event. As we move forward we need people across the country who will undertake awareness-raising and fund-raising events for Karibuni – some already hold Strawberry Teas, monthly market stalls, occasional quizzes, concerts and sponsored events – one person has bees that have produced over 100lb of honey – for sale in aid of Karibuni Trust. We can supply information, photographs, support and suggestions, or put you in touch with those already supporting us.

Get involved locally if you live in the Aylesbury area by helping at local ‘work-parties’.

Leave a legacy to Karibuni Trust.

Take part in (or sponsor) a sponsored event.

Gifts in lieu of presents when celebrating a special birthday/wedding anniversary/birth.

Gifts in memoriam or in lieu of flowers for funerals.

Through our Charity Gifts Scheme

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Please complete the form and send it to The Karibuni Trust, Stoke Mandeville Methodist Church, Eskdale Road, Stoke Mandeville, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP22 5UJ, UKThe Banker’s Order will be sent to your bank after registration at the Karibuni Trust office.

Please treat as Gift Aid donations all qualifying gifts of money made

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I confirm that I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for each tax year (06 April – 05 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all charities or Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and

Council Tax do not qualify. I understand the charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I give/gave.

Notes:1, Please notify us if you: • Want to cancel this declaration • Change your name or home address • No longer pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains.2, If you pay Income Tax at the higher or additional rate and want to receive the additional tax relief due to you, you must include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self-Assessment tax return or ask HM Revenue and Customs to adjust your tax code.

3, If you are unsure whether your donations qualify for Gift Aid tax relief, please contact us. Or you can ask your local tax office for leaflet IR113 Gift Aid.

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This Bankers Order replaces any existing payment instructions relating to Karibuni Trust

Registered Charity number: 1044872