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Norfolk church's legacy of love in Kenya 

TKWLkidsCFA Christian charity, started by a Norfolk church leader, has been helping children in Kenya for 25 years. The charity runs a school for 310 children and a sponsorship scheme to support the children through their education.
 



Simon Newberry, a school teacher and one of the leaders at Diss Christian Community Church in 1990, set up the mission To Kenya With Love (TKWL), after a church member visited the slum area of Kisumu. A successful nursery school was established and a long-term involvement with the church at Diss as well as other UK churches followed.

Simon sadly died in 2004 and his wife, Janet, became a trustee. Overwhelming support to keep the charity going enabled TKWL to buy a piece of land and build a school, something which had always been Simon's dream. The building work was started in 2007 and the school is called the Simon Newberry Nursery and Primary School.

To Kenya with Love provides children in Kisumu education and healthcare, giving them a good chance of gaining employment and breaking the cycle of poverty and dependence.  Many of these children have lost one or both parents to AIDS or malaria and would otherwise be forced to live on the streets.

The building of the nursery school and primary school was completed in 2014 for children aged 3 - 14 years. The school is Kenyan run, with a Kenyan headteacher, Administrator and teachers. with voluntary support from a UK worker. There are trustees of the charity in the UK and in Kenya and they are looking forward to a big celebration in October 2015 at the official opening of the school. Janet is planning to travel to Kenya, with others, to be part of the official opening and to visit the children.

TKWLCynthiaCFPart of Janet's role is to match children up with sponsors. Janet said, "Many of our children are living with uncles, aunts and grandparents because their own parents are dead.  Sponsorship funds for these children pay for school uniforms, shoes, text books, medical care and school fees. We look for sponsors from the UK and also in Kenya."

24 new children started school this year, 12 needing sponsorship.  The charity is looking for twelve more sponsors for 3 year olds who started in the nursery school this year. A donation of £22 a month will support a child through nursery school. TKWL sponsors are kept regularly updated on the progress of their sponsored child - they will write to you twice a year and you will receive a copy of their school report.

To Kenya With Love is also looking for a field worker either an individual or a couple who would live in Kisumu to support the project.

Click here for more details about the project

Click here to view the TKWL Facebook page

Follow on Twitter @tokenyawithlove


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