A Wishaw woman has reflected on a charity mission to Kenya to help some of the world’s poorest people.
Fiona McCall spent a fortnight working with the Project Nakuru charity helping build schools, handing out food parcels and giving equipment to help locals in need.
This was Fiona’s second trip to Nakuru, which is a three hour drive from the capital Nairobi, and it’s one she will always remember.
“This trip has been amazing and we’ve done so much,” said 43-year-old Fiona.
“This was my first trip since 2019 because of the pandemic and I was delighted to come back.
“We have done so much and it’s amazing how the small things can really make a difference.”
Project Nakuru was set up back in 2011 and since then has made a huge difference to people in that community.
Fiona’s trip included painting a local school, handing out parcels to mums and babies at a nearby hospital and even giving new football tops to youngsters.
She said: “Newmains Thistle donated jerseys and the football team were delighted to receive them. They played a game in the new strips and I was on the half-time oranges!
“The Cherish school, which we support, has got new chairs and tables ordered as well as a proper roof as it was just tarpaulin.
“We also painted the building that will become the new kitchen at the school and were able to give the kids food parcels.
“We also arranged for five new mattresses, 20 chairs a table and some kitchen and shopping supplies, clothing food and parcels for child refugees who fled from South Sudan.
“But there have been smaller things as well. For example we found out one young man Emmanuel who had been awarded a place at university to study quantity surveying but his family have no money to pay his first year uni fees of £425 but we were able to pay that for him.
“We also found a three-year-old boy who was pushing his mother in a wheelchair which was broken. We were able to get a new chair for her within the day.”
All the equipment which is being handed out by the project is only possible thanks to the work of volunteers back in Scotland who fundraise all year round.
For Fiona that includes everything from selling football cards to hosting concerts.
She added: “I was lucky I held a concert in Rivals Gym in Wishaw who let me have the space for free and we raised a huge amount of money.
“I brought over £3,000 here and myself along with the rest of the volunteers pull our money together and it can go a long way.
“I had two suitcases full to the brim with various items.
“We don’t realise how lucky we are in this country especially when you see the extreme poverty over in Kenya. Many of the kids are living on a rubbish dump in tin houses with tarpaulin for a roof.
“The smallest things can make a real difference.”
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