New Vision Rescue Centre, (Girls Orphanage), Kamwangi, Kenya

---

Mary Wakogi is an amazing lady. She took the decision to leave her job and set up an orphanage for girls that had been orphaned by HIV. The orphange based in Kanjuku, Kenya started when Mary gave a home to one or two girls whose parents had passed away. When people in the nearby villages found out what Mary had started, more and more orphaned children came knocking on the door, looking for a meal or looking for shelter. Mary now single handedly takes care of 23 orphaned girls between the age of 8 months and 16 years old. Sadly aound 5 of the girls are HIV+. Mary receives no support from charities, has no job to provide an ongoing income and is therefore in great financial need to ensure that the girls are well provided for. Mary and the 23 girls survive from month to month by the generosity of some caring people from the surrounding area. We visited the orphange in May 2011 and brought stocks of rice, flour, beans, cooking fat, vegtables, soap, toilet rolls, toothbrushes, toothpastes, sanity towels, nappies and other supplies. These goods were a very small gesture but were so appreciated and will help contribute to these people for a short while. We took pictures of all the girls and had these developed which the girls loved. We are now back in Kenya and are going to visit the orphanage again and bring further supplies. If you feel that you would like to help some people that are less fortunate than all of us then it is very easy for you to do so by donating: 1) Childrens clothes of any age, 2) A financial donation of any amount. 3) Any other goods that are appropriate for children. There is no formal charity set up to manage this project and any funds that are donated, however, if you wish to help please contact either Cate or myself and we will help arrange things with the people in Kenya to ensure that any donation goes to the right place. If you wished to donate childrens clothes for example, we can simply provide you with the orphanage address in kenya and you can send a package/box of clothes directly to Mary and the girls. We have sent similar packages from Asia to UK in the past and the postage cost was around US$40-50. Thank you for reading and please let us know if you are interested in any further info :-)

---

Photos

Cho Cho
Cho Cho is an amazing lady that really inspired me. She is 85 years old and lives in a village on the outskirts of Thika, Kenya. She lives alone in a mud hut which has no electricity or running water. The sad part of this story is that two years ago, Cho Cho's husband passed away - he was an amazing 103 years old when he died. Cho Cho and her husband married when she was barely 20 years old and within the first few years that they were married her husband unfortunately lost his sight in an accident. Cho Cho spent the next 60 years of her life taking care of her blind husband's every need. I was told by neighbours in the village that her love and care for her husband never waivered. Her life was spent caring for the one she loved. The strength, courage and willpower that this lady possesses is amazing. She was an inspiration to meet and I will never forget her.

Comments

[Jenny]

This is a great post Bennm, so inspiring. You have been doing some amazing things guys, respect!