Change One
Mukuru Slum
On the south side of Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, lies Mukuru, one of it’s many slum areas. Numerous homes here are build with old cartons, mabatis (iron sheets) and mud. Parts of the slum are used by various local industries as a dumping ground for waste. Most of the slum has no water suitable for consumption. This means that many residents of Mukuru walk for long distances in the search for clean water.
Health facilities are rare and when disease strikes, as it often does, many lives are lost due to poor sanitation and unhealthy living conditions.
For those living in Mukuru, new challenges are presented every day. Crime rates are high, with robbery, rape, drug abuse and teenage pregnancies commonplace.
For those whose daily income averages less than a dollar a day, and whose lives are under constant threat from potential disaster, such as the recent fire that left many dead and more injured and homeless, hope is in short supply.
A simple thing such as providing fresh water can mean so much …
School
All Nations Academy is built and run by All Nations Church and stands just next to the Mukuru slum. The school has nearly 400 pupils, 90% of whom come from the nearby slum. Many of these pupils are offered free education since they cannot afford even the minimal fees. They also have access to clean water and a lunchtime meal.
The school caters at present for children from nursery age up to class five. Due to large numbers joining the school every year, the church recently took a big step of improving the crumbling and dangerous school premises from a mabati (iron sheet) structure to permanent buildings. The eight new classrooms will be opened in January 2012.
The heart of the school is to offer hope and bring change in the community it is part of.
Can you help to Change One life?
We begin our new child sponsorship scheme in January with 100 children from the Mukuru Kayaba Slum but now is the time to sign up – £10 per month. To register please email info@changeone.org.uk or sign up at the welcome desk on Sunday – make a difference in one life.