Our
activities are based in the West of Kenya in Nyanza Province near
the shores of Lake Victoria. After a 45 minute drive in the dodgy
transport from Kisumu, the third city, you arrive at a small market
town called Katito. This is where, 5 minutes outside the town, we
find the area that is known as Magunga, from which the primary school
takes its name.
Life in Katito
- Poor communication - no telephones
- Basic health services
- Harsh climate
- Most people live below the poverty line.
- Community hit hard by HIV/Aids
- Many families run by children or headed by a sick parent or
rely heavily on aged grandparents
Magunga School is one of 6 in the area. It has 485 pupils - 200
of which are orphans:
- Many children cannot go to school, especially girls
- Families cannot afford a school uniform
- Sometimes the children are also infected with AIDS
- No family to encourage them
Devastating cyclone hits the area
In March 2005 a freak cyclone struck the area.
Most of the school had to be totally flattened. Temporary classrooms
were constructed from what could be usefully salvaged like the wooden
roof supports and corrugated sheets. Have you tried sitting in a
classroom made of tin sheets when its 35 degrees centigrade outside?
An appeal was then launched to rebuild the school.
Other charities have answered the appeal, including relayNET. Our
own footsteps cyber cafe was also able
to help in the appeal.
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just after the cyclone
rebuilding begins in September 2005
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